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Smaller SIM Card Standard Could Be Ready Next Year
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Sorry but you obviously did not read the other posts in the thread. A SIM card can be used as a key for encryption much like an RSA key is used to secure remote access to some networks.
How would you get the eSIM onto the phone? How would you swap them? How would you acquire it in the first place?
Think of the SIM like an RDF Access card. The SIM card is what is registered on the network, not the phone.
Not true. The IMEI also registers.
That's why when you put a SIM card in a smart phone, it automatically kicks on a data plan for said smartphone.
Not for aucklanders we have had it for good 4-5 years
Telecom launched the current SIM-based "XT" network nationwide in May 2009. Some earlier Telecom phones had a SIM slot but it was used only for roaming.
The IMEI does register when you "activate" the phone for the first time with a valid SIM card and phone which are "SIM locked" to a specific carrier will only activate and function with a SIM from that carrier.
With an unlocked phone, the IMEI only comes into play and affects your access to the network if you live in a country like South Korea where every IMEI has to be registered first or if the phone is reported stolen and the phone is blocked with the IMEI number.
Regardless, the IMEI only identifies the phone, it does not participate in the encryption of phone calls.
I for one would like to see the sim card to be replaced by an eSim, I travel a lot and its just a pain to open up the phone every time.
It would be less of a problem if the sim could be accessed from the outside but My phone has one under the battery. (Wish I had an iPhone)
Who says that an eSim can't replace a normal sim?
The sim is just a chip on a removable card, so its possible to have this one built in.
Apple wanted this but for obvious reasons got a kick in the bud by providers.
Anyone who claims its not possible has not followed Apple on this.
Get rid of it but it may seem inpossible as long as providers have a say.
Please EU make it mandatory to not need a sim inside a phone.
It would be less of a problem if the sim could be accessed from the outside but My phone has one under the battery. (Wish I had an iPhone)
Who says that an eSim can't replace a normal sim?
The sim is just a chip on a removable card, so its possible to have this one built in.
Apple wanted this but for obvious reasons got a kick in the bud by providers.
Anyone who claims its not possible has not followed Apple on this.
Get rid of it but it may seem inpossible as long as providers have a say.
Please EU make it mandatory to not need a sim inside a phone.
We dont need SIMs. However, operators want SIMs. Anything that makes it harder to switch operators = Win for them.
I read them all, and have been in the industry for longer than there have been cell phones. I understand the tech and there is absolutely no technical reason we cannot have a programmable eSIM, under user control, locked, secure, encrypted, allowing multiple carriers and numbers on the phone at the same time with total portability.
Programming would require an internet connection, either tethered to a computer, wifi by being already connected via your primary number for changes or for adding a secondary number.
There is no reason to have to carry around a physical SIM card, and certainly no reason for a nano SIM.
CDMA doesn't use SIMs. How well does that work for making it easier to switch operators?
Some sort of standard is important with phones. Apple is the only one using the micro SIM at the moment and quite honestly this should have been stopped by the carriers at the start. Frankly i don't care which Size they use provided all manufacturers and carriers agree and adhere to the standard.
Phone chargers are another area where standards are slowly being adopted. A micro USB charger is fast becoming the standard and makes so much sense.
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Yeah because the SIM cards these days are just too large.
Smaller is only better to a point and a change of standards that this would bring is not worth the size change.
Smaller is only better to a point and a change of standards that this would bring is not worth the size change.
SIM card-less phones here would be redundant as most people buy phones (including iPhones from carriers) unlocked. Mobile networks do not offer phones here, except for tablets and smartphones but they're still unlocked.
I thought SIM cards are small enough, I've lost my back-up prepaid SIM after swapping it with my primary...
I thought SIM cards are small enough, I've lost my back-up prepaid SIM after swapping it with my primary...
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Funny I remember that same questions being asked when we moved from tape/ cd walkmans to MP3 players.
Given the people who are suggesting the eSIM system are the same people who make the tiny silicon chips buried inside the current SIM cards then I'd imagine they'd have thought about such things.
One of the documents early in the life of one of many previous discussions on this matter these manufactures suggested that each eSIM chip could handle a number Codes. As if you had a number of SIM cards within the device, but in the space saving and reliability of a hard wired chip.
I'm guessing they could have a hard wired code in each chip which was responsible for negotiating loading and storing of other profiles which could be used for a number of other channels. Carriers who support the system could have in their own system a way of opening a channel with that part of the chip to feed the required info over a secure channel.
