Windows Mobile Plans app to be disconnected in 2026
(2025/08/29)
- Reference: 1756465510
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2025/08/29/windows_mobile_plans/
- Source link:
Microsoft is to permanently hang up on its Mobile Plans app, directing users to the web and the Windows Settings app in the future.
The [1]end of the road will come on February 27, 2026, when the app will be retired and stripped from Windows. After that, users should use the websites of cellular operators and Windows Settings to satisfy their cellular needs.
The [2]Mobile Plans app was designed to help users connect Windows devices with cellular networks through mobile operators. Dating back to Windows 10, users could launch the app, select a mobile operator, and choose a plan that met their data needs. Scenarios include installing an eSIM profile, activating a physical SIM, or topping up a subscription's balance.
[3]
According to Microsoft, the removal of the app is part of efforts to "streamline" the whole experience of getting online via a mobile operator. The company said: "When you purchase a plan on the site of participating carriers, Windows might prompt you via the Settings app to share your device's cellular identifiers (like EID, IMEI) with the operator.
[4]
[5]
"With your consent, these details are securely passed to the carrier, so they can automatically provision your eSIM without you needing to type in codes or scan QR images."
[6]How Windows 11 is breaking from its bedrock and moving away
[7]Windows Backup for Organizations doesn't actually save data files
[8]Microsoft tweaks Windows Out of Box Experience for enterprises to adjust control freakery
[9]OneNote for Windows 10 support clock counts down
Windows isn't quite there at the moment. The ability to share a device's cellular identifiers is not yet available, but Microsoft expects it to release before the end of 2025.
The company has said that for "most" Windows users, the change should be convenient, which means that some users are likely to find it inconvenient, not least because the process flow is changing and not all mobile operators are sure to be on board. Microsoft noted that carriers would need to adapt their systems and websites to support the new functionality. It stated that it had been trialing the new flow with "selected operator partners."
"All mobile operators with Windows data plan offerings are encouraged to participate in testing so that they're ready by the time the app is retired."
[10]
For the vast majority of Windows users, the removal of the Mobile Plans app will go unnoticed. For a few, however, it might represent an inconvenience and a change to their everyday workflow. ®
Get our [11]Tech Resources
[1] https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/windowsosplatform/mobile-plans-moves-to-the-web/4448815
[2] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/mobilebroadband/mobile-plans
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aLHOmFKwEP6FaQtMSQRdjgAAAJQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aLHOmFKwEP6FaQtMSQRdjgAAAJQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33aLHOmFKwEP6FaQtMSQRdjgAAAJQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/29/opinion_windows_11/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/27/windows_backup_organizations/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/26/microsoft_adds_updates_to_the/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/22/the_support_clock_counts_down/
[10] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aLHOmFKwEP6FaQtMSQRdjgAAAJQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[11] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
The [1]end of the road will come on February 27, 2026, when the app will be retired and stripped from Windows. After that, users should use the websites of cellular operators and Windows Settings to satisfy their cellular needs.
The [2]Mobile Plans app was designed to help users connect Windows devices with cellular networks through mobile operators. Dating back to Windows 10, users could launch the app, select a mobile operator, and choose a plan that met their data needs. Scenarios include installing an eSIM profile, activating a physical SIM, or topping up a subscription's balance.
[3]
According to Microsoft, the removal of the app is part of efforts to "streamline" the whole experience of getting online via a mobile operator. The company said: "When you purchase a plan on the site of participating carriers, Windows might prompt you via the Settings app to share your device's cellular identifiers (like EID, IMEI) with the operator.
[4]
[5]
"With your consent, these details are securely passed to the carrier, so they can automatically provision your eSIM without you needing to type in codes or scan QR images."
[6]How Windows 11 is breaking from its bedrock and moving away
[7]Windows Backup for Organizations doesn't actually save data files
[8]Microsoft tweaks Windows Out of Box Experience for enterprises to adjust control freakery
[9]OneNote for Windows 10 support clock counts down
Windows isn't quite there at the moment. The ability to share a device's cellular identifiers is not yet available, but Microsoft expects it to release before the end of 2025.
The company has said that for "most" Windows users, the change should be convenient, which means that some users are likely to find it inconvenient, not least because the process flow is changing and not all mobile operators are sure to be on board. Microsoft noted that carriers would need to adapt their systems and websites to support the new functionality. It stated that it had been trialing the new flow with "selected operator partners."
"All mobile operators with Windows data plan offerings are encouraged to participate in testing so that they're ready by the time the app is retired."
[10]
For the vast majority of Windows users, the removal of the Mobile Plans app will go unnoticed. For a few, however, it might represent an inconvenience and a change to their everyday workflow. ®
Get our [11]Tech Resources
[1] https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/windowsosplatform/mobile-plans-moves-to-the-web/4448815
[2] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/mobilebroadband/mobile-plans
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aLHOmFKwEP6FaQtMSQRdjgAAAJQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aLHOmFKwEP6FaQtMSQRdjgAAAJQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33aLHOmFKwEP6FaQtMSQRdjgAAAJQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/29/opinion_windows_11/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/27/windows_backup_organizations/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/26/microsoft_adds_updates_to_the/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/22/the_support_clock_counts_down/
[10] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aLHOmFKwEP6FaQtMSQRdjgAAAJQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[11] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Anonymous Coward
I would guess that it's because a SIM is a Subscriber Identity Module, and was intended to allow subscribers to be known and tracked. If anyone can generate an eSIM then it opens the door to even worse spamming and telemarketing, the phone network would become as much of an uncontrolled free-for-all as the Internet is.
Eye Know
I'd not come across this before, it doesn't surprise me MS would replace it with something that's not feature complete.
eSIMs are the future, but the ecosystem is flawed.
I don't know the best way to do this from a technical perspective, but they need to eliminate the need for WiFi bootstrapping.
Perhaps the mobile carriers could create some kind of 'virtual network' that unprovisioned devices can connect to (similar to emergency calling on the telephony side). A network where the data connection has access to the sign up/provisioning systems of all licensed operators, just not public Internet access?
Almost certainly a political issue rather than a technical one...
Also, from an open source point of view, why do phones not allow you to use an "unsigned eSIM"? I can use an SDR and open source software to set up my own base station/network, but I can't generate my own eSIM?