Dual SIM failover and eSIM solve different problems. Dual SIM keeps a site online when one carrier fails, using two physical cards. eSIM on these industrial routers is a hardware-plus-software feature: an eSIM chipset is fitted on the product, and the firmware must support eSIM so a customer carrier profile can be added. It is not a sticker, and it is not the same thing as dropping in a second plastic SIM.
This note is a buying checklist for the eSIM versions we ship today: industrial routers NR130, YF325, and YF355, plus the 5G outdoor unit NR610-Q and the 5G indoor CPE NR330-Q. eSIM versions of YF325, YF355, NR610-Q, and NR330-Q are already in volume shipment. The menu in the screenshots exists only on the eSIM version.
Three phrases that get mixed up
- Single SIM — one plastic card. Simple, but a dead carrier means a site visit.
- Dual SIM — two physical cards, usually with automatic failover. This is still the default pattern for unattended sites that need two live networks. See the dual SIM failover guide for triggers, recovery, and VPN behavior.
- eSIM — an eSIM chipset on the board, plus router software that can store and use a carrier profile. That is how a customer profile is added without opening the enclosure to swap a card. An eSIM profile does not automatically give you two independent live carriers unless the product and the profiles are set up that way.
What has to be true before a profile can be loaded
- Hardware — the eSIM chipset is fitted on that SKU at build. A router without the chipset cannot take an eSIM profile later as a software-only upgrade.
- Software — the firmware must support eSIM profile management (add, enable, and switch the customer profile).
- The profile itself — the carrier (or the customer’s carrier partner) must supply a profile that is valid for that module, not a consumer handset QR flow assumed to work unchanged.
If any one of those three is missing, “eSIM” on a proposal is only a word.
Where the customer profile is added
This screen is the industrial-router WebUI on the eSIM version of NR130, YF325, and YF355. SIM-only units do not show it. Open Network → ESIM. Installed profiles list the profile name and ICCID. A new customer profile is added under LPA Download (enter the LPA address, then Download Only or Download and Enable). Save it with Apply Configuration to Device.
NR610-Q eSIM version: profile added
The NR610-Q 5G ODU uses a different WebUI from the industrial routers above. On the eSIM version only, open LPA to download the customer profile. The capture below is from an NR610-Q eSIM unit after the profile was added successfully. The NR330-Q 5G CPE eSIM version is also in volume shipment; as with NR610-Q, the LPA profile function is only on the eSIM build, not on a SIM-only unit.
Models to specify
Name the eSIM version on the order. These are the models this guide covers:
- NR130 — compact 5G industrial router. Specify it when the site needs 5G in a small enclosure and the SIM design includes the on-board eSIM chipset plus firmware that can take the customer profile.
- YF325 — entry 4G industrial router. eSIM units are already in volume shipment.
- YF355 — 4G LTE industrial router. eSIM units are already in volume shipment.
On a quote, name the model and state “eSIM chipset fitted, firmware supports customer profile.” Do not copy eSIM onto other SKUs that are not built that way.
When eSIM is worth specifying
- The enclosure should stay closed after installation (outdoor cabinet, vehicle, kiosk).
- You expect a carrier change during the life of the project, and that operator can deliver an eSIM profile for the module in the router.
- Shipping plastic SIMs country by country is slower than loading a profile remotely, once the profile process is already contracted.
When the requirement is simply “stay up if carrier A fails,” two physical SIMs from two networks are still the clearer spec. eSIM can sit alongside that design on the eSIM version of NR130, YF325, YF355, NR610-Q, or NR330-Q; it does not replace a written failover test. Pair it with the dual SIM guide if both a plastic SIM and an eSIM profile are in the design.
What to verify before PO
- The SKU is an eSIM version of NR130, YF325, YF355, NR610-Q, or NR330-Q
- The build includes the eSIM chipset, not only a plastic SIM slot
- Firmware on that shipment supports adding the customer profile
- Who provides the profile — your carrier, your team, or Yifan at shipment — and for which country
- Failover: if one plastic SIM or one profile drops, does the router switch, and does the VPN re-establish
- Management: can you see which bearer is active on the IoT platform after a switch
- Radio approvals for the destination market — FCC / CE guide
FAQ
Is eSIM the same as dual SIM failover?
No. Dual SIM failover is two subscriptions with an automatic switch, usually two plastic cards. eSIM is an on-board chipset plus software that can hold a customer profile. You can have failover with two plastic SIMs and no eSIM at all.
What do we need in the hardware and software?
The eSIM chipset has to be fitted on the router, and the firmware has to support eSIM so the customer profile can be added. On that eSIM version, the WebUI includes Network → ESIM for the profile name, ICCID, and LPA download. Without the chipset, a software update does not create this page.
Do all units of these models show the eSIM profile page?
No. Only the eSIM version has the profile page. On the industrial routers (NR130, YF325, YF355) that page is Network → ESIM. On the NR610-Q eSIM version it is the LPA page in the screenshot above. A SIM-only build of the same model does not include this function. Confirm “eSIM version” on the order before you plan to load a customer profile in the field.
Which Yifan models are shipping with eSIM?
eSIM versions of YF325, YF355, NR610-Q (5G ODU), and NR330-Q (5G CPE) are in volume shipment. NR130 is the compact 5G industrial router to specify when that form factor is required. Confirm the eSIM version on the order so the chipset and the profile software are on that build.
Can I use a phone eSIM QR code in an industrial router?
Do not assume it. Handset eSIM onboarding and module eSIM onboarding are often different commercial products. The profile has to be valid for the module in that router, then loaded through the router’s eSIM software.
Which should I write on a tender: eSIM or dual SIM?
Write the behavior you need: “automatic failover between two independent mobile networks,” and the implementation only after the SKU is named. For eSIM, name the eSIM version of NR130, YF325, YF355, NR610-Q, or NR330-Q and require the eSIM chipset plus firmware that accepts the customer profile.
Next step: Send the country list and whether the cabinet can be reopened. Ask sales to confirm the eSIM build on NR130, YF325, YF355, NR610-Q, or NR330-Q.