Although I'm imagining that Apple would want to try an push an iStore solution as well. Maybe like Newstand so all your eSIM apps collected into the one place. Hopefully pushing for the carriers to implement decent account interfaces within the apps. Although I can't see carries given up as much as 30% of credit sales to Apple, although it probably isn't that much higher than what they give up to sales outlets already.
The best thing to me is swapping SIMs is a pain when overseas. What would be most useful would be if different radios could have different SIMs assigned to them I could keep my Local Voice account active when i roam globally but assign a local data SIM as I move around. As it is now with SIM cards I have to switch in my home SIM a couple times a day to get SMS or Home network calls.
If the networks are reeling against this because it further reigates them into providers of dumb pipes to me that suggests it's only good for user freedom.
Imagine loading multiple phone numbers from different providers in several countries on your phone - from a web interface before you leave home - to avoid roaming in any country you are traveling through.
These numbers would all ring or SMS your phone, and could be activated or deactivated in Settings.
This is the power of the eSIM
These numbers would all ring or SMS your phone, and could be activated or deactivated in Settings.
This is the power of the eSIM
I don't really care what the carriers think.
If they want to be part of the iPhone, they will get on board.
Carrier locks will still be possible just as they are today. The eSIM does not change anything except the obsolete need to carry around a physical SIM card.
I carry two phones when I travel internationally. My iPhone, and another dual SIM phone which gets my US. And home SIM cards. My iPhone gets a local prepaid SIM so I don't pay data roaming charges.
It's a pain and given the current tech level, completely unnecessary.
If they want to be part of the iPhone, they will get on board.
Carrier locks will still be possible just as they are today. The eSIM does not change anything except the obsolete need to carry around a physical SIM card.
I carry two phones when I travel internationally. My iPhone, and another dual SIM phone which gets my US. And home SIM cards. My iPhone gets a local prepaid SIM so I don't pay data roaming charges.
It's a pain and given the current tech level, completely unnecessary.
There are many problems to be solved, for example:
- Users that do not have internet access. In many developing countries mobile phones are common, but internet access (other than via the mobile phone itself) is not. Even many industrial nations have much more mobile subscribers than internet users.
- Security. You have to authenticate somehow to load this eSim. Your username / pw can be sniffed if someone is listening on that public WiFi or if your computer is infected by a trojan horse. This data could be used to activate a different device somewhere else in the world, the hacker could have lots of fun via expensive roaming and it is all on your bill...
- For many users installing a software on a computer, using a data cable etc. is much more complicated than simply inserting a SIM and entering the PIN. Many frustrated calls to the operator...
- Being forced to have Windows or Mac OS to activate your phone. (Nearly all other GSM phones do not need any activation other than putting in a SIM).
- Establishing a compatible way to get that data on your device that is compatible with any handset from any manufactor. Otherwise some carrier somewhere in the world may be unable to activate your device even if they want to.
- Security benefits of the SIM (as others have written: it is an encapsulated cryptographic system) has to be provided in a different way or it is lost. Remember, the SIM contains data that cannot be read by the phone. With the eSim this would have to be downloaded, so the computer and the phone (and possibly hackers) will get that data.
- I don't know if we would really get free access to this. I don't know why people in the USA have accepted a very carrier centric marked where an old phone becomes trash just because your new carrier refuses to activate it. I am really glad, we do not have this situation in Europe...
- Passwords, PIN numbers, credit card numbers and any other authentication that is just entered via keyboard is frequently targeted by phishing attacks. That is why many banks are moving towards more secure systems, for example smart cards. It would be foolish to give up a smart card based system just because of "convenience"...
- It would be a confusing situation for many customers when there are GSM phones that need a physical SIM card while others cannot accept a SIM card and need a "virtual SIM". Maybe you have to pay extra for the physical SIM, maybe you have to pay extra for "virtual SIM", maybe your old physical SIM has to be deactivated when you use a "virtual SIM" phone for the first time, leaving you no chance to ever use your old phone again....
Christian
I am pretty sure operators will not allow this or at least they will not sell devices with that capability.
There are handsets with two SIM slots, even smart phones, but these are quite hard to find because operators don't want them to become widely known.
Christian
Thinking back I don't think I've kept the same SIM ever.
New Phone has equaled new SIM at least to date yet I've had the same number for 15Years almost. SIM carrier cards got smaller over that time, plus they got more number storage on them. Networks at least here in Australia won't touch the companies SIM. So if you change provider then another new SIM. Each time your number gets Ported from one SIM to the Next. 2G to 3G needed a new SIM guessing 4G will as well.
How is the eSIM any different?
New phone will have new eSIM embedded, your contact number gets ported to that. Your old SIM stops working. How well the new SIM works in the old phone is also a bit hit and miss.