SIM Card Questions

A. There are currently two type of Sim Cards, Phase 1 and Phase 2. Phase 1 only has 3K of Memory for storing alpha-numeric numbers. Phase 2 has 8K memory and stores more alpha-numeric numbers and more SMS. Also the cards can be set up differently. For example you can have more room for a name for a number but his cut's down the amount of memorys that you can have. Also the amount of SMS storage affect's the amount of room left for number storage. Most Sim's use between 5 and 15 SMS areas, but 5 is the most common.

Q. What is Sim Locking?

A. Sim Locking is activating a lock that means that you cannot stick another operators Sim Card in the phone. Eg. If a phone is Sim Lock to Vodafone Australia only a SIM Card from Vodafone Australia will work, a card from OPTUS or TELSTRA will either produce a error or ask for a unlocking code. Getting the code is very difficult whilst on a subsidised contract and after the contract is over they may give you the code, charge you for it or not give it to you at all. It's common in the UK to charge up to 50 pounds for the code after the contract. There are ways for example on my Ericsson secret's page on unlocking it yourself but the cable will cost nearly $100 to make.

Apparantly the EU are taking action over this as they see it as anti competitive, the outcome is not yet apparant. Telstra Australia are going to introduce SIM Locking (for Security they claim) once the outcome is known.

Q. What is the difference between a Large SIM card and a Small SIM Card?

A. Nothing. The small SIM is identical to the large sim except it doesn't have a large piece of plastic around it. The Small SIM's actually come in a large format but they pop out. See the SIM Card Pictures at http://www.mobileworld.org/simcards/ for pictures.