Anyone looking to take the Verizon network for a spin can do so right now, with Verizon Test Drive giving them 100GB of 5G data via a free eSIM.
The Test Drive program will not only allow people to connect to the Verizon network for free but also give them access to the Ultra Wideband 5G network, the normal 5G network, and of course, the 4G network — the one most people will probably see — on which to splurge that 100GB.
A free lunch
Alongside those globs of data, Verizon says that people who use Test Drive will also get unlimited talk time and unlimited texts — for talking to your Android friends, of course.
Getting up and running is absurdly simple. First, you'll need an iPhone with eSIM support — that's the iPhone XS all the way to the iPhone 14 — and then you head to the Test Drive webpage and scan the QR code with your camera.
You won't need to go through a credit check, and there are no billing details to enter. So it is free, and it is easy. And people say eSIMs are bad!
There are, of course, caveats, as The Verge notes. For example, you can't have already been a Verizon customer in the last 12 months, and the phone you're using can't have already been on its network within the previous year.
Of course, if you're using an iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Pro in the United States, it's eSIM or nothing for you. There's no denying how easy an eSIM makes trying new networks out. However, international travelers still have concerns about whether getting a local eSIM will be as easy as picking up a bit of plastic from the first store they come to.
