Acer has incorporated eSIM technology from Gemalto into its Swift 7 laptops, enabling users to switch between mobile carriers as they please.

That’s the nature of eSIM technology, which allows a device’s SIM card to be reprogrammed remotely and without the need for the card to be physically removed. The technology offers a clear benefit in the case of laptops and computers, which haven’t traditionally included SIM cards, but can now offer an ‘always-connected’ capability thanks to easily administrated mobile networking through eSIM technology. Acer’s Swift 7 laptops aren’t the first to offer this functionality, but they are among a pioneering few.

In a statement announcing the devices’ integration of its eSIM solution, Gemalto emphasized their utility in the enterprise, citing a Strategy Analytics prediction in asserting that “more than 4 in 10 employees around the world are expected to be mobile” by 2022. Elaborating further, Gemalto Mobile Services & IoT Asia SVP Sashidhar Thothadri noted that “always-connected PCs such as Acer’s Swift 7 will get notifications and pull data without ever disconnecting,” adding, “We are delighted to provide this seamless connectivity, which will in turn help organizations better serve the needs of the growing pool of mobile workers.”

Of course, eSIM infrastructure in the broader tech ecosystem is still developing, and it has lately proven to be a bit of a bumpy road, with the GSMA pausing its work on an eSIM standard about a month ago after the US Department of Justice opened an investigation into alleged collusion between the mobile industry alliance and AT&T and Verizon. But the overall shift to eSIM technology is still widely anticipated to proceed in time, and Acer now a step ahead thanks to its Swift 7 offering.