GSM SIM technical question

[DRNewcomb]

On another forum there is a discussion of SIM cards. I seem to recall reading that among the values stored on a SIM is a counter that increments every time the SIM is power cycled. After some very large number of off-on power cycles the counter runs out and the card stops working. I am not able to locate a reference for this information and was wondering if anyone here could point me to a reference or describe this function, if it actually exists or if I'm just making it up. Thanks.

[RichardInSF]

Here's a 2008 ETSI SIM standard that does not appear to make any mention of such a counter (admittedly I just skimmed it):

http://www.etsi.org/deliver/etsi_ts/...11v080001p.pdf

Now, 3GPP also has SIM standards, so if this 'feature' exists, it might be there.

I'm no SIM expert but I never heard of this capability, for what it's worth and I have been involved with mobile protocols from GSM to LTE.

[DRNewcomb]

Thanks. I just wish my memory of where I saw things worked as well as the little nooks and crannies where I stuff random bits of information.