SIM CARDS

[JamesL]

Can anyone in the community answer me as to why there are three different sizes of SIM card as I can not see the sence in this?

JamesL

[jeffkinn]

Sim cards have changed size over the years as technology has become more advanced. The full size sim card became the mini and then micro.

Micro sims have been the standard now for some considerable time and my last 3 or 4 phones have used them.

Also sims can now have NFC built into them for uses such as contactless payments.

The latest evolution is an e-sim where the sim is built into the phone itself. Apple Watch is now using this to make the series 3 cellular compatible. At the moment, in the UK, only EE can support thus functionality.

[BandOfBrothers]

Come to think of it most of my recent phones have used the Nano SIM. 

It'll be interesting to see what the next generation of sim card will be wether it be a physical one or built in option like the ones used in some phones in America. 

As past phones use the different sizes of sim card its good that the networks still support them by providing the particular sized sim card via a multi-Sim card or plastic sim card adapter. 

[pctechbloke]

Not particularly a fan of the esim for phones/tablets with cellular connectivity as I can see a number of scenarios for security issues if implemented as software or if implemented as hardware like the Trusted Plafrom Module on laptops for major inconvenience for consumer or business customers in the event of module failure necessitating a return to a repair agent of the phone manufacturer.

At the moment, if a SIM issue is diagnosed a new one is sent out and a quick SIM swap process is performed to attach the customer account to the SIM's profile on the service provider's OSS.

[hrym]

One of the reasons that SIMs come on the size of carrier they do it that, long ago and far away, that was what you put in your phone.   I think nano SIMs are pretty much standard now, although the micro is still just about hanging on.   Havign one size makes life much easier when upgrading to a new device, of course.

The obvious downside to the eSIM, of course, is that it's much harder to transfer quickly (and maybe temporarily) to another device if you need to.  (I've long advocated keeping a few important numbers on the SIM to facilitate this, and should probably follow my own advice.)