Virtual card ultimate guide: virtual credit card, virtual membership card, virtual leisure card, virtual SIM card and other detailed teaching

　　Virtual card,non-physical card,digital card,electronic card,action cardetc. refer to cards that have a card number but no physical card. More and more cards are launching virtual cards without entities. In addition to quickly applying for a card number without waiting for the production or receipt of a physical card, it can also be tied directly to a smartphone to reduce the need to carry cards and reduce the weight of the wallet when going out. Only one mobile phone can achieve the functions of many cards, reducing the risk of personal information leakage, and reducing the chance of contact infection during the epidemic. This article will introduce all kinds of virtual cards, so that readers in need can switch from physical cards to virtual cards, simplifying complexities, simplifying life, reducing waste of resources, protecting the environment and loving the earth.

1 Introduction

　　Virtual card,non-physical card,digital card,electronic card,action card(especially cards that can be bound to smartphones or other mobile devices),cloud card, English is digital card,virtual card or cloud card Wait, it refers to the card number that issued the card, but did not make the physical card. With the rise of the Internet era and the popularity of smart phones, various physical objects are gradually turning to virtualization. For example, DVD discs have been gradually replaced by audio-visual streaming platforms, and physical cards are also developing towards virtualization. More and more credit cards, membership cards and other cards are launching virtual cards without physical entities. In addition to quickly applying for a card number without waiting for the production or receipt of a physical card, it can also be tied directly to a smartphone to reduce the number of cards when going out. To reduce the weight of the wallet, only one mobile phone can achieve the functions of many cards.

　　The card number of the virtual card is mostly the same as the card number of the physical card, that is to say, if you do not take the physical card when you go out, but write down the card number of the physical card or tie it to your smartphone, then there is no difference in function from the virtual card , but the convenience is very different. The biggest difference between a virtual card and a physical card is that a physical card has one or more physical cards that can be carried and used, and can be applied for online or at physical stores/institutions, but virtual cards can only be applied for online. And there won't be any physical card, so it's usually strapped to a smartphone.

　　Therefore, using a virtual card has many benefits that a physical card does not have, including online application, no need to go to the counter of the operator to apply, no need to wait for the physical card to be delivered, and you can quickly obtain the card and use it after the card is approved, etc. Convenience can also reduce the risk of data leakage by reducing the number of people who handle it; in addition, there will be no problems with storage and organization, and there will be no risk of loss; in addition, because there is no entity, there is no need to change the card , can reduce transportation costs, reduce resource waste, and protect the earth; during the epidemic, it can also reduce the contact between objects and people, reduce the risk of infection, and respond to the trend of zero-contact payment during the epidemic. In addition, in the global chip shortage in 2021, many banks said that they will use virtual credit cards to deal with it first, and postpone the issuance of physical cards.

　　In short, using a virtual card is more convenient, safe, and epidemic-proof than a physical card, and it is more environmentally friendly. But are there any cards that can be used as virtual cards? This article will introduce in detail various virtual credit cards, virtual membership cards, virtual electronic ticket cards, virtual SIM cards (eSIM cards), etc., so that readers can reduce the need to carry physical cards when going out as long as they bind the virtual cards to their mobile phones. , It is more convenient to reduce the number of cards at home, improve the quality of life, and move towards a minimalist life.

2 Virtual Card Introduction

　　Virtual cardIn order to have a card with a set of card numbers but no physical card, many common physical cards in life, such as credit cards, membership cards, electronic ticket cards, SIM cards and other physical cards with card numbers, can be virtualized. The following will Introducing these various virtual cards.

2.1 Virtual credit card

　　virtual credit card (virtual credit card) ,digital credit cardRefers to a credit card with only a credit card number but no physical card. The card number of this type of card is a virtual card number/account number (usually 16 Common types can be divided into main card virtual credit card, additional card virtual credit card, mapped virtual credit card, variable virtual credit card, virtual code of physical card, etc. The following will introduce these different types of virtual credit cards in detail.

2.1.1 Main card type virtual credit card

　　Primary card type virtual credit cardIt refers to the bank issuing a credit card with a complete and independent credit card number, which is not affiliated to any other credit card, nor has any physical card. In the past, this type of virtual credit card could only be used for online shopping, but now as more and more merchants in physical stores support credit card inductive payment (inductive card swiping machine), as long as the card number is bound to the smartphone, you can Just like a normal physical credit card, you can use the function of inductive swiping.

