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Apple Built A SIM Card That Lets You Switch Between AT&T, Sprint, And T-Mobile

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61–70 of 191 posts

Re: Apple Built A SIM Card That Lets You Switch Between AT&T, Sprint, And T-Mobile

#62

I admit, as an European, I see no point to this. If you want a new SIM card, and you don't have a contract, just buy a new SIM card and put it in your phone / tablet. If you have a long-term contract, this won't help you anyway. Where is the catch? (Sorry if I am sounding stupid)

> If you want a new SIM card, and you don't have a contract, just buy a new SIM card and put it in your phone / tablet. My parents couldn't change a SIM card to save their lives - they couldn't open the phone to get the card out, they'd have trouble holding the micro SIM card if they did get it open, and they'd probably put it in backwards and just scratch the hell out of the contacts if they made it that far. Why sh…

Same reason that you still keep credit cards around; security. When money becomes involved you don't want the device doing the authorization to have any way to be influenced by the one requesting it.

Re: Apple Built A SIM Card That Lets You Switch Between AT&T, Sprint, And T-Mobile

#63
post #2

Probably the most interesting thing from Apple today, in my opinion. The ability to buy short term plans from different providers effortlessly can turn my tablet into a much more versatile device, and increase competition and reduce long-term carrier lock-in. It's pretty sweet and if it can set a standard for phones then we'll see carriers become true utilities between which customers can switch easily if they get po…

Is this an Apple thing? People like (first hit on Google) http://www.bluefish.com/dual-multi-imsi,221.html don't offer the same thing already?

There's nothing new about "soft" SIM cards. The problem has been that carriers like them locked to their own services. (This is true in Europe and I assume in the US also...)

Re: Apple Built A SIM Card That Lets You Switch Between AT&T, Sprint, And T-Mobile

#64

I admit, as an European, I see no point to this. If you want a new SIM card, and you don't have a contract, just buy a new SIM card and put it in your phone / tablet. If you have a long-term contract, this won't help you anyway. Where is the catch? (Sorry if I am sounding stupid)

Definitely useful for those who travel. Put in 3 sims, one for HK, Thailand, and USA.

Re: Apple Built A SIM Card That Lets You Switch Between AT&T, Sprint, And T-Mobile

#65
post #36

I really don't like the sound of this. The SIM card is the one thing that keeps mobile service relatively divorced from the hardware. I can keep the same phone but change SIM whenever it suits. I can also take change hardware and just move the SIM. I don't need to ask my provider or hardware OEM for permission. I have control. In the Apple scenario I'm giving this up. I vaguely remember some wrangling with GSMA over…

nobody says you have to use the Apple SIM. it's just a card. remove it and replace it if you do not like it.

Correct me if im wrong:

To emphasize the point: the apple sim is two parts: a Literal Sim card, and separate software.

If you don't want it, take it out.

Re: Apple Built A SIM Card That Lets You Switch Between AT&T, Sprint, And T-Mobile

#66

I admit, as an European, I see no point to this. If you want a new SIM card, and you don't have a contract, just buy a new SIM card and put it in your phone / tablet. If you have a long-term contract, this won't help you anyway. Where is the catch? (Sorry if I am sounding stupid)

That means you either have to physically go to a store or wait for one to be delivered. This way, I could change carriers at 2am on a whim, without having to wait for stores to open or a package to be delivered.

Re: Apple Built A SIM Card That Lets You Switch Between AT&T, Sprint, And T-Mobile

#67
post #24

I admit, as an European, I see no point to this. If you want a new SIM card, and you don't have a contract, just buy a new SIM card and put it in your phone / tablet. If you have a long-term contract, this won't help you anyway. Where is the catch? (Sorry if I am sounding stupid)

Think about the user experience. If switching, a user no longer has to wait on delivery of a small physical item from the new carrier. The user doesn't have to fiddle with a paperclip to pop out the SIM. (Average user could be scared to do so, or could scratch/bend the rather fragile SIM tray). It could all theoretically be done from a settings menu.

It also avoids the problem I have at the moment: three smartphones that take different sized SIMs ;-)

Re: Apple Built A SIM Card That Lets You Switch Between AT&T, Sprint, And T-Mobile

#68
post #41

Why not have a phone with three SIM card slots? Avoid the kickback from the carrier to Apple.

Why have SIM cards at all? What's the point in keeping credentials from the legitimate customer?

Store Ki directly on device. Modern phones have HSMs so key will be kept as secure as with a "real" SIM HSM, and bet phones could do the necessary crypto just fine.

Sure, a customer will be able to clone their own SIM card and share it with others, but I don't think that's a major issue. Logging onto the network with a cloned SIM is certainly preventable, and if you get kicked out every time other card clone logs in (and if that happens too frequently your account gets suspended altogether until you resolve the issue with a human support), sharing would be anything but desirable option.

Re: Apple Built A SIM Card That Lets You Switch Between AT&T, Sprint, And T-Mobile

#69
post #41

Why not have a phone with three SIM card slots? Avoid the kickback from the carrier to Apple.

There a lots of dual-SIM phones and they've been available for a long time. http://www.phonearena.com/search/section/new-phones/term/dua...

But maybe not in the US...

Re: Apple Built A SIM Card That Lets You Switch Between AT&T, Sprint, And T-Mobile

#70
post #2

Probably the most interesting thing from Apple today, in my opinion. The ability to buy short term plans from different providers effortlessly can turn my tablet into a much more versatile device, and increase competition and reduce long-term carrier lock-in. It's pretty sweet and if it can set a standard for phones then we'll see carriers become true utilities between which customers can switch easily if they get po…

I'm actually with the subscription model, it gives you peace of mind. The thing is it's done bad in the US.

Here in Israel there was a big carrier "revolution" and now you can get a subscription for about $25 a month that gives you 6gb of surfing (then it slows you down), unlimited calls & text and access to this plan in several countries such as the UK and France, with more coming. For other countries it just costs something like 10 cents a minute for an outgoing call.

This way I only pay a fixed amount of money a month and spare the flux.

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