Early the day before yesterday, as the Shanghai Telecom Xindong Road branch had just opened, Ms. Miao, a citizen, quickly walked in and became the first user to handle eSIM mobile services. At the same time, Mr. Xu also completed the activation of eSIM business at the Shanghai Mobile Changshou Road flagship store. As the first smartphone in China to support eSIM function, iPhone Air, goes on sale, Shanghai Unicom, Shanghai Telecom, and Shanghai Mobile have simultaneously launched eSIM mobile services. The entire process from presenting their ID card to activating eSIM only takes a few minutes, and Shanghai users have also entered the era of "cardless communication" nationwide. eSIM， Embedded SIM card is a technology that fully integrates the functions of traditional physical SIM cards into device chips. Simply put, it virtualizes mobile phone cards, allowing users to activate and manage numbers without inserting physical cards. Instead, it can be achieved through a software like "over the air card writing" method. ESIM not only eliminates phone card slots, but also brings revolutionary changes to terminal design, user experience, and connection methods. Xiao Minli, Deputy General Manager of the Marketing Department of China Mobile Shanghai Company, explained to reporters: "By writing the number information into the built-in chip of the phone through over the air card writing, the terminal does not need to insert a physical SIM card. ”On the day of its launch, many users personally experienced the convenience brought by eSIM. Ms. Wu speaks highly of the device slimness brought by eSIM: "I am a designer and am very sensitive to the aesthetics of electronic products. Apple's new phone that supports eSIM is much thinner and lighter than other phones, and you can hardly feel the weight when you put it in your pocket. ”It is reported that the body of this iPhone Air weighs only 156 grams, but during testing, calls and internet access are smooth and stable. Mr. Liu, a retired teacher in his late sixties, initially had some concerns about new technology, but after practical operation, he also felt good: "In the past, when changing phones, we always had to ask young people in the business hall to help insert cards, but I heard that it can be done remotely in the future. The most reassuring thing for me is that I no longer have to worry about losing my SIM card. ”The process of handling this business is also quite convenient. The process is much simpler than imagined, "user Mr. Zhou told reporters." I applied for it at a mobile business hall, and they gave me a QR code. I could scan it to cancel my old physical card, and activate my new phone in two to three minutes. "The relevant person in charge of Shanghai Mobile introduced that there are already 188 business halls in Shanghai Mobile that can handle this service. The three major telecom operators have clear rules for handling procedures, tariffs, and other issues that users are generally concerned about. Users only need to bring their original valid ID and supported eSIM mobile phone, meet the real name registration requirements, and then go to the business hall for consultation and processing. It is worth noting that after users replace their SIM cards with eSIM, the original package fees, communication functions, and various service benefits remain unchanged, and no additional function fees will be charged. If the mobile phone is damaged, users can also go to the business hall to transfer the eSIM service back to their physical SIM card. The reporter learned that domestic operators have been deeply involved in this field for many years. Taking China Unicom as an example, it started eSIM technology research and development in 2015, launched eSIM wearable business in 2018, and successively obtained licenses for IoT, laptop, and tablet businesses, forming a full service system covering multiple scenarios such as consumer electronics, industrial interconnection, and smart travel. As of now, China Unicom has adapted 75 eSIM terminals and served millions of users, making it the only operator in China with eSIM business processing capabilities in areas such as mobile phones, tablets, wearables, and the Internet of Things. ESIM is not a simple technological replacement, but a reconstruction and upgrading of the communication industry ecosystem. ”Industry experts point out that this technology not only brings consumers the convenience of changing phones without changing numbers and cross-border easy networking, but also releases terminal design space and injects new vitality into consumer electronics innovation. From a global perspective, the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) predicts that by 2030, the number of eSIM smartphone connections worldwide will reach 6.9 billion, and the launch of the Chinese market will accelerate this process. (New Society)