All three major telecom carriers, China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom, began accepting applications for eSIM phone services at their physical stores in Shanghai on Oct 14.

The move follows approval from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology for each operator to conduct commercial trials of eSIM phone services.

The technology integrates the functions of a physical SIM card into a built-in chip, allowing users to activate mobile numbers remotely without inserting a card.

Once activated, subscribers can make calls, send texts, and use mobile data just as they would with a traditional SIM card, while enjoying enhanced resistance to water, dust, and shocks.

China Mobile said its Shanghai call center and company-owned outlets are ready to activate eSIM profiles immediately. Users can locate the nearest activation point through the carrier's app. The company also plans to expand the service to tablets, smartwatches, and connected vehicles.

China Telecom noted that Shanghai users can now make reservations to open new lines or convert their existing physical SIM cards to eSIMs.

China Unicom said that 75 handset, tablet, and wearable models are already compatible with its eSIM service. For China Mobile and China Telecom, Apple's iPhone Air is currently the only certified eSIM-enabled handset, with more Chinese-branded dual-mode devices expected to be added soon.

Source: Shanghai Observer