In Israel SIM card phones are extremely popular. SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card phones are devices that offer mobile communication services to customers through integrated circuits. These phones are notable in that their cards can be swapped easily between different devices. In addition, customers can switch suppliers and track their mobile use with prepaid SIM cards in these kinds of devices. Getting these phones unlocked for use across different networks is a thriving industry, and this allows people to save money that they would otherwise have to spend on a new device.
Because SIM cards contain all the data of customers, they only need activating when customers set up mobile service supplier accounts. All cards have unique numbers displayed on their microchips, and suppliers use these to activate them. Most of the time, owners of cell phones visit suppliers’ websites and input their numbers into specified tools, or contact suppliers directly from different phones, to have their new cards switched on. Every SIM card is linked to a certain supplier and is only usable with that supplier’s service plan.
There are a few Israel SIM card sizes that work with different handsets. The majority of phones have micro SIM or mini-SIM cards. The micro version is 0.59 inches by 0.47 inches (fifteen millimeters by twelve millimeters), and the mini version is 0.98 inches by 0.59 inches (twenty-five millimeters by fifteen millimeters). The bigger, full-sized cards measure 3.37 inches by 2.13 inches (85.6 millimeters by 53.98 millimeters), and do not work with many phones. No card is thicker than 0.03 inches (0.76 millimeters) though, and the contact microchips are arranged identically. As a result, with the correct adapter, handsets intended for bigger cards can be used with smaller ones.
Prepaid SIM cards can be purchased that enable unlocked phones, or locked phones – which are tied to the prepaid supplier’s network – to be used with no long term contracts. These kinds of cards are helpful for customers who do not wish to commit to a single supplier, or who wish to sample a supplier’s service before they commit. They are particularly helpful for people who travel overseas regularly because they can buy SIM cards locally to use their phones abroad. This way, customers can use the same handset — with all the settings and apps stored on it — and not have to pay overseas roaming fees from the supplier in their native country. Travelers who do this will have local phone numbers as well, which makes it cheaper for people in the same country to contact them.