Following the news that T-Mobile US has introduced Easy Switch, Network Pass, and Network Scorecard to encourage potential customers with eSIM-enabled phones to switch to its network;
Tammy Parker, Principal Analyst at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company said, “Growing eSIM adoption by phone makers such as Apple and Samsung foreshadows a new competitive landscape.
In general, traditional carriers have worried about the threat posed by eSIM technology, which can be used to great advantage by mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) and smaller service providers positioned as challenger brands, because eSIM enables switchers to jump networks on the fly directly from their phones.
“Yet traditional mobile operators can just as easily use eSIM technology to poach customers from their rivals, especially if they have something to prove.
“In this case, T-Mobile is leveraging its new eSIM-based Network Pass to let users experience its broad 5G network coverage and performance with no risk. T-Mobile is no stranger to offering eSIM-supported network testing, but this latest initiative will be open to many more potential customers with more types of eSIM-enabled phones once the upgraded app is available for Android.
“Plus, Network Pass provides three months of unlimited high-speed data, rather than just 30 days as T-Mobile previously offered.
“The operator is using Network Pass and Easy Switch to educate consumers and business users regarding the ease with which eSIM lets a new customer join T-Mobile via its flagship app, which is key to getting new customers onto its network quickly.
“T-Mobile is making its regular app into an acquisition tool as well as a standard retention self-service tool, which is a significant step in the customer digitalization story.
“Furthermore, the Network Scorecard feature that T-Mobile is offering represents a novel approach to personalizing third-party data by applying it to an individual user’s service experience based on their zip code. This is still a fairly broad stroke, but it drills down more than the generic 5G national coverage stats that carriers usually market. Additionally, encouraging users to also use the app to track their individual network experience highlights the confidence T-Mobile has in its 5G network performance.
“Experimenting with eSIM now prepares carriers for an eSIM-only future, as it increasingly appears that device makers such as Apple will shift the industry in that direction. The eSIM concept is new to many US mobile users, so service providers need to take the initiative to educate their customers and potential customers about eSIM sooner rather than later.
“US carriers should provide detailed marketing materials and videos explaining how eSIM differs from physical SIMs, how eSIM service can be activated, and which phones support eSIM. Some carriers have already created these materials, but consumers often need to hunt on their websites for them. Carriers need to make these materials easily accessible.”
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