Like it or not, the big news in tech today is the Apple launch and of particular interest is the new line of Apple Watch which uses embedded SIM card technology. Telstra has announced today that they will be supporting e-SIM with their One Number plan.
Embedded SIM tech is quite exciting, it will allow a wearable and mobile device (your phone), to connect to the carrier network – in this case, Telstra’s – and both devices will share the customers mobile plan details including calls, text and data.
The One Number plan will initially be made available to post-paid consumer customers on ‘selected devices’ <cough>Apple Watch series 3</cough> before being extended to customers with small business, enterprise and pre-paid plans in the future.
While it’s obvious the intent for launching the e-SIM plan is to cover the impending launch of the Apple Watch on September 22nd, it can extend to other wearables, with John Chambers, Executive Director, Telstra Product Innovation, saying
Telstra One Number paves the way for a new generation of wearables with evolved designs and voice and data integration.
Pricing for Telstra’s One Number plan hasn’t been announced, but you can expect more detail as the Apple Watch launch approaches.
Interesting Singtel in Singapore has it already for Gear S3:
https://www.singtel.com/personal/i/phones-plans/mobile/esim
Since Singtel own Optus, here is hoping for more wide spread acceptance.
I’d love to see other carriers offering this .. I have a HW2 and it has its own mobile number. I’d much rather it shared mine, but equally I’m not sure I’m all that worried.
Wonder if they will support the Huawei Watch 2 that, I believe, has support for the eSim?