Story audio is generated using AIStandard Bank Connect has joined the list of mobile operators offering support for inbuilt SIM cards for smartphones and other similar devices, known as eSIMs.The move is a way for the business to stand out in South Africa’s competitive mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) market. An eSIM allows the user to activate a cellular plan with a mobile carrier without having to use a physical SIM card. This means being able to switch networks or add a second line without having to swap cards.Standard Bank Connect’s executive head, Kartik Mistry, told Business Day that the initial push was for the bank’s upper-market segments and frequent travellers who already understand and make use of eSIM technology.Standard Bank introduced its MVNO offering in 2018 in partnership with Cell C. The unit has grown to more than 350,000 mobile customers but has shifted its network services to MTN.The value you’re getting is that now you are much more ingrained in Standard Bank and our digital systems, and you are able to interact with the bank a lot more effectively.— Standard Bank Connect’s executive head, Kartik MistryMVNOs are usually non-telecom businesses such as FNB, Capitec, Mr Price Mobile and Pick n Pay, which lease network infrastructure from mobile operators to sell data and voice services to customers.Rather than trying to compete purely as a standalone telecom provider, Mistry’s strategy is to position Standard Bank Connect as an essential extension of the bank’s digital ecosystem.“We see connectivity as a natural extension of banking. We do a lot of our banking in a digital ecosystem, and that is enabled by connectivity,” he said.By embedding connectivity features directly within the bank’s existing infrastructure, the strategic goal is to maximise customer retention and the stickiness of its overall offering.Last year, Mistry’s unit rebooted its mobile device offering with a broader range of tech brands and financing terms to boost customer numbers for its telecom business.“The value you’re getting is that now you are much more ingrained in Standard Bank and our digital systems, and you are able to interact with the bank a lot more effectively,” he said. The eSIM technology has been around for a number of years, but as with many innovations in the smartphone space, it has been popularised over the past few years by Apple, maker of the iPhone. Its iPhone range outside the US typically supports physical and embedded SIMs. Other smartphone makers such as Samsung, Huawei and Oppo have adopted a similar approach.Locally, large operators such as Vodacom and MTN have offered eSIMs for some time. “We could have rushed to do eSIMs last year, but we felt that it was a bit too early,” Mistry said. “We wanted to understand what the market is doing; we wanted to understand how the device ecosystem looks. The timing is actually great. I don’t think we are too early or too late. We’re at the right point where we’re seeing adoption, awareness and growth in the market.”Standard Bank’s eSIM service is available on existing mobile plans, with prepaid eSIM options expected to follow.The technology has become common in smartphones, tablets and other devices, as it offers a number of advantages, such as a smaller size that enables them to be embedded in devices that are too small to accommodate a physical SIM card, such as smartwatches.We wanted to understand what the market is doing; we wanted to understand how the device ecosystem looks. The timing is actually great. I don’t think we are too early or too late. We’re at the right point where we’re seeing adoption, awareness and growth in the market.— Kartik MistryThese SIMs can be activated remotely and can be used with multiple carriers, allowing for switching network providers or adding a second line. As part of the offering, the company has an online portal through which customers can activate a new eSIM and number digitally.