Comments on: eSIMs: The 2026 Answer to the Burner Phone https://nerdvittles.com/esims-the-2026-answer-to-the-burner-phone/ Ward Mundy's Technobabblelog Mon, 14 Sep 2026 12:03:54 +0000 hourly 1 By: Simon https://nerdvittles.com/esims-the-2026-answer-to-the-burner-phone/comment-page-1/#comment-182099 Wed, 09 Sep 2026 15:57:11 +0000 https://nerdvittles.com/?p=38079#comment-182099 A couple of contrary observations.
A key purpose of using a burner phone is also the IMEI https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Mobile_Equipment_Identity – you ditch the phone, there’s nothing to link it to you. With an eSim, the IMEI is the same, so you can be tracked by that.
But leaving aside the nefarious purposes, one of the problems with eSims is the management. OK, you only mentioned Android, but AIUI with Apple you can only manage eSims with their software, and that makes them a gatekeeper to the networks you can use. May be wrong, it’s a long time since I saw them coming, and decided I’ll stick with a physical SIM from the network of MY choice that I can install myself. There’s a number of phones that support dual physical SIMs – though that does limit your choice and generally cost more.

But it’s easy to criticise from the other side of the pond (UK) where we enjoy pretty good coverage, and generally it’s just not worth the hassle of having two (or more) networks – we’re down to three networks now anyway (plus a bunch of MVNOs.)

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