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Verizon now supports eSIM when you bring your own device
- There is now Verizon eSIM support for a small selection of smartphones.
- eSIM will allow you to activate your phone on the network without needing a physical SIM card.
- Only certain devices are supported and you must bring your own phone.
A few weeks ago, Verizon subsidiary brand Visible launched eSIM support for a small selection of phones. This was an exciting move as it makes trying out Visible that much easier since you don’t need to wait for a physical SIM card to arrive at your door.
Now, it looks like proper Verizon eSIM support is here as well. In a tweet, Verizon rep George Koroneos announced the rollout of this service. You can sign up here.
See also: What is eSIM?
Of course, there are some caveats. The first is a big one, which is that you must bring your own device (BYOD) for this to work. You can’t use a phone that you bought from Verizon. The next is obvious, which is that your device must support eSIM.
The final caveat is that Verizon’s eSIM program must also support your phone. This is not a 1:1 rule. In other words, there are phones that support eSIM that Verizon doesn’t support.
The folks over at 9to5Google created a preliminary list of supported Android phones:
- Google Pixel 6 and 6 Pro
- Google Pixel 5
- Pixel 4a and 4a 5G UW
- Samsung Galaxy S21, S21 Plus, and S21 Ultra
Additionally, the program supports the iPhone 11, iPhone 12, and iPhone 13 series, including Pro, Pro Max, and Mini models.
There are plenty of phones that support eSIM that aren’t on that list. Samsung’s entire foldable lineup, for example, as well as the most glaring omission: the Galaxy S22 series. We expect these devices will see support in time, but Verizon hasn’t made any announcements yet.