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

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

#71

Post by sliverstorm »

Igglyboo wrote: post #35
soylentcola wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the real issue is that US customers (at least) have been conditioned to think of a smart phone as something that costs between $0 and $300 due to the common use of contracts and subsidies. Even if a carrier offers a non-contract plan, they are often not that much better as far as price (with some exceptions like TMobile and some MVNOs), so they balk at paying $650-850 for a handset. That was one of the things…

Yep, no one is going to want to pay $600+ for a phone(in the US). TBH, over $200 for a phone on contract is really high as well.

over $200 for a phone on contract is really high

When the value of the phone is $600 and the value of the contract is $2400, $200 is really high.

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

#72

Post by sliverstorm »

maximumoverload wrote: post #22
danilocampos wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The catch is Apple's supply chain management just got a ton simpler as they don't have to maintain separate SKUs by carrier for each iPad variant.

Hm. In here, we don't have separate packages for separate carriers. For all 3 major carriers, you just get your phone and in a separate envelope, you get your SIM card.

Apple is all about the "just works". "Some assembly required" is very un-Apple.

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

#73

Post by GHFigs »

maximumoverload wrote: post #22
danilocampos wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The catch is Apple's supply chain management just got a ton simpler as they don't have to maintain separate SKUs by carrier for each iPad variant.

Hm. In here, we don't have separate packages for separate carriers. For all 3 major carriers, you just get your phone and in a separate envelope, you get your SIM card.

In the US, major carriers Verizon and Sprint have operated CDMA-based networks whose devices did not use SIM cards. I think it was the iPhone 4 that Apple once shipped 3 different versions of in the US: AT&T (GSM), Verizon (one set of CDMA bands), and Sprint (another set of CDMA bands).

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

#75

Post by lanaius »

spiralpolitik wrote: post #48
click170 wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> it makes a lot of sense to move from subscriptions to short-time payments It makes sense for the consumer, but I don't think that's in the financial interest of the companies who have worked hard to make long-term service agreements for you phone something that is colloquially accepted in North America. I'm with you, I'd like to see the market change. Just.. don't hold your breath. I understnad Pay-As-You-Go is muc…

Originally in the UK market contracts were the norm. Then Pay-As-You-Go opened the cellphone market up to teenagers, people on a limited budget, and people who used cellphones infrequently. That combined with the release of the Nokia 5150 and Nokia 3310 phones drove the market away from contracts. Plus in the UK the regulator is much more active in promoting competition (VNOs, Number Portability, tariff changes are a…

The first successful MVNO in the US came only 3 years after the first successful MVNO in the UK and mobile number portability was put into law in 2003 for both the US and the UK. The additional benefit is that because mobile numbers and wired numbers share the same area code base in the US, US number portability is basically universal. I don't see the basis based upon your listed criteria for saying that the FCC cares any less or that Ofcom cares any more about promoting competition.

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

#76

Post by maximumoverload »

sliverstorm wrote: post #72
maximumoverload wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hm. In here, we don't have separate packages for separate carriers. For all 3 major carriers, you just get your phone and in a separate envelope, you get your SIM card.

Apple is all about the "just works". "Some assembly required" is very un-Apple.

Here, you got a separate SIM even with Apple phones. It's just how it's done.

The only toy I remember not having a separate SIM card was Amazon Kindle (the e-ink reader), and that's because they try to hide that the SIM is even there (and it's kind of weird).

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

#77

Post by Steko »

IkmoIkmo wrote: 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…

A nice side effect should (eventually) be tolerable Internet prices when roaming.

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

#78

Post by maximumoverload »

malyk wrote: post #37
maximumoverload wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's totally weird to me. I don't want to say it from a position of superiority or anything, just different mobile culture, but in here, changing SIM cards is normal. It's what you do when you buy a new phone, because - as I said below - you get a SIM card separately, even when you buy it right with the operator with the contract. But I guess it's a different culture

Different cultures for sure. I've had 5 mobile phones...some candybar in the early 00's, a flip phone in the mid 00's, and iphone 3g, 4s, and now 6. I've never even /seen/ a sim card in person. It's a piece of tech that I shouldn't have to every even know exists. I just want my phone to work. I shouldn't have to play around with a microscopic piece of plastic and metal for that to happen.

Hm. Interesting.

If you want to buy a new phone and keep your number.... what do you do?

Well I guess you can just ask in the store to move it to the new one, that's true. It's just... strange.

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

#79

Post by sliverstorm »

maximumoverload wrote: post #76
sliverstorm wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple is all about the "just works". "Some assembly required" is very un-Apple.

Here, you got a separate SIM even with Apple phones. It's just how it's done. The only toy I remember not having a separate SIM card was Amazon Kindle (the e-ink reader), and that's because they try to hide that the SIM is even there (and it's kind of weird).

Sure, there was no other choice. I'm just saying that if anybody was going to introduce a universal SIM in the USA, I would expect it to be Apple, and for exactly the reasons I described :)

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

#80

Post by jschwartzi »

mikeash wrote: post #17
click170 wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> it makes a lot of sense to move from subscriptions to short-time payments It makes sense for the consumer, but I don't think that's in the financial interest of the companies who have worked hard to make long-term service agreements for you phone something that is colloquially accepted in North America. I'm with you, I'd like to see the market change. Just.. don't hold your breath. I understnad Pay-As-You-Go is muc…

T-Mobile has moved off long-term contracts almost entirely. AT&T is pushing their Next program hard, which decouples phone buying from the subscription (I believe you have to pay off the phone if you cancel, but the payments are separate and you don't lose out on a subsidy). Things seem to be moving pretty fast in that direction, and I'm hopeful.

T-Mobile does something basically equivalent, where they give you a line item on your bill for the device payment plus a line item for your subscription.

If this kind of card gets common I may have to buy one if I do any serious business travel again. It would be nice to never have to roam again, and instead simply make arrangements with a local carrier myself via the card.

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