I recently switched carriers in part to save money, but also to get my hands on a physical SIM again. After a year with eSIM, I missed having a SIM card.
I Liked Visible, but I Didn't Like My eSIM
Two years ago, I was using Mint Mobile. When my annual plan ended, I decided to try out Visible. It would be my first time having an unlimited phone data plan, and I was smitten with the idea of unlimited hotspot data as well. I have two kids who tether their tablets to my data plan on road trips or when the power is out.
When making the switch, I decided to try out an eSIM for the first time. I could test out the service before my existing plan with Mint ran out, since mySamsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is a dual-SIM phone.
The cellular coverage was a mixed trade-off, with Visible offering me slower speeds in the places that mattered than Mint but fewer dropped calls while driving. The decision to try an eSIM, however, was a different story.
I Couldn't Switch Phones
This is an issue that afflicts people in my line of work more than most. You see, I review phones. While I've purchased a cheap Red Pocket SIM just for review units, that isn't the same as spending some time with a phone on my main line.
But it's not just the review units. Sometimes I just want to switch things up, such as trading out my existing phone for something simpler while I go back to using Linux. A few short years ago, theMinimal Phone I reviewed a few months ago would have been my dream phone, and part of me really wanted to give the E-Ink life another go even after the review was done.
I used to switch phones quite regularly even before I started reviewing phones. After all, I was someone who carried around a Light Phone 2 and had alsoconverted a smartphone into a minimalist dumbphone using a custom Android ROM. I'm less incentivized to switch my phone now thatmy book-style foldable functions as my sole PC, but I miss having the option.
And If I Broke My Phone, I'd Be Screwed
In the past year, if I were to drop my phone on the way to the car, shattering the screen on the paved driveway, I'd really wish I had my hands on a physical SIM card. With a physical SIM, I could simply slide my card out of my phone into one of my wife's old Pixel phones we currently have sitting in a drawer. That could serve as a placeholder while I took my phone to a shop or mailed it off for repairs.
eSIMs can be transferred, but the process is more of a pain. It also requires that both phones support eSIMs, which is not something you can take for granted with either older, cheaper, or niche phones. While the Pixel 6 I still use for testing apps, which came out in 2021, does actually support eSIMs, the same cannot be said about the Minimal Phone (which came out just this year). I'm currently reviewing another niche phone that also lacks the capability. Without a physical SIM, I couldn't use either phone as a backup.
I Didn't Have to Switch Carriers—But I Did
I didn't have to abandon Visible to get my hands on a physical SIM. I didn't realize this, since I never looked into it until after the fact, but I could have swapped my eSIM for a physical one at any point in the year. Knowing what I know now, I likely would have made the switch early on. But I had it in my head that sticking with Visible meant I was stuck with eSIM, and I just didn't want to sign up for that for another year.
During my time with Visible, Mint Mobile removed the data cap from its unlimited plan. That took away part of the reason I switched to Visible in the first place. Mint is also currently offering that plan for 50% off. While I liked Visible, I didn't like it enough to renew at twice the price of Mint, especially when the switch would place a physical SIM back in my hands.
To be clear, Mint's plan isn't equivalent, since it doesn't have unlimited hotspot data. But in the past year, I never needed more than the 10GB of hotspot data that Mint's unlimited plan provides. We've also invested intons of solar generators, offering us a way to keep our Comcast internet on during an outage and reducing the need for as much data.
I don't know if I'll stick with Mint when the time comes to renew next year. Switching prepaid carriers is easy, after all. But if I do go back to Visible, I'll be selecting the physical SIM card option when I do. For me, the extra time it takes for a physical SIM card to arrive in the mail is worth the wait.
Mint Mobile Modern Family
- Brand
- Mint Mobile
- 5G
- Yes
If you can pay upfront, Mint Mobile’s Modern Family prepaid plan will save you a hefty chunk of change, and you can customize the amount of data each person on your plan receives. If four people all had unlimited data through this plan, it’d cost $120/month.
