

The SIM-less Phone Is Coming. And It Should Scare The Shit Out Of You - edent
http://shkspr.mobi/blog/index.php/2012/05/the-sim-less-phone-is-coming-and-it-should-scare-the-shit-out-of-you/

======
stephengillie
In short, Apple is becoming an MNVO. With Mobile Network Virtual Operators,
you don't know which carrier your connection is actually going over.

Apple is signaling to the rest of us that the "dumb pipe" future which
carriers are facing is quickly approaching.

None of us will care who provides the future 4G/5G/6G connection; we'll just
go with the cheapest carrier at the time. Apple here is just streamlining this
process so their customers won't have to waste their time and money figuring
it out, and they probably won't be alone in offering this type of service to
the public.

\---

Edit: The article makes a big deal about not being able to remove the SIM card
from your phone. CDMA phones have never had SIM cards - to switch phones with
Verizon or Sprint, you have to update which MEID or IMEI (number from the
phone) is attached to your account. For many years, we were locked into brand-
only phones because they were the only ones in the "allowed" database.

~~~
st3fan
I look forward to the moment when I can buy a world-wide subscription from
Apple as an MNVO that just works all over the globe without the almost
criminal roaming rates and hassles that we currently have.

Earlier this year I was on a trip to Europe and accidentally turned on my
iPhone in Paris. It automatically checked my email and I probably reloaded my
twitter stream. It was just 700 KB but I was charged a good $25 for that. That
roaming rate translates to roughly 35000 CAD/GB.

 _THIRTY-FIVE-THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR ONE GIG OF DATA_

Someone please end this madness. Please let this be Apple.

~~~
kamechan
In my experience, Apple actually made this process of "global roaming" worse,
not better.

Case in point: I spend about 2 months a year in Japan and a month in London. I
live in the US and have a plan through ATT. I used to have an iPhone 3gs, and
then a 4 (now a Galaxy Nexus).

The first time I travelled to London with my iPhone, I knew enough to be
paranoid about overages and activated my global roaming service and bought
25MB of data coverage just so I could use it in a pinch. ATT customers were
supposed to be able to get free WiFi at Starbucks. That turned out to be
false. Fortunately, almost every pub in London has free wifi and I tend to
spend more time in pubs than Starbucks anyway.

The second or third day I was there I called ATT to try to get them to give me
the unlock code so I could swap my US SIM out for one from O2. After about 30
minutes on the phone, I finally got someone who put it plainly, "Sir, if you
had any other phone besides the iPhone, we'd be glad to let you unlock your
phone so you could use the SIM from the local carrier. But we are under strict
orders from Apple not to." I bought a 20£ throwaway Nokia the next day which
had a free 30£ top-up with it and used it for the duration of the trip.

I have had similar experiences in Japan, except I have always had a Japanese
phone (because I use the NFC-based Suica card for the Metro and in convenience
stores). A couple years ago, I needed to be on-call whilst in Tokyo and wanted
to be able to answer my iPhone if it rang. Long story short, my iPhone didn't
even work in Tokyo ... regardless that the global roaming was turned on (and I
was paying for it).

Was in Tokyo from Nov-Jan this last year. Brought my [unlocked] Galaxy S2 I
had at the time. Went to Softbank with my wife, and went through the normal
procedure of proving citizenship (hers, not mine) etc. to get Japanese rate
plans. Also had brought my Japanese phone. SIM swapped into my GS2, worked
perfectly. No more global roaming/iPhone drama. Had tried to do similar with
iPhone previously, carriers in Tokyo wouldn't touch it. Same thing, "Under
strict orders from Apple not to …"

Went back with my Nexus recently. Put SIM from GS2 into Nexus. Worked
flawlessly, as unlocked phones have been doing forever. I do not yearn for an
Apple-controlled MNVO. a) I like specifically choosing whatever carrier works
best for my needs at the time (via a SIM card) b) my experiences roaming with
iPhone so far have been much MORE expensive than with any other phone.

Edit: wanted to make it clear that the "unlocked" GS2 was an ATT GS2 which ATT
voluntarily gave me the unlock code for when I called and told them I would be
travelling with it.

~~~
DanI-S
I have a Verizon iPhone 3GS, which I bought specifically so that I could use
it in the US and the UK. After three months, which is Verizon's minimum wait
period, I called them up and had them unlock the phone for an international
SIM. On traveling to the UK, I cut my trusty Orange SIM card down to size and
inserted it. Everything worked perfectly.

