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Best user experience for eSIM onboarding and beyond

As market adoption grows and embedded SIM (eSIM) technology reaches mainstream mobile devices, this technology will become part of day-to-day business in the consumer market. A latest report by GSMA Intelligence confirms this: 2.4 billion smartphone connections will use eSIM globally by 2025. Users of eSIM-enabled smartphones, tablets, wearables, and other consumer devices will enjoy a new fully digital user journey.

There is a general consensus in the eSIM ecosystem that eSIM has significantly streamlined the process for SIM activation and subscription delivery compared to the traditional removable SIM, making it simpler and faster for consumers. Thus, this simple, faster, and fully digital eSIM process should be the ultimate, universal goal. Why? It wins (new) subscribers, enhances user satisfaction, and improves brand perception. All three points directly pay into additional revenue and growing brand value.

A consumer-friendly way to manage all the subsequent activities is also important. This means providing well-designed, effective, and widely available eSIM management services. For consumers, it means the ability to remotely connect (at any time and everywhere) and manage all eSIM devices and associated connectivity services (e.g. adding or removing companion devices) easily and seamlessly.

In order to address the above requirements and diverse consumer use cases, dependent on the customer journey and target device, various eSIM onboarding methods could be made available.

Fully digital consumer onboarding journey for best user experience

Click & Connect – Carrier app

The standard way to rapidly onboard new subscribers. Fast, easy, and flexible onboarding process to subscribe to a carrier contract directly from the device, in just a few minutes. The carrier app onboarding flow can be tailored according to MNO requirements and local regulations. If an MNO already has a carrier app in place, the eSIM onboarding can be easily integrated.

Here are your main benefits:

  • Simple usage: The customer-friendly app makes it easy to understand how to complete the various steps of the registration process.
  • Fast process: It takes just a few minutes to connect a new subscriber to your network.
  • New services: A carrier app makes it possible to provide additional services such as the convenient management of multiple eSIM devices or eSIM device switch assistance.
Infografic how to use the carrier app
 
Learn more about the full digital journey which allows the customer to activate a phone in a couple of minutes.

Scan & Connect – Universal eSIM Voucher

The ideal tool for advertising campaigns to onboard new customers quickly. Best for casual and immediate onboarding use cases, e.g. to attract travelers at airports or visitors at events. The Universal eSIM Voucher solution allows the use of a generic eSIM activation code to download individual eSIM profiles. New subscribers can simply scan the activation code from your promotional material, instantly install the eSIM, and connect to your mobile network.

The main benefits are:

  • Marketing opportunities: Carriers can design new promotional campaigns to add new subscribers, e.g. at airports, online, in print media.
  • Ubiquity: Get new subscribers where they are – onboarding is location-independent.
  • New use cases: The fast onboarding process facilitates new business models, e.g. temporary subscriptions for travelers, events, additional devices.
Infographic how to activate eSIM
 
Watch our short explain-it video for more information.

Power-On & Connect – Discovery Service

The convenient use case for assigning a device to a carrier contract at the point of sale. Most suitable for devices with smaller user interfaces such as watches, trackers, or routers.

What are your benefits?

  • Seamlessness: The eSIM device detects and downloads the eSIM, and connects to your network without any user interaction.
  • Consumer IoT: Ideal solution to automatically connect consumer IoT devices with limited user interfaces.
  • Easy implementation: Straightforward solution which simply uses the GSMA Root Discovery Service.
Infographic: How to activate eSIM device

More insights into eSIM onboarding

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eSIM package including report & webinar 2021

The GSMA Intelligence developed the latest report together with G+D about eSIM: State of the consumer market and the road ahead. Get your download package including the eSIM report 2021, the video recording of the eSIM webinar 2021 and the slides.

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