T-Mobile is pushing some new app features aimed at getting potential customers to switch as smoothly as possible thanks to eSIM technology. There is a new version of the existing Test Drive program called Network Pass that allows users to test T-Mobile’s network for three months with unlimited data. Another new feature called Easy Switch aims to streamline the process of setting up a new account with T-Mobile using eSIM. They’re all part of an update to the company’s app coming to iOS today, and an Android update is said to follow “soon.”
T-Mobile already supports switching via eSIM, which is just a digital version of the physical SIM card you likely have in your phone. In fact, the Justice Department ensured that T-Mobile would support eSIM by making it a condition of its merger with Sprint. But that goes a step further than just supporting the technology.
The new program includes unlimited data for the entire three-month trial period
Previously, you had to sign up for a plan first and then go through a few extra steps to set up your eSIM-compatible device. This update streamlines the process so you can choose a plan and activate your existing device through the T-Mobile app. Like other big carriers, T-Mobile is in no rush to encourage switching via eSIM – it’s a two-way door and also makes it easy to switch back to another carrier. This new process for eSIM-based enrollments is a shift towards more widespread use of the technology.
The T-Mobile app also includes the new Network Pass feature, which allows you to try the network for free while your existing WiFi plan stays active. The previous Test Drive program was limited to 30 days or 30GB of data, whichever comes first, while the new program includes unlimited data for the entire three-month trial period. It is available for unlocked eSIM compatible Android and iOS devices. (The previous program was limited to iPhones XS and newer.) For those without an eSIM, there remains the option of trying out the network by borrowing a hotspot.
Ease of switching has basically been the promise of eSIM from the start
Trying another carrier’s network and easily switching has basically been the promise of eSIM from the start. The technology began appearing in devices as early as 2017, but US carriers in particular have been slow to support it. Most new phones sold now include eSIM support and that has pushed carriers to adapt to the technology. But broader support for eSIM doesn’t solve all of our problems – paying your phone in monthly installments on your Wi-Fi bill makes the switch messy and potentially expensive. Going without physical SIM cards would help, but that’s not the only hurdle to overcome.