HOW CAN I JOIN VIRGIN MOBILE?
As a part of our ongoing commitment to becoming fully carbon neutral, Virgin Mobile has implemented a series of initiatives designed to eliminate and balance carbon emissions across our corporate and customer footprint.
Our strategy begins with our SIMs. Our efforts – since 2017 – have already eliminated more than 50 tons of single-use plastic across Virgin Mobile’s operations in the Middle East. This is a part of our strategy, towards carbon offsetting. You can also contribute to our sustainability efforts directly by visiting the “Sustainability” section of our mobile app.
More than 14 million tons of plastic end up in the oceans each year, causing severe damage to fragile ecosystems. While SIM cards are relatively tiny, they need to be punched out of a credit-card-sized sheet of plastic that is promptly discarded, adding to the plastic waste produced by the telecommunications industry. We have already made our plastic SIMs biodegradable.
Enter the eSIM. Considered an evolution of the traditional SIM card, and the latest generation of SIM card technology, an eSIM is simply a replacement for the physical mobile SIM. In other words, it’s a smart piece of digital software that eliminates the need for a plastic SIM card and the use of single-use plastics.
An eSIM plays a major role in the Internet of Things (IoT) as the technology capability is already embedded in cars, wearables, home appliances, industrial machines and so on.
Instead of a physical mobile SIM card, the eSIM capability is already embedded in a mobile device, allowing you to download an eSIM and activate your mobile plan seamlessly without having to use a physical SIM. Of course, you are still able to switch numbers since the information on the eSIM is rewritable.
The Virgin Mobile eSIM offers an integrated and efficient digital experience for a seamless connection. By using the eSIM feature in the Virgin Mobile application – which is available either for iPhone through App Store or Android devices through Google Play Store – on the Virgin Mobile App, you will be able to download, store and manage your eSIM profiles. However, please remember at the moment in the UAE only one eSIM profile can be active at a time.
Virgin Mobile eSIM: How does it work?
eSIM cards use the same technology as regular SIMs; all you need is a compatible device.
With Virgin Mobile eSIM, you get an outstanding experience. Thanks to our prepaid eSIM plans you can continue to use your own phone number while using the data from your eSIM, even if you are a tourist visiting the country for a short period.
Activating your Virgin Mobile eSIM is easy and can be done in a few simple steps. All you have to do is connect to the internet on the device supporting an eSIM, open the Virgin Mobile App and go to your profile. Then, select ‘My Numbers’ then ‘Move to eSIM’, and follow the steps to complete your eSIM profile installation.
Apple Watch eSIM
The biggest perk with the Virgin Mobile eSIM is that it is compatible with your Apple Smart Watch, enabling you to make phone calls and access a variety of apps, location services and more, leaving you iPhone-free and more importantly, environmentally friendly.
In fact, when you buy it along with a plan, your Apple Watch comes with its own eSIM preconfigured, or you can add the details through the Apple Watch app. Then, all you need to do is pair it with your iPhone.
To connect your Apple Watch (GPS + Cellular) eSIM to your existing Virgin Mobile plan, make sure you have: iPhone 6 or newer, running iOS 13 or later, and an Apple Watch that supports cellular, along with an active Virgin Mobile plan.
Activating your Apple Watch eSIM with your primary number is very simple and takes just a few minutes.
Start by opening the Watch app on your iPhone, tap the My Watch tab, select Cellular and finally click on ‘Set Up Cellular’ to proceed. You will be notified by an SMS once your eSIM service activation is complete.
Biodegradable SIM cards
Virgin Mobile’s biodegradable SIM cards are the perfect eco-friendly solution for customers whose devices do not yet support eSIMs. Made of an oxo-biodegradable plastic the new biodegradable SIM slowly degrades in the presence of oxygen and UV light, and when placed in a landfill, the degradation process can take as little as 4-6 months, as opposed to the estimated hundreds of years it takes for normal plastics to decompose.
So, whether you switch to eSIM or use biodegradable SIMs, with Virgin Mobile you can rest assured that you’re helping save the environment.