　　The advantage of applying for a principal card-type virtual credit card is that you don’t need to wait for the physical credit card to be sent. After the credit card is approved, you can receive the card number and password of the credit card through email and SMS, and you can use the credit card immediately. Card and shipping, reducing contact with other people and reducing the risk of credit card information leakage, and not afraid of loss. Even if the card is stolen in the future, the card number can be changed immediately without having to wait for the card to be sent again, which can also reduce the resource consumption of card production. (Physical cards also need to be reissued regularly, while virtual cards do not).

　　Although the main card type virtual credit card has many advantages, the only disadvantage is that it cannot be swiped at merchants that need to swipe a physical card. However, as merchants switch to new card swiping machines that can pay by induction, it is now less and less seen. Card machines and stores that can only swipe physical cards but not inductive payment. Since most stores can use inductive payment with physical credit cards, there is no problem with using virtual credit cards, unless there is a real card that can only swipe physical cards but Must-visit store (should be rare these days).

　　In short, convenience, speed, safety and environmental protection are one of the advantages of this type of card. Banks often focus on such services and concepts as online shopping, mobile payment, and environmental protection for this type of credit card. However, most of the credit cards provided by most banks are physical credit cards. At present, only some banks provide virtual credit cards. The following table summarizes the common main card-type virtual credit cards and card-issuing banks, as well as their features, application conditions and instructions.

Remark:

• Taishin Bank's "@GoGo Virtual Yuxi Card" is displayed as "@GoGo Virtual Digital Card" in the APP notification (including "Richart" and "Richart Life") after the card is swiped for consumption.

2.1.2 Card-attached virtual credit card

　　Attached card type virtual credit cardIt is necessary to have a physical credit card first, and apply for a virtual credit card supplementary card through the main card, which is roughly the same as the general supplementary card, and the rewards are the same, but the physical card is missing, so this type of card is of course Repayment by the main card is enough, and there may be no additional annual fee (or only a lower annual fee).

　　In addition, the biggest advantage of this type of card is that it can be safely used as an online shopping card. If you shop on a risky and less secure website, even if it is stolen, you can quickly get a new set of additional cards after stopping the card immediately. Card virtual card number, while not affecting the use of the original physical card.

2.1.3 Mapped virtual credit card or debit card

　　Mapped virtual credit card,mobile credit card,mobile credit card,as well asMapped virtual financial card,Mobile Banking Card,Mobile Banking Card, is a credit card or debit card coded using Token technology and using NFC sensing as a type of mobile payment. When using this method to checkout, the virtual card number is used for payment, which can reduce the risk of the card number of the physical card being exposed and stolen. It is a relatively safe payment technology, with one layer of protection compared with the physical card. (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay) use this method.

　　Usually, credit cards issued by banks will have virtual cards, but financial cards will not, because some functions of physical financial cards are difficult to be replaced by virtual cards, such as functions that require the use of physical services, such as receiving money at ATMs and depositing money and other services. Although more and more banks support cardless withdrawals and cardless deposits, not most ATMs currently have cardless services, and cardless services usually do not provide cross-bank services (physical cards can deposit across banks, withdrawal).

　　Furthermore, most banks will only have one debit card (with a few exceptions), so it is irreplaceable, while a credit card is a bank with a variety of credit cards, so users can freely choose whether to have a physical card or only a virtual card credit card. However, if a user only has a bank account and a debit card without a credit card, it is not as convenient as a credit card to carry a debit card when going out. Therefore, using a "mapped virtual card" allows users to bind the physical debit card to the NFC In the mobile payment APP, it is one of the few ways to treat it as a virtual card.

　　To use this kind of card, you only need to bind the physical card to the app that supports NFC mobile payment. Whether it is a physical credit card or debit card, you can use this method to quickly become a virtual card for use, which is fast, convenient and safe. In addition, most of the financial cards issued by digital accounts must use natural person certificate authentication or upgrade the account at the counter before they can be bound to NFC mobile payment. The following lists common NFC mobile payment apps, partner banks and supported cards in Taiwan.

2.1.4 Variable virtual credit card

　　variable virtual credit card,Dynamic Virtual Credit Card,Dynamic virtual card number(English:Dynamic Virtual Card Number) refers to a group of dynamically generated card numbers, which can be entered into the online store to complete the transaction as usual. Also because the card number is dynamically generated every time, the card number can be revoked after consumption, or wait for the automatic expiration (usually two months), so there is no need to worry about the real card number being exposed on the Internet, so as to reduce card number theft. Risk of brushing.

　　At present, the more common variable virtual credit card is the "Mastercard inControl" service provided by the international card issuing organization Mastercard (Mastercard) and cooperative banks. Although this kind of credit card is a virtual card, it is still necessary to apply for a physical credit card in advance, and then through this card, when the card is used for consumption, a set of changed cards can be generated, which can be invalidated after use.