~~~
kamechan
things may be better now. the trip to london I was speaking about was with a
3GS in 2009-2010, and at that point the (sole) carrier in the US (ATT)
apparently couldn't offer unlocked service. i could have unlocked it myself
and voided the warranty, i guess, but didn't opt to do that at the time.

of course, now americans can just buy unlocked iphones. so problem solved, i
guess. remarkably happy with the nexus and don't plan to go back to the
iphone, so i guess i won't find out.

------
forgotusername
Article aside, virtualization of the SIM means a few technically joyful
possibilities:

* Potentially little more than a software tweak to add UI for automatic SIM swap while roaming. The current best solution for this is a dodgy Chinese dual SIM phone, or that just-before-landing step on the plane when the battery comes out and your phone loses its time, and fires all calendar reminders when switched back on again.

* Potentially user hardware gets a chance to intercept the Ki (subscriber authentication key) as it passes through iTunes. At this point all kinds of interesting things can be done (entirely outside of the mobile network's TOS, of course). Like an app that lets you rent a SIM in a target country for 24 hours, at local subscriber calling rates. While within 10 years Europe's roaming rates will be normalized, this would still be a killer feature for international travel.

Sadly chances are high they'll get this right, and the vSIM will be delivered
encrypted to some security module on the handset. Sometimes incompetence is a
desirable thing.

~~~
Xuzz
One nice feature of the iPhone right now (and the Nokia N9, but not any other
phones I've used): you can simply hot-swap the SIM without any battery pulling
or even rebooting. Just take out the tray, replace the SIM, and pop it back
in.

------
zhoutong
If monopoly and charging high tariffs for usage are what Apple wants, they can
simply work with a single carrier in a market to achieve them. Apple already
had that control before.

Perhaps the more sound reason to go SIM-less is to reduce the barrier to
switch, promote competition among mobile carriers and improve the whole user
experience.

Don't forget that iPhone only works well with good mobile services. To Apple,
the prices are easy to control but the quality of service is not. If virtual
SIM is really coming, we could even expect a configuration that allows you to
use different operators in different locations or for different purposes
(data, voice call or SMS). I believe that this is what Apple is truly
interested in.

~~~
nirvdrum
I'd posit that reducing the barrier to switch doesn't improve the whole user
experience. Granted Apple would staunchly disagree with me on that. But when I
engage in a 2 year contract, that's on the carrier-side. I should be able to
use whatever phone I want on that contract. I no longer use an iPhone, but I
used to regularly pop the SIM out and put in an old flip phone if I thought I
was going to do something that had a high likelihood of breaking my iPhone.

------
sandfox
!!FUD ALERT, FUD ALERT!!

This entire article is just your viewpoint on this dressed up as being the
facts. Most of it is just completely daft what-ifs. e.g. > If or when Apple go
bust – you may be left with a brick. There will be no way to update it.
really....?

------
46Bit
The title doesn't match up with what the article admits: that for the time
being it was rejected by the carriers.

~~~
TazeTSchnitzel
It's only a matter of time, though, unless regulators step in.

~~~
martey
I am confused about why regulators should be involved. The purpose of the ETSI
is to create mobile industry standards. I think the author would argue that
these benefit the consumer.

The main issue with the article isn't its hyperbolic headline, but the fact
that the author implies that Apple is introducting their nano-SIM design in
order to further lock down devices, when their design is actually more
backwards compatible than the ones submitted by Nokia and RIM:
[http://www.theverge.com/2012/3/26/2904153/apple-vs-
nokia-4ff...](http://www.theverge.com/2012/3/26/2904153/apple-vs-nokia-4ff-
nano-sim/in/2666951)

~~~
edent
(I'm the author) I don't think that the nano-SIM is going to lock down devices
any more than the micro-SIM. I'm saying that while everyone is battling it out
over that standard, Apple will introduce their "Virtual SIM". Possibly as a
last resort if their standard doesn't make it.

------
ErikHuisman
How about apple wanting to create a more user friendly experience. Buy several
devices and instantly switch your single virtual sim around through web,
iTunes or the device. Sounds good to me. Apple proved they can control the
telco's with or without the virtual sim.

~~~
lbotos
I really like this idea. I've been considering an iPad and I'd love to tether
it to my iPhone's data plan. I'm on Verizon. Unless I pay the tethering tax I
can't do it without jail breaking. If I can take my data plan and apply it to
any device that I own that'd be great. I'm one person, why should I need two
data plans?

