VinSmart: vSIM on Vsmart Star 5 is not eSIM, can update vSIM for old devices

Recently, VinSmart officially launched the Vsmart Star 5 in the low-cost segment. In addition to the upgrades in design and configuration, Star 5 also attracts attention thanks to vSIM.

vSIM of Vsmart Star 5 is not a normal physical SIM, but is built into the machine. As a result of the cooperation between VinSmart and VinaPhone, vSIM comes with a 4G data package of 10GB / month for 18 months, allowing Vsmart Star 5 users to use data completely free.

There have been many people mistaking that vSIM on Vsmart Star 5 is eSIM, including us. However, recently a representative of Vsmart officially confirmed: vSIM is not an eSIM.

Specifically, as explained by Vsmart’s representative, eSIM is the physical chip inside the phone, while vSIM is a completely software solution and does not require specialized hardware. vSIM uses the same memory area with SIM2 to create the concept of “Triple SIM, dual standby” (3 sims, 2 online waves). This is also the reason that if vSIM is enabled, the physical SIM in SIM slot 2 will not work.

More importantly, being a software solution allows Vsmart to update vSIM for all phones, even if it is an old smartphone. Of course, it is in theory, but in fact Vsmart plans to update vSIM for old smartphones or not is another category. “Maybe” is the word used by the Vsmart representative to talk about the possibility of this company updating vSIM for old Vsmart smartphones.