　　By changing the card number, the card number of the physical credit card can be protected from the risk of leakage, thus reducing the outflow of card information and the occurrence of fraudulent swiping. In addition, this method is different from the mobile phone password verification method, because it only protects the card number, so it will not affect the shopping experience of consumers.

　　However, before December 31, 2020, only Far Eastern Commercial Bank provided this service in Taiwan, but after January 1, 2021, Far Eastern Bank also terminated this service. Therefore, if you want to use the Mastercard inControl service, you can only apply for a credit card outside of Taiwan (such as a US credit card).

2.1.5 Supplement: credit card with physical card and virtual code

　　The virtual card mentioned above is a card with a set of card numbers but no physical card, such as a set of independent card numbers issued by a bank but without a physical card (for example: main card type virtual card, supplementary card type virtual card), or A set of virtual card numbers simulated by a program or bank but without a physical card (for example: mapped virtual card, variable virtual credit card) during consumption.

　　But in addition, the physical cards issued by some banks will send the card number, validity period, security code (the last three codes), etc. to the applicant's e-mail or mobile phone text message, and also allow users to check on the Internet The card number of the card, these card numbers can be directly consumed on the Internet after the card is reviewed, or directly bound to the mobile payment APP for consumption, without waiting for the delivery of the physical card (the physical card needs to apply for import, internal review , card production, and mail delivery, it often takes a week to get the card, and it is impossible to consume and enjoy the reward immediately).

　　In addition to having a physical card, this type of card will quickly obtain the card number online after applying for the card and reviewing the card, so it is like a virtual card, and you can use the card immediately for consumption without waiting for the delivery of the physical card. It has the advantages of immediate consumption of the virtual card, but at the same time, you will get a physical card a few days after the verification of the card, so it is still a physical credit card in essence, not like a virtual card without a physical card at all, but it is received You will receive the card number (virtual code) of the card before you get the physical card.

　　Usually, there are credit cards with physical cards and virtual codes at the same time. Many banks will focus on online shopping or mobile payment just like virtual credit cards. The following is a list of credit cards that have both physical cards and virtual codes that are common in Taiwan. Also because this type of card will eventually receive a physical card, it is classified as "supplementary" information. If it is only for readers who do not need a physical card at all, you can skip to the next chapter to continue reading other types of virtual cards. Card.

2.1.8 Extension: credit card generator (only for testing, cannot be used for credit card consumption)

　　credit card number generator,credit card generator,credit card generator, fake credit card,English:Credit Card Generator,Fake Credit Card Generator, refers to the service platform that can generate a set of virtual credit card numbers, but this kind of virtual credit card number is different from the virtual credit card introduced above, and is not issued by the bank, but is issued by the website service platform according to theRune Algorithm (Luhn algorithm) (Is a simple checksum algorithm commonly used to verify identification numbers, such as card issuer identification numbers, international mobile device identification numbers, US national provider identification numbers, or Canadian social insurance numbers, which are now public field and has been widely used) the credit card number generated.

　　If you want to develop a website or system with an online shopping cart, you often need to connect the online payment function in series. If you need to test the verification function of the credit card when making and developing the payment system, you can use the credit card number generator to do the detection. Make sure that the payment system's swipe function is working properly.

　　Some service-oriented websites will first require users to enter credit card information to avoid abuse of their own website services, and can also filter a large number of applications for head accounts. Immediate consumption is only required to register, and it is also mandatory to enter credit card information first. In addition, it can also prevent users from being stolen by entering real credit card information on untrusted and insecure websites. At this time, you can use the credit card generator to improve personal privacy and information security.

　　Although the information generated by the generators of such websites is credit card information, they are basically legal, because these virtual credit card numbers generated by the website service platform are generated according to the Lune algorithm and are not issued by banks. The real card numbers (that is, the card numbers that cannot be used normally), so these card numbers have no balance or credit limit, and cannot be used for normal consumption. They are only for testing. Since the "Credit Card Generator" is not a virtual credit card that can be consumed, it is classified as "extended" information. Readers who do not have this need can skip to the next chapter to continue to learn about other virtual card introductions. The following will sort out common credit card number generation Server's website service platform.

2.2 Virtual membership card

　　virtual membership card,digital membership card,Electronic membership card,mobile membership cardEtc. refers to a card that has a set of membership card numbers but no physical card, and usually uses a webpage to apply online, or downloads a mobile app and registers as a member in the program.

　　In various supermarkets, department stores, stores, beverage stores, bookstores, stationery stores, etc., there are often services for applying for and using membership cards, so that members can collect points when they consume in exchange for rewards or discounts. However, as more and more membership cards are applied for, the wallets containing the physical cards are also getting thicker and thicker, causing inconvenience to carry.

