How to tell in ten seconds if your phone supports eSIM, and the two Mexican cases that confuse everyone

This is the most common question people ask before buying data for a trip, and the one with the fewest clear answers: Is my cell phone compatible?

Almost all articles and videos on the topic start with step three, which is how to install the profile. Nobody stops at step zero, which is the only one that matters if you haven't paid anything yet.

The answer can be obtained in ten seconds, on your phone itself, for free and without installing anything.

The code: `*#06#`

Open the phone application, the dialer, and type `*#06#`. You don't need to press the call button. Just by typing it, the screen will appear automatically.

What appears is a list of device identifiers:

• IMEI, which is the lifelong serial number. All phones have it.
• EID, a longer number that identifies the embedded chip.

If EID appears, the device supports digital profiles. If it doesn't appear, it doesn't.

That's all. You don't need to provide personal data, you don't need to download apps, and you don't need to ask anyone in a store.

The first confusing case: Redmi and Xiaomi sold in Mexico

This is the detail that causes the most surprises in the country and that almost no international article mentions.

Several Redmi and Xiaomi models sold in Mexico correspond to the Latin American version, and that version does not include the component even if the same model has it in its global version.

That is to say: you can look up the manufacturer's technical specifications, read that the model supports it, and still have a device in your hand that doesn't.

Same name, same box, same screen, different interior.

That's why checking with `*#06#` is not optional for those who own one of these devices. It is the only reliable way to know, because the manufacturer's data sheet may be correct and still not apply to the device you bought here.

The second confusing case: unlocked is not the same as compatible

These are two distinct concepts and many people use them interchangeably.

Unlocked means the phone is not restricted to a single carrier. It's a matter of commercial blocking.

Compatible means the device physically includes the component that allows a digital profile to be loaded. It's a matter of hardware.

This leads to four possible combinations, and two of them are surprising:

• Unlocked and compatible: it works.
• Unlocked but without the component: it doesn't work, no matter how unlocked it is.
• With the component but locked by the carrier: it doesn't work until it's unlocked.
• Neither one nor the other: it doesn't work.

If `*#06#` shows the EID, the hardware is present. If the device was also purchased unlocked or is already unlocked, there's nothing else to check.

The other perennial doubt: do I lose my number and my WhatsApp?

This is the second most frequent question and the answer is short: no.

The origin of the confusion is the mental model of the plastic chip, where one goes in and another comes out. With digital profiles, it doesn't work that way, because they don't occupy the physical slot.

The Mexican chip stays where it is. The phone holds both lines at once and each one does a different thing:

• The Mexican line remains active to receive calls and messages. Bank codes continue to arrive there.
• Data, i.e., the internet, goes through the new profile.

And WhatsApp doesn't live on the chip: it lives in the account, which is associated with the number. If the number is still on the phone, the account remains the same, with the same groups and conversations. The only thing that changes is where the data travels.

Usually compatible devices

As a general reference, most devices launched from 2018 onwards in mid-range and high-end models support it. In the case of PuraSIM, compatibility has been verified from iPhone XS and Galaxy S20 onwards.

That said, the list of models changes constantly and there are regional exceptions like the one just described. That's why no list replaces checking with `*#06#` on the specific device you have in your hand.

What to do if your phone is not compatible

If EID does not appear, there are three reasonable options, and it's advisable to know them before spending money.

The first is to use a local physical chip at your destination, assuming the hassle: queuing, passport, and, in some countries, registration that can take hours. And removing your Mexican chip for the duration of the trip.

The second is to contract your own operator's roaming package, checking beforehand which zone the destination falls into, because the difference between zones is enormous.

The third is to take advantage if another device in the family group is compatible and share data, first verifying that the plan allows it, because not all of them do.

None of the three is ideal, but knowing this before traveling is infinitely better than discovering it in a hotel room at eleven at night.

Why it's a good idea to check today and not the night before you fly

There's a practical reason that goes beyond compatibility.

When a digital profile is installed upon arrival at the destination, any problem occurs in the worst possible scenario: no network, no time, no language, and no alternative plan.

When it's installed at home, with your own Wi-Fi and with days to spare, the exact same problem becomes a twenty-minute nuisance with the option of calmly resolving it or requesting a refund without having left the country.

The risk doesn't disappear. It shifts, and that shift makes all the difference.

This only works if the plan doesn't start consuming data the moment you buy it. With PuraSIM, days run from the first use at the destination, not from the purchase, and you have 180 days to install it. That's why you can check, buy, and install today, and travel in two months without losing a single day.

What installation is like in practice

It's helpful to know what to expect, because much of the fear comes from imagining a much more technical process than it actually is.

After purchasing, a QR code arrives via email and WhatsApp. In a recent real order, payment was registered at 11:08:34 and the message with the QR was sent at 11:08:44.

From your phone, with your home Wi-Fi, go to mobile network settings and choose the option to add a line. Scan the code or enter the data manually if you are using the same phone where the email is. The profile is downloaded and appears as a second line in the list.

From then on, there are only two things to check:

1. That the new line is selected as the one used for data.
2. That the Mexican line remains active for calls and messages.

On most devices, that's all. On some Androids, you have to confirm network data that the guide itself indicates. And in no case do you have to remove anything from the phone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the plan get used up just by installing it at home?

No, if the plan counts days from the first use at the destination. This is precisely why it can be installed days in advance at no cost.

It is advisable, however, to leave it installed but not set as the active data line while you are in Mexico, so that the phone continues to use its usual network until the trip.

Can I save multiple lines?

Most modern devices allow you to store multiple profiles and have one active at a time. In practice, this means that a plan from a previous trip can be saved without getting in the way.

What happens if I change phones?

A digital profile is tied to the device where it was installed. If you change phones, it's best to resolve it before traveling, not after, which is another reason not to leave this until the last day.

Does it work for regular phone calls?

Data plans do not include a local number. Calls are made through messaging applications. This is the most relevant limitation of this category and it should be clear from the outset, especially if the trip includes procedures that require a phone from the country.

What if the device is old but does show EID?

If it shows EID, it works. The age of the model matters less than the presence of the component. There are devices several years old that have it and recent devices of certain regional versions that do not.

Summary to take away

• Type `*#06#` on your phone. If EID appears, the device is compatible.
• Redmi and Xiaomi sold in Mexico may be LatAm versions without the component, even if the manufacturer's specifications say otherwise.
• Unlocked and compatible are two different things, and both need to be checked.
• The Mexican chip is not removed. Your number, WhatsApp, and bank messages remain the same.
• It's advisable to install and test at home, with Wi-Fi, days before flying, and not upon landing.

It's a ten-second check that prevents the most expensive and inconvenient problem of all: discovering the answer three thousand miles from home with the money already paid.

PuraSIM sells destination-based data plans that can be purchased and installed from Mexico before traveling, with a fixed price, for over 200 destinations. Customer service is provided by email and WhatsApp, with people who respond in Spanish. There is no phone support.