MTN launches prepaid eSIM
MTN has launched eSIM for prepaid customers in South Africa.
The operator announced the launch on Friday, 25 August 2023, after MyBroadband reader and MTN prepaid customer Zelo Nogwaza notified us that the feature might be available two days earlier.
Nogwaza had received an SMS this week advising that he activate an eSIM for a secondary number on his iPhone.
“MTN’s eSIM has you covered. Say goodbye to physical SIM cards — it’s convenient only a few steps to get started,” the SMS stated.
It also advised Nogwaza to visit an MTN store to get their eSIM.
Nogwaza tried calling Centurion Mall’s MTN store to enquire about an eSIM for his Apple Watch, but no one answered the phone.
He then contacted the call centre, and the agent who assisted him said the eSIM was available for prepaid users.
“But her explanation sounded like she wasn’t sure as I asked her if it’s also available for wearables,” Nogwaza said.
MTN’s subsequent statement confirmed that eSIM for prepaid is currently only available on a “range of smartphones” and will be coming to wearables later.
New eSIM FAQ on MTN’s website
Following Nogwaza’s email, MyBroadband quickly discovered a new FAQ section on MTN’s website explaining how eSIM for prepaid MTN customers will work.
“If you are an existing MTN customer and want to change your physical SIM card to an eSIM or if you haven’t received your QR code yet, use the link below,” one page states.
However, the “Activate eSIM” link was not yet live at the time of publication.
Other pages of the FAQ provided details on how to activate eSIMs on different types of devices — including Apple, Huawei, Samsung, and general Android smartphones.
There are also sections specifically for eSIMs on wearables and Windows devices. The latter applies to laptops and tablets that feature built-in eSIM capability.
MTN said customers who buy new devices with eSIM capabilities will receive an email from the operator with instructions and a QR code, which they must scan to activate their eSIM.
Another page provides a link for requesting a new QR code if the customer did not get an email or to receive another one if the first had expired.
Unfortunately, this link (apparently to a “preproduction” server, based on the URL) leads to a dead page.
Below is a screenshot of the prepaid eSIM FAQ section on MTN’s website.
MTN South Africa told MyBroadband that the eSIM will be available at MTN stores, at no additional cost.
In mid-July 2023, the company said it would launch eSIM functionality in the “coming weeks”.
That came after it previously said it would launch eSIMs before the end of 2022. It did not provide reasons for the delay.
The mobile network has been offering eSIMs to contract customers for several years but will be the last of the four major mobile players to launch a prepaid eSIM.
Cell C and Telkom were the first to make eSIM available on smartphones to all their customers in 2021.
Vodacom followed with a prepaid eSIM rollout in June 2023.
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