Good news for Standard Bank customers

Standard Bank Connect plans to launch eSIM support, making it the second banking mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) to offer the technology.

Standard Bank said the planned introduction of eSIM support aligns with its vision to provide innovative and future-ready solutions for its customers.

“E-SIM technology represents the future of connectivity, and we are excited to bring this capability to our customers in the future,” it said.

Doing so will require coordination across multiple spaces, including integrating systems and ensuring compatibility with various devices.

“As Standard Bank Connect, we intend to deliver a seamless, secure, and user-friendly experience for our customers when we launch eSIMs,” Standard Bank added.

When these MVNOs start offering eSIM support, they will join the likes of FNB Connect, the first South African banking MVNO to do so.

FNB announced the introduction of eSIM support on FNB Connect in mid-November 2024. To mark the launch, qualifying customers can get an extra 100GB of free data, valid for six months.

To qualify for the complimentary data, customers must sign up for a new FNB Connect SIM plan with an eSIM.

The company said introducing eSIMs will streamline sign-up and activation times, with the entire process taking under three minutes.

“It will take less than three minutes to connect to a mobile network with no additional time needed to deliver a physical SIM card,” said FNB.

FNB Connect CEO Sashin Sookroo said the number of FNB customers with smartphones that support eSIMs has increased by 169% in the past three years.

He added that he expects these numbers to continue to grow as eSIM-enabled devices become more accessible.

Sookroo said the introduction of eSIM support on FNB Connect was game-changing, adding that it will streamline the process for customers to port their numbers to FNB Connect.

“Because an eSIM is a digital chip embedded into one’s device, it means that each customer can connect to multiple mobile networks without the hassle of needing to physically swap their SIM cards,” said Sookroo.

He added that FNB Connect has plans to launch a range of eSIM-based services in future.

The move also helps FNB reach its goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2030. The use of eSIMs eliminates the production, warehousing, and delivery requirements for physical SIM cards.

“In line with FNB’s aspiration to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2030 in our South African operations, we’re excited to see how this move will help us and our customers to minimise our environmental impact while reducing plastic waste,” said Sookroo.

With FNB Connect’s introduction of eSIM support, it joined MVNOs like Afrihost Air Mobile, Melon Mobile, and uConnect.

South African mobile network operators also offer eSIM support. However, they still generally require customers to go in-store to buy one.

ESIM support has generally been reserved for higher-end, premium smartphones in the past. However, South African residents can now get older-generation flagships and modern mid-rangers with eSIM support for significantly lower prices.

Devices with eSIM functionality include Samsung flagship devices released since the Galaxy S20 and iPhones released since the XR.

South Africans can now buy eSIM-enabled smartphones for as little as R7,799. This price is for Samsung’s mid-range Galaxy A55 5G through Takealot.

Another affordable option is a refurbished Apple iPhone 11 for R8,499 from Makro, or the Google Pixel 6A for R9,199 through Connected Devices.

However, several options are available with price tags between R9,999 and R12,999.