------
fierarul
I see this as progress. Yes, Apple could use the SIM-less phone to control
everything and that would be bad.

But this also means we could have "unlocked" SIM-less phones where I could
swap networks freely.

I never understood SIM cards: what I want is to use Orange like I use Skype.
That is, input an user and password and presto! If I want to switch over to
Vodafone, input my Vodafone credentials and that's it.

~~~
glogla
Vodafone SIM _is_ your Vodafone login and password, and it is the same with
any other operator. And with the problems we are facing with PKI right now, it
might as well be the most practical way to do it, since MITM on mobile network
would have been a night mare.

Then again, it probably isn't the most practical way, the technology is old
and the encryption broken.

------
joejohnson
Maybe I'm too trusting, but I can't imagine Apple would provide a worse
experience than I've had with AT&T for the last few years.

Also, I'm pretty certain that even if Apple controlled the "virtual-SIM" card,
there would still be hackers jailbreaking and unlocking the devices to make
them work on other networks. So, I'm not too scared.

------
bjornsing
> For now, the operators are on the side of consumers against manufacturers.
> But it only takes one to start us down that slippery slope.

Are you sure that's how you feel about it? I'd say Apple is on the side of
consumers, against operators that are notoriously anti-consumer.

~~~
kalleboo
Apple is on e side of a certain kind of consumer. The kind that gets confused
by choice (since you might make the wrong one).

------
pistoriusp
This may be true in the USA, but in my country it's illegal to lock a phone to
a single provider.

You buy a SIM card. You stick it in a phone. Viola. So SIMless phones would
have to be supported by the networks. I would imagine that they're all working
on it.

------
holyjaw
\- I can't find any relevant information on the "O2 was really just Apple as
MVNO" bit from the article - I have never heard this and if it's true I'd live
to read more

\- Apple didnt just create the Micro-SIM to lock you in to the iPhone 4 --
since day 1 (American) carriers have had access to stockpiles of SIM cards and
can very easily swap you to a normal sized one if need be. Literally, it has
never been difficult.

\- If Apple really wants the Virtual SIM, why are they feinting with heavy
tactics like saying they'll license the Nano SIM for free to anyone that wants
it should it become the next spec? Hardly seems like the strategy to put
behind your losing prospective.

------
MikeCo
At the end of the day the iPhone is a consumer electronic. You vote with your
dollar (or euro). Apple has a product and a set of constraints they will
dictate. If you don't want it, you don't buy it. It isn't like you would die
without a smartphone.

~~~
StevenRayOrr
Not that I disagree, but the argument against this is often: consumers are
idiots. Most people have no idea about the finer details of "problems" like
this one and so will completely ignore it when making their purchase. If the
iPhone meets all their needs but does secret voodoo to carriers on the back
end, consumers are losing -- sometimes long after they've voted with their
dollar.

Hence: regulators.

~~~
dzhiurgis
Well you said it - the carriers are loosing, not the consumers.

------
shane_mcd
What a load of crap. Most of this article isn't even true. Last time I
checked, Apple could care less how much data is used. The only reason FaceTime
is wifi only is because of the carriers.

------
elliottkember
This sounds ideal to me! Let's think of some other possible pros, since the
author hasn't seemed to bother:

Stolen phones can't be used. No changing SIMs when you travel No roaming fees!
One bill for cell usage and purchases Apple's excellent customer support,
full-stack

