The Director General of the Ministry of Communications, Attorney Einbal Meshesh, signed today (Sunday) a letter sent to cellular companies, in which they were required to provide details about their readiness to operate eSIM service in Israel.
The eSIM service is a virtual (non-physical) SIM service, stored on the phone, similar to a file. This allows the mobile device to contain multiple identities and a subscriber to switch identities as needed.
During the war, inquiries were received from evacuees and reservists who suffered from a lack of cellular reception because the company they were subscribed to did not provide optimal service in the area where they were staying.
Using the eSIM feature will allow for easy and quick switching between companies in such cases and receiving service from a company that provides service in this area.
eSIM service is available on most mobile devices and is available in most developed countries. This requirement from mobile companies is another step in implementing the policy of the Minister of Communications, Shlomo Kari, who, since entering the ministry, has prioritized the need to improve service to the public and streamline the services that the ministry oversees.
The ministry intends to act to charge for the provision of the service by the companies in the coming months.
In the letter, the companies were required to specify whether there are any economic, service or engineering barriers to providing the service on the date specified by the ministry.
Minister of Communications: "The entry of eSIM into the Israeli communications market will make it easier in the current reality for evacuees and hundreds of thousands of our reserve soldiers to move easily and without the need for a physical card. The move is expected to reduce the cost of packages abroad for each family, while providing the possibility of easily switching to another provider and an affordable package tailored to their ability. This move is a complementary layer to a competitive market, also in terms of service quality, and to improving coverage and absorption throughout the country."
Director General of the Ministry of Communications: "In an era where owners of mobile devices are constantly on the move and may experience difficulties with reception or other issues, we must allow them maximum flexibility and access to a virtual SIM, which will no longer require dependence on just one mobile communications provider. The events of the October 7th uprising and all their consequences are proof of the need to adopt innovation in this area as well."
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