{"id":602937,"date":"2025-07-21T16:00:58","date_gmt":"2025-07-21T14:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/?p=602937"},"modified":"2025-07-21T16:01:05","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T14:01:05","slug":"small-networks-beating-mtn-and-telkom-with-one-thing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/cellular\/602937-small-networks-beating-mtn-and-telkom-with-one-thing.html","title":{"rendered":"Small networks beating MTN and Telkom with one thing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

While many mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) offer users the ability to sign up for a prepaid eSIM online, two of the country’s biggest networks have yet to launch this capability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

eSIM stands for embedded SIM, a digital SIM card that can be downloaded and activated without visiting a physical shop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The feature requires a built-in chip that behaves like a regular SIM card but can store the data of multiple digital cards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While eSIM support was previously reserved primarily for flagship devices, the feature has trickled down to mid-range smartphones in recent years, including some of Samsung’s recent Galaxy A series devices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The feature makes taking up a cellular package on a new network fast and straightforward. These products are often available month-to-month or prepaid, offering great flexibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Customers can also quickly switch between multiple eSIMs and use different eSIMs for voice, SMS, and data to save money. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the past two years, MVNOs like Afrihost Air Mobile, FNB Connect, Melon Mobile, Spot Mobile, Me&You Mobile, and UConnect have started offering eSIMs for purchase online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Four of the five major mobile networks in South Africa support getting eSIMs on contracts in-store, and three of them also support taking up or renewing contract eSIMs online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, just one allows customers to get a prepaid eSIM online \u2014 Vodacom. It launched the service on its website in December 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both new customers and those who want to switch from their physical SIM card to an eSIM must pay R25 for the service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The country’s second-largest operator, MTN, previously told MyBroadband it planned to start offering prepaid eSIMs for purchase online by the end of 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This appears to be more challenging to implement than anticipated, as MTN prepaid eSIMs were not available online as of July 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Currently, MTN contract customers can get an eSIM online, while prepaid users must visit one of its stores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interestingly, many of the MVNOs that offer prepaid eSIM purchases online use MTN as their host network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MTN online prepaid eSIMs coming soon<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In recent feedback, MTN said it was actively working to expand availability across online and other sales channels to enable the capability soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Over the past year, our focus has been on educating customers about the benefits of eSIM technology and ensuring widespread access through all our stores,” MTN said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“With that foundation in place, we’re now moving into the next phase, broadening distribution to include online and alternative sales channels.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Telkom told MyBroadband that online eSIM purchases were part of its broader digital transformation roadmap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Telkom does not yet offer online RICA processing like Vodacom and MTN, which is key to supporting eSIMs. Therefore, it does not offer any online eSIM support for new customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Telkom said customers would be able to use the feature “in the near future.” Telkom does offer automated SIM swaps between physical SIMs and eSIMs via its WhatsApp self-service channel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“This feature allows customers to perform secure, real-time SIM swaps through verified authentication, offering convenience and enhanced digital service accessibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From first-mover to no-show<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

South Africa’s youngest mobile network, Rain, does not offer eSIM support. At one point, it looked like it would be the first to offer the feature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shortly after telling MyBroadband it was running a number of eSIM devices on its network in January 2019, it announced a partnership<\/a> with Truphone to enable eSIM support on its network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rain co-founder Michael Jordaan also teased support for the feature on Twitter. However, some time thereafter, he deleted his tweet mentioning the feature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In recent feedback to MyBroadband, Rain said that adding eSIM functionality was “very much part” of its plans, but it could not provide an exact rollout date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cell C did not provide feedback by the time of publication. According to its latest information, it supports new eSIMs on contract online and in-store, while prepaid eSIMs are only available in-store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The table below provides a summary of the state of eSIM features and associated charges from South Africa’s major mobile networks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Network <\/th>Prepaid eSIM channels<\/th>Activation fee<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Vodacom<\/td>In-store and online<\/td>R25<\/td><\/tr>
MTN<\/td>In-store only<\/td>Free<\/td><\/tr>
Telkom<\/td>In-store only<\/td>Free<\/td><\/tr>
Cell C<\/td>In-store only<\/td>R199<\/td><\/tr>
Rain<\/td>Not supported<\/td>n\/a<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

While several mobile virtual network operators have made prepaid eSIMs available for purchase online, only one of South Africa’s main mobile networks supports the feature. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":341042,"featured_media":603007,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[64213,355,46671,50207,87817,5922,30016,80214,100522,42,100626,43716,97070,109,88740,41],"class_list":["post-602937","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cellular","tag-afrihost-air-mobile","tag-cell-c","tag-embedded-sim-esim","tag-esim","tag-esims","tag-fnb-connect","tag-meyou-mobile","tag-melon-mobile","tag-mobile-virtual-network-operators-mvnos","tag-mtn","tag-prepaid-esim","tag-rain","tag-spot-mobile","tag-telkom","tag-uconnect","tag-vodacom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/602937"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/341042"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=602937"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/602937\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":603097,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/602937\/revisions\/603097"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/603007"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=602937"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=602937"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=602937"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}