vB Easy Archive - What is a SIM Card & What does it do??

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What is a SIM Card & What does it do??
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Posted by: Shirl51

I'm a newbie here for sure.... I'm learning alot BEFORE we buy.

I keep reading about the SIM card. What does the SIM Card do?? Do you have to have one? Is it for any particular phone??

We are "shopping" for a cell phone plan...and will probably go with Cingular. There is alot more info out there than I expected!!

Any recommendations is definitely appreciated!!

Thanks,
Shirl

Posted by: darkninja

The sim card is like the brain of your phone. It is what the phone number is actually stored on and connected to. It can also hold phone numbers. All this helps to change phones because you swap your sim card from one phone to another and it is ready to go. That is if the phone you are using is either from your carrier or unlocked. Unlocked meaning any sim card can be used in it. Hope this helps a little

Posted by: hfelsh

SIM is short for Subscriber Identity Module, a "smart" card securely storing subscriber-related data, such as phone numbers, service details, and memory for storing messages; also called SIM card.

GSM technology uses a SIM to authenticate the phone on the network. So yes, you must have one to be with Cingular (which is only GSM now.) Previous technologies - TDMA, for example - used the phones EIN (Electronic Information Number), and IIRC, CDMA (Sprint/Nextel) does the same.

Posted by: blkballoon925

Quote:

Originally Posted by hfelsh

TDMA, for example - used the phones EIN (Electronic Information Number), and IIRC, CDMA (Sprint/Nextel) does the same.

Small correction, this is an ESN - Electronic Serial Number.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...en&q=define:ESN

Posted by: DRC72

Quote:

Originally Posted by hfelsh

SIM is short for Subscriber Identity Module, a "smart" card securely storing subscriber-related data, such as phone numbers, service details, and memory for storing messages; also called SIM card.

GSM technology uses a SIM to authenticate the phone on the network. So yes, you must have one to be with Cingular (which is only GSM now.)

^^^
Pretty much in a nutshell.

Posted by: hfelsh

Quote:

Originally Posted by blkballoon925

Small correction, this is an ESN - Electronic Serial Number.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...en&q=define:ESN

D'oh!

You are correct, sir! At least I got the gist of the original question right.

Posted by: Isriam

SIM your social security card. You can change wallets, but you always take your SSN card with you :P

Posted by: Jhumien

Quote:

Originally Posted by Isriam

SIM your social security card. You can change wallets, but you always take your SSN card with you :P

actually, you arent supposed to carry your ss card with you

Posted by: Tstright

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jhumien

actually, you arent supposed to carry your ss card with you

Why's That?

Posted by: DRC72

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tstright

Why's That?

If you lose your wallet somebody can gain access to your SS number and identity theft can possibly happen.

Posted by: Shirl51

THANK YOU SO MUCH!! You made it VERY easy to understand!! I'm learnin' this stuff.... My goodness, it's alot to grasp!!

Thanks to all of you......
Shirl

Posted by: Tstright

Quote:

Originally Posted by drc72

If you lose your wallet somebody can gain access to your SS number and identity theft can possibly happen.

5 mins with a DL's and that can happen

Posted by: DRC72

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tstright

5 mins with a DL's and that can happen

I honestly wouldn't doubt it.

Posted by: NWSternGirl

Thanks for asking those questions, Shirl! I have been searching for answers to those questions, myself, before posting the questions. I am shopping for a new phone and will be sticking with AT&T...now Cingular. All I really care about is excellent reception.

I have the Nokia 8260, which uses TDMA. I'm thinking there's not going to be a way to transfer my "phone book" from my old phone to my new one...oy!

Posted by: duffwant

I have a question about upgrading hardware from a non-SIM card phone to a new GSM phone.

My dad is with Cingular and has an ancient Nokia 5160 (or some variation thereof). The battery is dying and he wants to change phones.

Whenever he calls Cingular CS, they tell him to change his plan in order to upgrade. However, he likes his plan and doesn't want to change.

What are his options? Can he buy a PAYG phone and request to change service to it?

