Esim for the Librem 5?

[flanders51]

Could this Esim adapter from JMP somehow be used for the Librem 5?

This adapter lets you use cheap eSIM plans on any Android phone

[irvinewade]

On the face of it, it should work. You want to stump $50 to find out?

(It is my assumption that you would want the associated USB reader, rather than provisioning via an Android phone. With luck, with a USB-C to USB-A adapter and assuming that the associated USB reader is USB-A, you should be able to provision the eSIM adapter directly on the Librem 5 before powering off and moving the eSIM adapter from the USB reader into the SIM slot.)

[galilley]

Are you familiar with this thread? It looks like you need a smart card only.

[FranklyFlawless]

@flanders51

Could this Esim adapter from JMP somehow be used for the Librem 5?

@galilley

Are you familiar with this thread?

See also:

New, from Soprani.ca/JMP Chat: an eSIM adapter

Excerpt from their blog post: …a device that acts exactly like a SIM card and will work in any device that accepts a SIM card (phone, tablet, hotspot, Rocket Stick), but the credentials it offers come from eSIMs provided by the user. With the adapter, you can use eSIMs from any provider in any device, regardless of whether the device or OS support eSIM. No doubt many Librem 5 owners in the U.S. and Canada (or travelers there) will be happy about this. (EDIT: This actually might be usable in ot…

[amarok]

Now out of testing phase and available for purchase: Newsletter: eSIM Adapter Launch! — JMP Blog

[weirdnerd]

Also, the JMP people are very responsive in their official XMPP channel, so if you want any definite answers from them, I recommend joining and asking.

[flanders51]

Yes, this has been my experience as well. Very responsive.

[ChriChri]

Did anybody yet find information about using more than one eSIM stored on the jmp.chat eSIM?

[amarok]

I could be wrong, but I think the nature of embedded SIMs dictates that only one can be “active” in a SIM “slot” at any given moment , same as with a physical SIM (Dual SIM/Dual Standby devices notwithstanding).

JMP have said their adapter can load as many SIM profiles as will fit in the 420KB storage space, but I assume you would have to switch between them, and would not be able to run more than one from the same adapter card at the same time.

[ChriChri]

@amarok

only one can be “active”

Yes, that’s what I thought about, too. But that wouldn’t be too bad. The switching from Linux would be a good start.

Sure, it would be great to somehow being able to use different eSIM for different purposes (data, voice).

I guess I’ll have to wait for mine to arrive and look into the software available.

[amarok]

With a device that has two physical SIM slots, I suppose you could buy two eSIM adapters from JMP and insert them both, gaining the ability to use two different pools of data for different purposes.

Sadly, the Librem 5 doesn’t have two physical SIM slots, though.

(Nor a single, international modem, for that matter… as dual SIM phones are also useful for travel.)

[amarok]

I now have a little bit of experience to report.

I bought an EIOT Club eSIM writer from Amazon. (JMP shipments to the U.S. are delayed right now, and I needed an eSIM writer immediately, so I went with the EIOT model.)
I have a physical eSIM-writable card from JMP. It’s not their official eSIM Adapter card, but one of their earlier writable cards.
I have the JMP eSIM Manager app (available on F-Droid) installed on my degoogled Android. (This app checks for compatability with the phone it’s installed on, and allows you to install, delete, enable, and disable eSIMs.)

Here’s how it works (the easy way):

1. Load the writable eSIM card into the EIOT eSIM writer. (Mini-SIM-sized plastic card surround required.)
2. Launch the JMP eSIM Manager app (on Android phone).
3. Connect the eSIM writer to the phone’s USB port (USB-A to -C required). Writer powers on. Grant USB permission.
4. Tap the “+” to add a new eSIM profile. Confirm the write location (i.e. the loaded eSIM card).
5. Add the eSIM via scan, copy/paste (of the alphanumeric key), or manual entry.
6. Select and enable the eSIM.
7. Add another eSIM, or disconnect the reader.
8. Insert the SIM card back into the Android’s SIM slot. (Or move it to any other phone, including the Librem 5.)

Possibly due to the fact that I’m not using the official JMP eSIM adapter card, if I want to switch between eSIM profiles, I have to remove the SIM card and use the eSIM writer plus JMP SIM Manager app combination to enable a different loaded eSIM, automatically disabling the one that was previously enabled. Then the card goes back into the phone’s SIM slot. I’m not sure, but I think the JMP eSIM adapter can use the JMP SIM Manager app to enable/disable directly, without the reader. (On Android, obviously.)

The other way to manage eSIMs is with a computer. On Linux you can use the EasyLPAC application with a connected eSIM writer. (Article)

I wonder if EasyLPAC installed on the L5, and a connected eSIM writer can handle the operation without an additional computer. I intended to try that, but I was uncertain about some of the EasyLPAC dependencies, so didn’t pursue it.

So this is actually a method of turning the Librem 5 into a multi-(e)SIM phone, although it might require a bit of effort to switch between the profiles. There’s also the issue of regional-specific modems to deal with; an eSIM for Europe or Australia likely wouldn’t work well with the North American modem, for example.

Also handy for switching between local carriers to obtain better coverage ad hoc.

EDIT: But unfortunately, the eIOT SIM writer isn’t drawing enough (any?) power from the L5’s USB port.