eSIMs for Private Cellular Network (How it All Works)

If you think about how far technology has come in just the past 20 years you’ll rightly be astounded by what’s been created and utilized by many genius minds. In the technology field, specifically the cell phone industry, we’ve grown from “1G” (First Generation) which technically wasn't even really called 1G at the time because we didn’t know how far we’d evolve, to the latest creation of 5G (Fifth Generation) which came out in late 2018 - early 2019. With advancements in our connectivity it’s only natural that more and more people have jumped on the bandwagon and joined in the many wireless networks available in the country.

• Fun Fact: According to the Pew Research Center, “The vast majority of Americans – 97% – now own a cellphone of some kind. Nine-in-ten own a smartphone, up from just 35% in Pew Research Center’s first survey of smartphone ownership conducted in 2011.” In just over ten years we’ve increased our average cell phone rate by 62% which is wild and shows how much cell phones now take a part in our everyday lives.

Now obviously with any exponential growth there’s bound to be some problems and one of the biggest concerns people have is data privacy. Data privacy, also known as information privacy, doesn’t have an exact definition but it can best be summed up as: “everyone should have control over their own personal data, including but not limited to deciding what organizations and/or companies will collect, use, and store your personal data.” 

That sounds intriguing right? Especially for someone who is chronically online and has a lot of important information located on their cell phone. Wanting to have autonomy over your life includes your digital life and the rise of private cellular networks are one way that’s contributing to ensuring data privacy for not just people who keep sensitive information on their cell phones, but for anyone with a cell phone who wants to keep their info private. 

But what is a private cellular network? Can anyone sign up for one? How does it work? All these questions and more answered as we cover the role of eSIMs for private cellular networks - cause it’s a big one!

• What is a Private Cellular Network? (and how does it work)?
• What is an eSIM? (Covering SIMs and Dual SIMs)
• How do eSIMs for private cellular networks work — do you need a new one? How is it installed? 
• What is DeWi?
• REALLY: The World’s First Fully Encrypted & Private Phone Service

What is a Private Cellular Network? (and how does it work)?

Before we can talk about eSIMs for private cellular networks we first need to define what a private cellular network is, how it works, and why you may benefit from it.

First things first, what is a private cellular network?

A private cellular network is a LAN (Local Area Network) that uses either a licensed, unlicensed, and/or shared wireless spectrum, (a wireless spectrum is a collection of radio waves/frequencies that are already for transmission- aka it’s how we’re able to make and receive calls over distance), and LTE (Long-Term Evolution)/5G technology in order to create a fully customizable private wireless network for a business, area, and/or person.

Wireless providers like Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile are considered to be public cellular networks. Public cellular networks use shared infrastructure (cell towers) to provide coverage for millions and millions of people. You’ll find that private cellular networks provide coverage on a smaller scale and instead of it being widely available it’s more secure and there are certain steps one would need to take in order to connect onto the private network.

There are a ton of benefits to being on a private cellular network including but not limited to:

Improved Security

Just like the word private suggests, with private cellular networks the number one advantage or “pro” is improved security. On a public network there are more chances for security breaches to happen. In fact, just recently (March 2024), AT&T confirmed a data breach for over 73 million current and former customers. With private networks you’re getting a more carefully curated network that has dedicated resources in order to protect those who are on said network. Since private cellular networks aren’t easily accessed by the general public, you’ll find that hackers and scammers can’t get in as easily and random people can’t stumble their way in unannounced. This lowers the risk of sensitive information getting into the hands of strangers at a vast rate.

Dedicated Resources

And speaking of dedicated resources, private cellular network users won’t experience those typical “ups and downs” of data speeds like a public cellular network. On a public network you’ll find that users will have access to and utilize their bandwidth. However with private networks, certified users won’t have direct access to the bandwidth resource. Which means that said private network will have consistent, reliable speeds compared to public networks. 

Better QoS (Quality of Service) is also connected to dedicated resources. QoS is the universal scale used to monitor the flow of signals and data speeds over internet-based activities and technologies like voice calls, video calls, gaming, and more. With control over network traffic and having a smaller pool to work with a private cellular network can ensure there aren’t any speed bumps in any of these tasks.

Access Control

You know your computer’s Control Panel? The program that allows you to change and monitor certain settings like devices connected to it, programs you have downloaded, and network status? Imagine that concept but based entirely on network configurations. With a private network you’re able to have control over things like changing security settings for improved safety, i.e: not letting certain IP addresses have access to the network and deciding what hardware is and isn’t allowed on. 

How does it work?

A public cellular network uses a variety of cell phone towers and antennas in order to provide widespread coverage all over the country, region, world, etc. While private networks work a bit differently. Firstly, they don’t cover a larger area like public cellular networks, they’ll either use, or use a combination of, small cells (a type of wireless communication infrastructure that’s typically low-powered with a range of a few kilometers), cloud-based applications, eSIMS, or small portable antennas to provide coverage. 

What is an eSIM? (Covering SIMs and Dual SIMs)

When you’re switching over to a new network you may have to either buy a new phone through the wireless company or they will either send you a physical SIM Kit or give you the link to download an eSIM. 