Thanks in advance...

P.S. Although he lives in California, I live in Canada, so I don't know all the specifics about hardware updates in the States.

Posted by: NWSternGirl

How about just buying a new battery for it? There are reputable sellers on eBay who sell great knock-offs for a few dollars.

Also, I talked to someone in a local Cingular store who told me that they have a machine that'll transfer the phone book in my ancient phone to the new one...woohoo!

Posted by: annapink15

Quote:

Originally Posted by NWSternGirl

Thanks for asking those questions, Shirl! I have been searching for answers to those questions, myself, before posting the questions. I am shopping for a new phone and will be sticking with AT&T...now Cingular. All I really care about is excellent reception.

I have the Nokia 8260, which uses TDMA. I'm thinking there's not going to be a way to transfer my "phone book" from my old phone to my new one...oy!

Because you have tdma you wont be able to stay with At&t you'll have to got o the orange side and sign up with cingular. gl

Posted by: cpmand

does anybody know if it is possible to copy a nextel sim card contact list to a cingular 8125 sim or the phone itself. i have tried to copy the sims using a nextel contact copier and also puting the nextel sim into the 8125 but have had no luck. the reason i am asking i am switching about 30 nextel blackberrys to the 8125.
thanks for any help

Posted by: blkballoon925

Quote:

Originally Posted by cpmand

does anybody know if it is possible to copy a nextel sim card contact list to a cingular 8125 sim or the phone itself. i have tried to copy the sims using a nextel contact copier and also puting the nextel sim into the 8125 but have had no luck. the reason i am asking i am switching about 30 nextel blackberrys to the 8125.
thanks for any help

The GSM phone should accept the Nextel SIM, but it will display Emergency Only or Unregistered SIM. You can copy the numbers from SIM to phone, then put in the Cingular SIM and copy them back to the SIM.

Posted by: cpmand

it is asking for sim unlock code when i put in a nextel sim card

Posted by: blkballoon925

Quote:

Originally Posted by cpmand

it is asking for sim unlock code when i put in a nextel sim card

Oh, the Cingular phones are locked. That does make it a little bit more difficult. The only thing I could think to try would be a GSM SIM copier to see if it will copy the phonebook entries off of the Nextel SIM.

Posted by: cpmand

i tried the yellow nextel sim copier and it said error with the nextel sim and cingular sim

Posted by: good4us1999

Hi,

Similar question here. I have a 4 year old Nokia 4560 (a VERY basic phone) with my Cingular service. I don't want to upgrade to a new plan since they are more expensive and have features I don't need.

Can I buy an unlocked "cingular-ready" phone (from ebay) and insert my 4 year old SIM card into it? Will it work? Will the "new" phone features (such as video email) work with my "old" SIM card? Can I buy ANY unlocked phone or do I need to get a certain type?

Thanks!

Posted by: blkballoon925

Quote:

Originally Posted by good4us1999

Hi,

Similar question here. I have a 4 year old Nokia 4560 (a VERY basic phone) with my Cingular service. I don't want to upgrade to a new plan since they are more expensive and have features I don't need.

Can I buy an unlocked "cingular-ready" phone (from ebay) and insert my 4 year old SIM card into it? Will it work? Will the "new" phone features (such as video email) work with my "old" SIM card? Can I buy ANY unlocked phone or do I need to get a certain type?

Thanks!

Nokia never made a 4560. If you mean 3560 (which would have been around 3-4 years ago) the answer is no, because it is a TDMA phone which would not have a SIM card. If you have the 3595, the GSM version of the 3560; then yes, you can move your SIM into a new Cingular-locked or unlocked phone.

Posted by: good4us1999

My mistake - its a model Nokia 6340i

I have a 4 year old Nokia 6340i (a VERY basic phone) with my Cingular service. I don't want to upgrade to a new plan since they are more expensive and have features I don't need.

Can I buy an unlocked "cingular-ready" phone (from ebay) and insert my 4 year old SIM card into it? Will it work? Will the "new" phone features (such as video email) work with my "old" SIM card? Can I buy ANY unlocked phone or do I need to get a certain type?