　　If you use a virtual membership card, no matter how many membership cards you have, you can put them in a mobile phone, and you don't have to go out to carry several membership cards, you can enjoy various discounts in various stores. In addition, some of the physical cards applied for in the store will charge the cost of the card or the handling fee of the application process. If you switch to a mobile app or the Internet to apply for a virtual membership card, these fees can often be waived, and because the information is directly applied online and no need Through the clerk of the physical store, the protection of personal data is further improved.

　　The following only organizes membership services/membership cards that can be applied online (web application or APP application), and there is no need to obtain a physical card separately, which means that you can apply for a virtual membership card online, or apply for a virtual membership card with a virtual card and a physical card at the same time.

2.2.1 Store membership card

　　The most common membership card is an independent store, or a membership card issued by a group operator, which can usually be used by users to collect points (accumulated points/accumulated points). The following lists the common shops/operators and APPs in Taiwan that can apply for virtual membership cards online, and lists the fees for physical cards and virtual cards, so that you can directly check how much the virtual card can save you in applying for membership.

2.3 Virtual Electronic Ticket Card

　　Virtual Electronic Ticket Card,Mobile version electronic ticketIt means that there is no need for a physical electronic ticket, as long as the card number of the electronic ticket is bound to a specific mobile device, and the NFC sensing area of ​​the device is close to the sensing device for deducting money, you can normally consume small amounts and store value electronically. ticket.

　　The biggest difference between a virtual electronic ticket and an electronic ticket with a physical card is that it is not necessary to take out the physical card to swipe the sensor when taking a vehicle paid with an electronic ticket, because in the process of taking a vehicle, it is necessary to constantly Walking around and moving your location is not like ordinary stores where you can stand still and wait for the checkout. Therefore, when a certain distance is required to move, if the physical electronic ticket is not held in the hand all the time, when entering the MRT station or train station, one must take out the pocket or wallet and put it back all at once. When standing, you have to take it out and put it back again. If you don’t want to take it in or take it out, you must hold it in your hand, but the card is small in size and thin, and it is not as easy to hold and hold as a mobile phone. If you want to use your mobile phone on the way, you must pay more attention to avoiding cards. slipped or lost. According to the statistics of Taipei MRT, the number of EasyCards dropped by passengers at MRT stations from 2016 to 2018 is about 60,000, and the number of unclaimed ones is as high as 30,000, which means that the lost card balance is about 500 per year. More than ten thousand, the total lost card balance in the past three years is about 16 million, which is so amazing. If you use a virtual electronic ticket to bind it to a smartphone or mobile device, you can avoid the inconvenience of moving, and you can also avoid putting the electronic ticket physical card in the mobile phone case and causing it to be incorrectly sensed (although there are anti-virus cards on the market) Interference isolation anti-magnetic sheet, but also consider the NFC sensing position of the mobile phone and other issues), thickness increase, heat generation and other issues.

　　When an electronic ticket card is traded on an offline device, the transaction data will first be saved in the card and the device, and the data will be uploaded and reconciled after a period of time. Increase the induction time and delay the bus, the bus will move at any time, the network is unstable, and it is impossible to use connected devices. If the mobile phone can achieve the same function as the electronic ticket, it needs to have a built-in security element in order to temporarily protect the transaction data from being tampered with. At this stage, there are two ways to realize the virtualization of the electronic ticket in Taiwan. One is to convert the original The SIM card of the mobile phone can be replaced by the "NFC-SIM" card by the telecom operator. Another method is to use NFC mobile payment that supports electronic tickets and mobile devices/mobile devices (such as Samsung Pay's "Samsung Pay Easy Card" ”), both of which provide mobile phones with secure elements capable of supporting e-tickets.

　　In addition, since both of these methods require the use of the NFC function of the mobile phone, and the iPhone does not allow payment other than Apple Pay, it must be an NFC mobile phone with an Android system. Next, how to choose to use "e-tickets supporting NFC-SIM card" or "e-tickets supporting NFC mobile payment APP" depends on the user's habits, one is tied to telecommunications, and the other is tied to mobile devices. If the NP is often replaced Different telecoms, then the NFC-SIM card may not be suitable. Conversely, if you often change mobile phones of different brands, then it is not suitable to tie a certain brand of NFC mobile device APP (for example: Samsung Pay Easy Card). These two types of virtualized e-tickets are described in detail below.

2.3.1 E-ticket supporting NFC-SIM card

　　NFC-SIM card,SWP-SIM cardetc. refers to a card with a special specification SIM card as a security chip, and stores the card number and password in the SIM card, and connects the NFC controller through the C6 pin on the card, which is often used as an electronic ticket to use.