\- to name a few. The main point is, the user doesn't have to mess around with
installing a SIM card. In my opinion, the SIM is a holdover from a previous
status quo, - we accept it because we've never known an alternative.

~~~
dzhiurgis
I believe it should be possible to virtually route the calls to whatever
numbers you've decided - let's say you have one personal and one business
number. However, you can switch of the business number when you leave the
work, or limit incoming calls for personal number only to close family
members, etc.

Besides, phone numbers are obsolete as well. I think this virtualisation
should give possibility to move away from them.

------
dzhiurgis
I think the operators should stay focused on what they do the best - building
and updating infrastructure. It shouldn't be their job to provide the
marketing for device, service or even apps. However, since they are the owners
of this massive usage data, they can comprehend in a most accurate way what is
the customer like and what does it want. They have the best metrics to measure
how the customer responds to marketing, etc. But bottom line is that I just
want my phone to work. I don't care what network it runs, I want it to WORK. I
don't want to pay less for something that doesn't work (surprise surprise
Lycamobile doesn't cater 3G for iPhone 4S). I don't want to pay for ridiculous
unlimited 100000 minutes and 100000000 texts per month. However, I do want to
pay for 1 Gb monthly data, and a sensible amount for 5 calls I make per month
(heh, try that - O2 PAYG single call or text price is close to the european
roaming charges...) And the last thing I want to pay is extra charges for
using VoIP (TeliaSonera). So for me, operators are not on my side. I am always
in lose-lose situation.

------
bconway
Apple-bashing aside, in the US, we already have this problem. We call them
CDMA phones. They're locked to networks, aren't portable in any way (if they
have a SIM slot for GSM use, it can't be used domestically), and they're
typically worth a lot less on resale.

------
Jeffrey903
My understanding of what Apple is likely trying to do with a SIM-less phone is
allow you to choose your carrier and change it at any time directly from your
phone, without needing to seek out a little piece of plastic and a paperclip.

When I went to Europe this summer with my 3G iPad, it was difficult in some
cities to find a place to even buy a SIM card (let alone a paperclip to use to
eject the SIM tray). Since my iPad is unlocked, it seemed to be a bit
ridiculous that I even had to go through this. My device should just do a
network scan, see what networks are available, and let me compare the plans
(price/data) and choose one directly from my device.

------
2muchcoffeeman
If Apple are really planning a move like this we have to consider their other
actions. FaceTime, Messages. I don't think we need to worry about roaming or
numbers. All we'd have is data ...

------
gte910h
This sounds like a European feeling terrified of the experience every Verizon
customer already has. He even says so:

"I dread the future where devices are locked down like American CDMA phones.
No choice other than what the manufacturer demands. Gone will be the days of
choosing the right phone and the right price-plan. You’ll take the service
you’re given and will have to put up with it."

------
mindjiver
A SIM-less network will have to developed sooner or later. If we are to
connect n * 10 billion devices to the mobile network the amount of gold used
for the SIM cards will become an issue. So removing the need for a SIM, and
thus the gold used, will be neccessity.

But most likely this will be driven through the "normal" standardization
committees (3GPP etc) instead of coming from Apple.

------
drfuchs
SIM = Evil. Takes up precious battery space! Door makes edge of phone non-
smooth. Internal mechanism adds to cost of goods and manufacturing. Overall
non-green. Simply anachronistic.

------
gouranga
I don't think the EU will like this.

They seem to have a lot of sane opinions about such things at the moment.

------
locusm
Didn't Japan have SIM-less phones like 20 years ago? Don't recall if they were
tied to a single network though.

~~~
locusm
According to this article they were locked and one couldn't purchase a SIM
separately. So no, they weren't SIM-less.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phone_industry_in_Japan...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phone_industry_in_Japan#NTT_DoCoMo)

------
no_more_death
Don't get scared. Get Android.

Don't do business with a company designed to take advantage of you. Problem
solved.

------
aneth
This seems extremely conspiratorial and likely wrong.

iPhones can already be locked to a carrier. Whether the SIM card is virtual is
irrelevant. If the carriers want to screw you, they already have means to do
so.

In fact, I suspect a phone with a virtual SIM card may be easier to unlock
than a physical one since Apple must distribute software designed to program
the virtual SIM card. You also won't need to physically get a SIM card to use
a network and you'll be able to use multiple networks with the same phone.
That sounds like a plus to me.

Regardless, the SIM card is certainly not the limiting factor in carrier
portability or locking. It's essentially a floppy disk, and is quite
unnecessary given data connectivity these days.

The idea that Apple wanted a smaller SIM as a step closer to no SIM is
ridiculous. What difference does the size make? Having a card or not having a
card is binary.

------
moron
Apple has already made a SIM-less iPhone before, for Verizon. But whatever,
I'm sure that doesn't fit in with this goofball's doomsaying. What a shitty
piece of FUD.

~~~
mindjiver
The Verizon iPhone was running on 3GPP2/CDMA network, this does not have SIM
card. It is the 3GPP (note the missing 2) track that uses SIM cards. The 3GPP
track is the most common track outside North America where the CDMA was
strong. For 4G it looks like a total walk over for LTE though, LTE comes from
the 3GPP track.

The 2G/3G/4G evolution for 3GPP looks something like this (sorry for the
alphabet soup) : GSM->WCDMA->LTE

