In 2021, Tele2, MTS and MegaFon experienced an increase in the number of eSIM activations and sales.

For example, last year Tele2 customers activated eSIM 5.5 times more often than a year earlier. Most of the activations of eSIM cards (57%) accounted for new connections. The company also recorded an increase in the percentage of eSIM-enabled devices from 3% to 6%. By 2024, according to the operator’s estimates, devices with this module will occupy 25% of the market. Moreover, in January 2022, the proportion of eSIM subscriptions via digital channels grew by 15 p.p. year over year.

MegaFon also observed an increase in the number of smartphones supporting eSIM. “ESIM-enabled smartphones have been the main driver of demand growth: the sales of eSIM-enabled smartphones in our retail network increased by 93% in 2021 compared to the previous year,” the company’s experts said.

MTS recorded an almost 2-fold increase in eSIM sales year over year. The company observed approximately the same dynamics in replacing SIM cards with eSIM.

Original (in Russian)