Posted by: jervin123

Quote:

Originally Posted by good4us1999

My mistake - its a model Nokia 6340i

I have a 4 year old Nokia 6340i (a VERY basic phone) with my Cingular service. I don't want to upgrade to a new plan since they are more expensive and have features I don't need.

Can I buy an unlocked "cingular-ready" phone (from ebay) and insert my 4 year old SIM card into it? Will it work? Will the "new" phone features (such as video email) work with my "old" SIM card? Can I buy ANY unlocked phone or do I need to get a certain type?

Your phone is one of the now discontinued multi-network GAIT phones for GSM/TDMA-AMPS interoperability which are now discontinued. they want everyone to kind of get off of any tdma/amps related product ASAP

Posted by: TxTwin

Quote:

Originally Posted by jervin123

The 6340i GAIT phone can be used for GSM only on GSM plans. If you are Legacy Orange and have GAIT plan grandfathered or GSM + GAIT (like me) you can still access TDMA/AMPS and as yet, there has been no "technology" fee. However BLUE Gait users were forced off their GAIT plans with the migration from Blue to Orange billing system. All BLUE TDMA and Prepaid TDMA is being shut down end of March. If good4us1999's phone is old and never had a new SIM, it will likely have a 32K or a 32GT SIM.

good4us1999, what plan and what SIM do you have? For the most part, you should be able to get an unlocked GSM phone (make sure it has both 850 &1900 bands) or a Cingular Locked GSM (if you are on an ORANGE plan and not a BLUE plan) and use with your SIM. However, you might also be able to get a new SIM without changing your plan if you are Legacy Orange and not Blue.

Posted by: good4us1999

Thanks for the update. The 6340i is 4 years old with the original SIM card. I am not sure if my plan is "blue" or "orange", but the plan is 4 years old also (I am obviously out of contract and pay month to month). The plan is $29.99 per month and I get 300 anytime minutes and 5,000 nite/weekend minutes. I got the plan directly from Cingular and was not migrated over from ATT.

The minutes are just fine for my needs. That is why I want to keep the plan and just upgrade the old phone by taking my old SIM card and putting it into a new unlocked phone from someplace like Ebay.

Hopefully this additional info will help someone answer my question. Cingular has been no help - they want me to upgrade my plan to a more $$$ one and I don't need all those minutes. Thank you!!!!

Posted by: allenlikewo

Quote:

Originally Posted by cpmand

it sounds like your in a corporate environment most likely? unless you are running domino or groupwise then it shouldnt be a problem

and if you are, your gonna have to find a way to get your 8125s talking to your server anyway so once their up and running contacts will be there

Posted by: 1quikta

Here is a question.
I am a long time ATT customer and currently have the LG 4020 flipphone. I purchased my contract 3 years ago before ATT went to Cingular. Can my SIM be used in a LG CU 500 (Cingular brand).

Posted by: wandap

I have a question about my sim card.... I have a Nokia 6126 and I was trying to put a pin number in so just anybody could not pick up my phone and read my text. After entering and verifying my new pin it asked me for a 'PUK' code. It would not let me go any further even after taking the battery out and the sim card out. One of my friend's sons's said he always used 11111111 and when I entered that it went back to pin code. I repeated the two steps of entering and verifying. Now it says sim card rejected! I then took my sim card and put it in an older Nokia I have and it says 'sim card rejected'. Have I destroyed my sim card somehow? Thanks, Wanda

Posted by: icesk8rwnabe

You have to call in to customer service now. The PUK code can only be retreived by them. And Now that you haven't done that, you need a new sim.

Posted by: i0wnj00

Quote:

Originally Posted by icesk8rwnabe

You have to call in to customer service now. The PUK code can only be retreived by them. And Now that you haven't done that, you need a new sim.

That's not true anymore, just logon to OLAM and go to the Phone/Device link and go to PUK Code - Unblock SIM Card found in the upper right square.