SIM stands for Subscriber Identity Module, and a physical SIM is a tiny, normally fingertip sized, microchip that “allows users to make and receive calls and texts, connect to your wireless network’s cell towers which gives you access to data, and can even carry a previous phone’s information like contacts, apps, and notes.” 

An eSIM is the digital version of a regular physical SIM card. Instead of it being the physical card you have to insert into the phone, an eSIM is embedded into the device and it gets activated by computer signals- (normally by the phone company providing you with the service). 

So what is a Dual SIM? 

A dual SIM is exactly what it sounds like, it’s two (dual) SIMs in one device. You can “get” dual SIMs by having a dual SIM capable phone which is a feature that’s been implemented in phones ever since the iPhone 11 and the Galaxy S21 released. Any dual SIM capable phone holds the capacity for two SIM cards. And what that does is that it makes your “one” phone act like it’s “two” phones. The dual SIM capable phone can hold two numbers- (for example you can have your regular phone and work phone all in one phone). Then the device holder can switch between the two, plus you can even have one SIM for one wireless service and the other be for a different wireless service.

The reason you need a SIM card in your phone, physical or embedded, is because without it the only things you’d be able to do with your phone is take photos and connect to wifi in order to use the internet. With the SIM card you can make and receive calls and texts, access your network’s data, and use all of your phone’s capabilities.

How do eSIMs for private cellular networks work — do you need a new one? How is it installed? 

Now that we know what a private cellular network is and what a SIM card is, how do eSIMs for private cellular networks work? 

To join a private cellular network, you must have a SIM card, provided by that private cellular network, installed onto your phone. Then a second major step is that the installed SIM has to be authenticated by that network in order to officially join it. (An authentication process isn’t necessarily singular to private cellular networks, in fact if you’re switching to any wireless network they will have to activate your SIM for you to join the network). 

The administrators- the technical team behind the private cellular network will be the ones to provide the SIM whether it be a physical SIM, eSIM, or join your existing SIM so then your phone becomes a dual SIM holding phone. And with dual SIM capable phones it is truly easier than ever to install an eSIM for a private cellular network. So when you’re in the coverage area of the private cellular network you’ll be on that network’s signal and get all the advantages of being private. 

Do you need a new eSIM to get on the private cellular network?

As we mentioned before, most phones nowadays since the iPhone 11 and Galaxy S21 era are dual SIM capable phones meaning that instead of “getting a new eSIM” you will add a new eSIM- the private cellular network’s eSIM onto your current device. 

• Tip: If you’ve gotten a Smartphone in the last five years then you will most likely have a dual SIM capable phone. There are rarely any “new” phones made that aren’t dual SIM capable. 

*Sometimes depending on the type of phone you may need to do a few extra steps. For instance, Apple says: “To connect an iPhone or iPad to a private cellular network, an eSIM or physical SIM that has been specifically provisioned for that network must be used.”

How is it installed?

Just like any regular cellular network or even signing up for a new “tech-centric” service it’s normally a case-by-case basis. Every company, every private cellular network has their own set up process, there isn’t a “one size fits all” installation process. So when you’re signing up for one the team behind it will give you that step-by-step guide and will help you with setting up your eSIM for their private network. For instance, REALLY, the up and coming world’s first fully encrypted and private phone service, will have real people helping you with the installation process- but more on that later.

What is DeWi? (and why is it important)?

“DeWi” stands for Decentralized Wireless and it’s a newer way for phone users to stay connected to the data. Centralized wireless services like Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile, all build and maintain cell phone towers and you’ll find that their number one commonality is integration. Their widespread coverage is what makes these traditional public wireless networks the more popular and accessible option- but DeWi hopes to eventually change that.

Decentralized Wireless doesn’t have those big cell phone towers, they instead will provide the user with network antennas and they will act as their own signaling beacon or nodes. Nodes act as a distribution path or the end point, they are the “connecting” points between network devices. 

Since there are no big centralized cell towers like these big wireless companies, hacks are less likely to happen as scammers will have a much much harder time trying to get into your personal online information. DeWi is considered to be on the same branch as a private network, you can think of them like twins.

See a full breakdown of DeWi from this related blog post: What is DeWi? Our Complete Guide to Decentralized Wireless Networks

REALLY: The World’s First Fully Encrypted & Private Phone Service

We mentioned REALLY very briefly before, but let’s talk about it, REALLY is the world’s first phone service that’s fully encrypted and is completely private. There’s no spying, no tracking, and no hacking. REALLY will never sell your data because they don’t have access to it! It’s a phone service for those who are concerned about their data privacy and you can join the waitlist here.

REALLY itself has a private network, so when people sign up they will be able to install REALLY’s eSIM to access their network. No purchase of a physical SIM and it’s all done digitally, but don’t worry there’s real people behind REALLY that are ready to help with the entire process.

The mission of REALLY is to “build the world's largest people-powered mobile network, emphasizing privacy, eliminating dead zones, and unlocking universal connectivity.”

With REALLY you’ll have your eSIM for a private cellular network set up with ease and that way you can ensure safe internet browsing along with securing your data privacy.

And if you’re interested in other REALLY services like comparing and contrasting any wireless carrier to over 1,200 other phone plans so you know you’re getting the service that’s right for you, then make sure to check out the REALLY compare page which allows you to look at pricing, coverage, what phone plans are available, current deals and steals, and how you can make the most of your potential phone bill.