　　At present, there are four types of "e-tickets" in circulation in Taiwan, including EasyCard, All-in-One Card, icash 2.0, and Wealthy Card. To use the NFC-SIM version of electronic tickets, you need to go to each telecom operator to replace the SIM card of the original mobile phone with NFC -SIM card, but the support of NFC-SIM cards issued by electronic ticket companies in cooperation with various telecom operators is not the same, and there are also differences with co-branded cards (currently only Chunghwa Telecom supports NFC-SIM cards for co-branded cards replace).

　　When the replacement of the NFC-SIM card was originally open, the four electronic tickets in circulation in Taiwan were open for application. However, in 2018, after Far EasTone Telecom stopped the service of replacing the mobile phone money card, only the Easy Card, All-in-One Card, and Aijin were left. Card three electronic ticket companies. Currently, Chunghwa Telecom is the only telecom operator that can support three types of electronic tickets with an NFC-SIM card at the same time, and EasyCard is the only electronic ticket that supports Taiwan's three major telecommunications companies (Chunghwa Telecom, Far EasTone, and Taiwan Mobile). up.

　　In addition, all NFC-SIM cards can be used on Android phones, but none of them can be used on iPhones running iOS systems, because the NFC of iPhones is currently only applicable to Apple Pay, and other mobile payments are not open. The NFC-SIM version of the electronic ticket and the integrated mobile application provided by each electronic ticket are sorted out below, as well as the telecom operators that are open to apply for NFC-SIM card replacement (including operators that have stopped applying).

　　Taiwan's five major telecoms, Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile, Far EasTone, Taiwan Star, and Asia Pacific Telecom, also provide different NFC-SIM card replacement services. Since the replacement of NFC-SIM was opened, Taiwan Star has not supported it, and Asia Pacific Telecom has also stopped applying since the beginning of 2020, so there are only Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile, and Far EasTone Telecom, and the cards that are supported There are fewer and fewer species.

　　In addition, to open an NFC-SIM card, you must use the APP provided by the telecom operator to download the electronic ticket from the cloud, and you can directly check the balance of the electronic ticket. Currently, only Chunghwa Telecom’s Hami Pay can support the three major electronic tickets at the same time, and it also includes co-branded You can also use the APP to switch between different tickets online, which can be said to be the most complete NFS SIM service at present.

　　As more and more operators stop bidding for NFC-SIM cards, users who need to use NFC-SIM cards may have to seize the opportunity, otherwise there may be only Chunghwa Telecom's NFC-SIM cards left to choose. Although Chunghwa Telecom has the most complete service, but at the same time, the price is also the highest among all telecom operators, unlike the monthly rental fee that Asia Pacific Telecom bid for the Double Eleven event before, it only costs NT$11, and you can enjoy the service of replacing the NFC-SIM card , has now become extinct.

　　The following lists the NFC-SIM card replacement services supported by various telecom operators in Taiwan (including the operators who have suspended the bid and the date of suspension), as well as the mobile phone application developed by the telecom operator to integrate the electronic ticket with the NFC-SIM card , users can not only check the balance directly in the APP, but also directly exchange different types of electronic tickets in the APP.

2.3.2 E-tickets supporting NFC mobile payment APP

　　To use the virtual electronic ticket, in addition to going to the telecom operator's store to replace the original SIM card with an NFC-SIM, another way is to use the international Pay that supports the NFC mobile payment function and a mobile device that supports this function. For example, the current Samsung mobile phone is relatively new The mobile payment "Samsung Pay" provided by the model includes the "Samsung Pay Easy Card" that provides the NFC function of Samsung mobile phones combined with the Easy Card electronic ticket.

　　The Samsung mobile phone can cooperate with EasyCard to launch the "Samsung Pay EasyCard" because Samsung has a key security element, which allows the mobile phone to simulate the MIFARE sensor chip of the EasyCard, and after the card is opened online, the mobile phone can conduct transactions through NFC sensing . If mobile phones of other brands also support the electronic ticket function, the mobile phone itself must also have similar functions, but it will inevitably increase costs, and it will increase costs, and then it is necessary to negotiate cooperation conditions and contracts with electronic ticket companies, so there are very few on the market. Few phones support this feature. In addition, the Samsung Pay Easy Card can also be manually recharged with a credit card on the mobile phone (currently only available for Cathay United Bank, China Trust Bank, Yushan Bank, Taishin Bank, Taipei Fubon Bank, and Federal Bank) to avoid insufficient temporary credit Find a top-up machine.

