One phone, two numbers: Vodafone introduces eSIMs

Vodafone NZ says an eSIM will let you keep separate business and personal mobile numbers on your phone, and make it easier to connect to overseas networks when you're travelling. Photo / Getty Creative

Vodafone NZ has enabled a new feature today - electronic SIM cards or eSIMs, which replace the role of a physical SIM card and allow one phone to hold two mobile plans, each with its own number.

You could use one account for personal use, and one for work, or one for a local account and one you use when roaming overseas.

And if you keep your physical SIM, then you can use it for a Spark or 2degrees account while maintaining Vodafone service on your eSIM (as long as your device has dual SIM capability and is not network-locked - a restriction typically only imposed on budget plans).

Vodafone NZ - which will rebrand as One NZ early next year - says for privacy and security reasons, its Pay Monthly punters will have to visit one of its retail stores, with photo ID, if they want to upgrade from a physical SIM,

The option isn’t available for pre-pay customers yet.

Spark became the first local telco to support eSIMs back in 2019.

2degrees followed in August last year.

Spark maintains an edge in that it’s still the only local contender to offer eSIMs for wearables like Apple and Samsung smartwatches. 2degrees and Vodafone say support for that feature is coming soon.

Vodafone NZ commercial and experience director Joe Goddard said, “This is a great step forward for us today, and we know the next step is eSIMs for wearables. Our team is hard at work making that happen, and we’re set to launch next year.”

Devices supporting Vodafone’s eSIMs at launch

• Apple iPhone XR, XS and later
• Samsung Galaxy Fold, Z Flip, Galaxy S20 (FE series excluded) and later
• Oppo Find X3 and later
• Apple iPad Pro (11-inch) and later
• iPad Pro (3rd gen, 12.9-inch) and later
• iPad Air (3rd gen) and later
• iPad (7th gen) and later
• iPad Mini (5th gen) and later.