What a data-only eSIM does — and what it doesn't

What data-only means

A data-only eSIM carries internet and nothing else. It comes with no Pakistani number, and it cannot make or receive ordinary calls or SMS.

A Jazz, Zong or Ufone eSIM is a different thing. It is your ordinary SIM without the plastic — number, calls, SMS and data. But you get it at a franchise with a fingerprint check, and in a non-PTA phone it is blocked after 60 days.

A data-only roaming eSIM, like eJurs, is bought online and needs no PTA registration, because the phone never becomes a Pakistani operator's customer — it is a visitor on the network.

• Jazz, Zong and Ufone eSIM prices and conditions

What works and what doesn't

• My eSIMs — data left and top-ups

Your WhatsApp number stays the same

This is the question asked most. WhatsApp is tied to your number, not to the SIM that carries your internet. The eSIM is only the route WhatsApp uses to reach the internet — your account, number and chats stay as they are.

People keep messaging and calling you on WhatsApp at the same old number. Nobody needs to be told a new one.

One caution: if you ever reinstall WhatsApp or move it to a new phone, it sends a verification code to your number. So keep that SIM in a phone that works.

Bank OTPs — how to set it up

Banks and mobile wallet apps usually send OTPs by SMS, to the number registered with them. A data-only eSIM receives no SMS, so the OTP number has to live in a phone that can receive SMS on it.

On a PTA-approved phone that is easy: leave the Pakistani SIM in the phone and take your internet from the eSIM. Most phones run both lines side by side.

In a non-PTA phone a Pakistani SIM is blocked after 60 days. That is why most people keep the number SIM in their old PTA-approved phone and run the new phone on a data eSIM.

• Non-PTA phone after 60 days — three options

Who it suits, and who it doesn't

It suits:

• A non-PTA phone that needs internet out of the house
• A second phone or a tablet that needs no number
• Visitors from abroad who need internet in Pakistan

It does not suit someone who needs a Pakistani number on this phone, for calls and SMS. For that the route is an operator eSIM on a PTA-approved phone, or PTA registration.

Can I make WhatsApp calls on a data-only eSIM?

Yes. WhatsApp calls run on data, video calls too. Only ordinary phone calls do not work.

Will my WhatsApp number change?

No. WhatsApp is tied to your number; the eSIM only provides internet. Your account, number and chats stay the same.

Will my bank's OTP arrive on a data-only eSIM?

No, an OTP is an SMS. Keep the SIM that receives it in a phone that works.

Can I buy a data-only eSIM online in Pakistan?

Yes. A roaming data eSIM is sold online and the QR arrives on WhatsApp. eJurs plans start at Rs. 380.

What if I need calls and data on one eSIM?

That is an operator eSIM — from Jazz, Zong, Ufone or Telenor. You get it at a franchise with a fingerprint check, and it needs a PTA-approved phone.