　　In addition to Samsung Pay on Samsung mobile phones that supports EasyCard, Garmin Pay on Garmin smart watches and Fitbit Pay on Fitbit smart watches, two NFC mobile payments, also support the function of electronic tickets, but they cannot be used online and manually like Samsung Pay. Credit card top-up, but Fitbit Pay can use the one-card co-branded card to automatically add value (currently only supports China Trust Bank, Taishin Bank and Federal Bank). For the iPhone, because Apple’s Security Element is too complicated, the EasyCard company has not opened the EasyCard because of the huge cost of importing the iOS system. Google only hopes to make a “traffic ticket card”, so the EasyCard company only opens Samsung mobile phones at present. It's just a leisure card.

　　Although there are many devices or items on the market that can support electronic tickets, such as watches, watch straps, bracelets, wristbands, dolls, mobile phone cases, etc. that support EasyCard or All-in-One Card, none of these can integrate mobile payment. You can't check the balance in real time, and there are too many products, so I won't continue to introduce here. Interested readers can check related products online by themselves. The following is a list of common electronic tickets that use NFC sensing and integrated mobile payment APPs in Taiwan, as well as their applicable mobile devices/mobile devices.

2.4 Virtual SIM card (eSIM)

　　Virtual SIM card,eSIM card,Embedded SIM (embedded-SIM),Digital SIM cardetc. refers to the SIM card specification launched by the GSM Association and constructed under the 4G service, which can be downloaded and activated through a remote method (mostly unlocked by scanning the QR Code). Although an eSIM card is often referred to as a "virtual SIM card", it is actually a chip that is much smaller than a traditional SIM card and is directly embedded on the circuit board of a mobile device. In the device, it can save the card slot space of the general SIM card.

　　Now one person has one mobile phone, but there are many people who have two or more phone numbers, such as one phone number for calling and another phone number for Internet access due to the preferential telecommunication scheme, or businessmen who need to go back and forth from home and abroad, or Users who want separate private and public numbers. Those who have these needs can only use two single-card machines unless they use dual-card machines, but this will increase the inconvenience of carrying. What's more, if there are three or more door numbers, even the dual-card machines will not be available. Not enough to use.

　　If you use an eSIM card, you can use many groups of numbers in the same mobile phone, and you don't have to be limited by whether it is a dual-card or multi-card machine, and you don't need to carry more than one mobile phone. In addition to being able to use more door numbers, there are also many conveniences, such as saving the trouble of replacing the SIM card, especially now that most smart phones need a card return pin to replace the SIM card, so there is no need to search for it temporarily You don’t have to worry about breaking or losing the card when you change the SIM card. After all, the card return pin and the SIM card are mostly small items (easy to lose), and you don’t need to go to the physical store to pick up the SIM card or wait for the package to be delivered. card.

　　Although the use of a virtual SIM card/eSIM card can have the advantages of having multiple phone numbers on one phone and the convenience of not needing to change cards, it also has two major disadvantages. One is that if you change your mobile phone or lose your mobile phone, you will usually be charged NT$300 by the telecom operator when you want to download the eSIM card again. You need to be charged for changing the card); second, to use the eSIM function, you must have both eSIM-supporting equipment and telecommunications, and currently only some smart phones and other mobile devices on the market support eSIM cards, but fortunately All five major telecom companies in Taiwan support eSIM replacement services. The following will introduce Taiwan's telecommunications and related bidding information that support the replacement of eSIM cards, as well as smartphones or other mobile devices that can use eSIM functions.

2.4.1 Telecom operators that support eSIM cards

　　To use the virtual SIM card/eSIM function, both the smartphone (or other mobile device, such as a smart watch, etc.) and the telecommunications service must be supported. Compared with mobile phones or other mobile devices, it is necessary to select a model that supports eSIM. Taiwan's five major telecommunications (Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile, Far EasTone, Taiwan Star, and Asia Pacific Telecom) all support eSIM card replacement services, unless it is Use of second-class telecommunications (for example:Uni-President Supermarket Telecom (mobile gun) ,Frameless Action (Circles. Life) etc.), otherwise most users in Taiwan can apply for eSIM card services from the original telecom operator/telecom service provider/telecom company.

　　Although most users in Taiwan can apply to the original telecom operators for eSIM card services, the eSIM services provided by each telecom operator are different. For example, among the five major telecoms, only Chunghwa Telecom has eSIM services that provide both monthly rental and prepaid cards. The other four telecom operators can only apply for eSIM card services with monthly rental numbers, but not prepaid cards; there are also general Mobile phone eSIM cards are usually only applied at physical stores, but Taiwan Star provides online stores to apply for eSIM cards, but only for new applicants and users with codes (old users must go to physical stores), but the roaming card of Far EasTone ( Internet card for going abroad, other than eSIM for ordinary monthly rental) can be applied for online. The differences in eSIM services provided by Taiwan's five major telecommunications companies are summarized in a table below.

2.4.2 Mobile devices that support eSIM card

　　The above shows that Taiwan's five major telecoms can apply for virtual SIM card/eSIM card services. Although most users in Taiwan can apply for eSIM cards, it should be noted that eSIM must also be supported by smartphones or other mobile devices. To be able to use the eSIM service normally, because not all smart phones and smart watch brands currently on the market support eSIM, so you must pay attention to whether the device you are using supports eSIM technology, otherwise, even if you contact the telecom operator Applying for eSIM service also cannot use this function normally.

　　However, even though the mobile devices that can support eSIM technology are limited at present, most of the mobile devices that can support this function happen to be big manufacturers and popular brands, such as Apple's iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy, etc. Therefore, the mobile devices/mobile devices (including smart phones and smart watches) and their models currently on the market that support eSIM technology are compiled into a table below.

Remark:

1. iPhones sold in mainland China have dual physical SIM card slots and do not provide eSIM.
2. In Hong Kong and Macau, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone SE (2nd generation) and iPhone XS have eSIM functionality.
3. The Google Pixel 3a purchased in Southeast Asia does not support eSIM.
4. Samsung Galaxy S20 Hybrid Dual SIM, Samsung produces eSIM and non-eSIM versions of this model
5. HUAWEI P40 Pro+ does not support eSIM.

3 Conclusion

　　With the advancement of technology, the progress of the times, and the popularization of mobile phones, card issuers are also issuing more virtual cards in response to different scopes of use and discounts. For ordinary users, the probability of using virtual cards is also increasing. . Usually, applying for a virtual card does not require you to apply for it in person like a physical card. You only need to enter the information online to apply, and you can avoid the risk of data leakage at the counter. Spend card making fee, production cost and other expenses. As long as various cards are tied to the mobile phone, one mobile phone can simultaneously have functions such as consumption, accumulating points, taking transportation, and using multiple numbers.

　　Using different types of virtual cards can produce various advantages for different aspects of life. For example, using a virtual credit card can get the card more quickly. You don’t have to wait for multiple days for the delivery of the physical card, and you can spend quickly after verifying the card. You can also use the physical credit card to bind international Pay, reducing the cost of carrying cards and increasing card numbers. Safe; while using virtual membership cards, you don’t need to apply for a lot of physical membership cards, and you can also apply online without going through the clerk, reducing personal information leakage; The risk of losing the card; the virtual SIM card can avoid the trouble of using the card ejection pin to insert the card, and it can also avoid the damage or loss of the physical SIM, and the use of more than two sets of mobile phone numbers.

　　Even though the virtual card has many benefits, there are still a few cases where the physical card can only be used, but in most cases, an alternative method can still be found. For example, although there are very few places where there are only physical credit card machines (such as some remote villages, suburbs, traditional stores, etc.), in recent years to promote mobile payment and digital life, more and more stores have changed to contactless card machines. Consumers It is also becoming more and more difficult to meet stores that only support physical card readers; and as long as the membership card is scanned by barcode, it can be bound to the mobile phone, unless it is only to read the physical membership card but not scan the barcode, but such a store There will be fewer and fewer stores, and more and more stores will replace them with barcode-scanning membership cards; as for electronic tickets, there is no physical card to use, and virtual cards can be used instead; virtual SIM cards are not supported by mobile devices. The problem of support, and smartphones usually have a physical card slot, and in the case of using two (inclusive) or more phone numbers, there is no virtual card that cannot replace the physical card.

　　In short, with modern people holding a mobile phone, stores have changed to inductive card readers (credit cards), non-contact card readers (electronic tickets), membership scanners (membership cards), and more and more cardholders that can use physical tablets After the emergence of the technology (SIM card) that binds the card number or data to the mobile phone, a mobile phone can replace all kinds of physical cards and use more door numbers, so you don’t need to carry multiple cards or multiple mobile phones when you go out. In addition to increasing convenience, it can also avoid the risk of personal information leakage when applying for a physical card, and can also avoid skimming and copying when using a physical card, improving information security protection and increasing personal privacy. During the epidemic, it is also possible to avoid touching the physical card with people, just use the mobile phone to sense or scan the barcode to improve the effect of epidemic prevention. Finally, since the virtual card does not need to be made into a physical card, and the replacement of the card does not need to replace the physical card, it can reduce the consumption of plastic and chips of the card, and can also reduce transportation resources and card production costs, and there is no need to manage a large number of physical cards. Carbon, environmental protection loves the earth, while reducing carbon footprints, it is also a big step towards a minimalist life.

4 Related Resources

　　This article introduces many types of virtual cards, as well as the ability to bind various physical card numbers to smartphones or other devices, and to be able to use multiple cards while carrying a mobile phone when going out. Thick enough for wallets, card holders, etc., to travel light. But in addition to virtual cards, there are many tools in life that can virtualize things. The following are related resources published on this site: virtual mobile phone numbers, email mailboxes.

4.1 Virtual mobile phone number

　　virtual phone numberIt refers to the ability to apply for a group of mobile phone numbers (door numbers) online on the Internet service platform. Usually, there is no need to apply through the telecommunications company. Different platforms and plans can be divided into "receive text messages only" and "send text messages only" according to the number of functions. SMS", "Call only", "Send and receive SMS and call at the same time", "Send and receive SMS, call and surf the Internet at the same time" and other functions.

　　Also, because there is no need to apply through the telecommunications company, these numbers can be used quickly, easily, and without binding contracts. If you want to use a group of numbers temporarily (such as applying for an online service platform), or do not want to disclose the phone number for privacy protection, You can use a virtual mobile phone number, but at the same time, the function is relatively simple, and it cannot provide various services like the telecom operators, and at the same time, the service quality is not guaranteed, and it is difficult to find customer service personnel. However, if you want to quickly obtain a set of temporary numbers, it may be a convenient alternative. Detailed resources can be found invirtual phone number〉 article, there is a detailed introduction.

4.2 Virtual mailbox (email mailbox)

　　電子郵件信箱Refers to mailboxes/mailboxes that can send and receive emails/electronic letters online. According to different functions, they can be divided into "personal mailboxes (private mailboxes)", "corporate mailboxes (multi-user mailboxes, custom domain name mailboxes)", "temporary mailboxes (disposable mailboxes, disposable mailboxes)", and "education mailboxes (edu mailboxes)" for school teachers and students, etc.

　　Although with the rise and popularization of smart phones, mobile phone numbers may be used more frequently than email mailboxes, but there are also occasions when email mailboxes are irreplaceable, such as account applications for many online service platforms In addition to the mobile phone number, it is also necessary to enter the e-mail address and receive the authentication letter before the user account can be verified and opened.

　　In addition, the application for many membership cards also needs to fill in the e-mail address. If you do not want to receive marketing letters in the main mailbox, you can also apply for another mailbox. Furthermore, more and more banks now issue credit cards. As long as the physical bills are changed to electronic bills, they can enjoy the preferential plan of no annual fee for credit cards, and there is no need to receive many physical activity leaflets.

　　In short, changing physical discount letters and DMs of many store members to e-mails, and physical bills of credit cards to electronic bills can reduce the number of physical letters received, avoid full mailboxes, and reduce waste of resources just like virtual cards. Energy saving and carbon reduction, environmental protection, love the earth, and enjoy a simpler and minimalist life. To find more e-mail addresses, please refer to電子郵件信箱〉One article, there are common and various e-mail boxes sorted out.

references

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update record

1. 2022/08/17, the new bank "Mega International Commercial Bank" supported by Apple Pay.
2. 2022/05/18, multilingual version added.
3. On May 17, 2022, the "Yushan Digital e-Card" of Yushan Bank was added.
4. On May 14, 2022, the "China Airlines Co-branded Card" of China Trust Bank was added.
5. On May 14, 2022, the "Federal Lay Point Card" of the Commonwealth Bank was added.
6. On May 14, 2022, the "Federal Happiness M Card" of the Commonwealth Bank was added.
7. On May 14, 2022, the "5688 co-branded card" of Sino Fung Bank was added.
8. On May 14, 2022, the "Formosa Plastics Co-branded Card" of Cathay United Bank was added.
9. On May 14, 2022, the "Yushan Pi Wallet Credit Card" of Yushan Bank was added.
10. On May 14, 2022, the "Jiekou Co-branded Card" of Taishin Bank was added.
11. On May 14, 2022, the "momo card" of Taipei Fubon Bank was added.
12. On May 14, 2022, the chapter "Credit Cards without Waiting for Physical Cards" was added.
13. 2022/04/09, "DNSChecker" was added.
14. On April 9, 2022, the "Open Possible Virtual Card" of Taipei Fubon Bank was added.
15. 2022/03/18, HSBC's "Virtual Business Credit Card" was added.
16. On March 18, 2022, China CITIC Bank (International)'s "Motion Virtual Credit Card" was added.
17. On March 18, 2022, the "ICBC Virtual Electronic Credit Card" of ICBC (Overseas Branches) was added.
18. On March 18, 2022, Apple's "Apple Card" was added.
19. On March 18, 2022, the "Portuguese Joint-branded Virtual Card" of Taishin Bank was added.