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SIM chips

Started by RichD September 14, 2023
I recently switched phone providers, replacing the SIM chip.
Which got me wondering an old wonderment:  what's inside?

It's remarkable that the industry has standardized on a 
single form factor and pin out.  But I'm curious, what 
is the separation of functions, between the chip and the 
surrounding device?  How to characterize it as a black box, 
what exactly are the signals which flow across the pins?
Do any of those pins carry analog waveforms?

I figure this is a reasonable place to ask such a question - 

--
Rich
torsdag den 14. september 2023 kl. 19.58.07 UTC+2 skrev RichD:
> I recently switched phone providers, replacing the SIM chip. > Which got me wondering an old wonderment: what's inside? > > It's remarkable that the industry has standardized on a > single form factor and pin out. But I'm curious, what > is the separation of functions, between the chip and the > surrounding device? How to characterize it as a black box, > what exactly are the signals which flow across the pins? > Do any of those pins carry analog waveforms? > > I figure this is a reasonable place to ask such a question -
I wonder if maybe, just maybe, google will have an idea, .. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIM_card
On Thursday, September 14, 2023 at 1:58:07 PM UTC-4, RichD wrote:
> I recently switched phone providers, replacing the SIM chip. > Which got me wondering an old wonderment: what's inside? > > It's remarkable that the industry has standardized on a > single form factor and pin out. But I'm curious, what > is the separation of functions, between the chip and the > surrounding device? How to characterize it as a black box, > what exactly are the signals which flow across the pins? > Do any of those pins carry analog waveforms? > > I figure this is a reasonable place to ask such a question - > > -- > Rich
You can buy a USB adapter, that comes with software to read the content.
On 17/09/2023 15:43, Michael Terrell wrote:
> On Thursday, September 14, 2023 at 1:58:07 PM UTC-4, RichD wrote: >> I recently switched phone providers, replacing the SIM chip. >> Which got me wondering an old wonderment: what's inside? >> >> It's remarkable that the industry has standardized on a >> single form factor and pin out. But I'm curious, what >> is the separation of functions, between the chip and the >> surrounding device? How to characterize it as a black box, >> what exactly are the signals which flow across the pins? >> Do any of those pins carry analog waveforms? >> >> I figure this is a reasonable place to ask such a question - >> >> -- >> Rich > You can buy a USB adapter, that comes with software to read the content.
Modern mobile phones also offer eSIMs with no physical card at all. -- Martin Brown
On September 17, Martin Brown wrote:
> >> It's remarkable that the industry has standardized on a > >> single form factor and pin out. But I'm curious, what > >> is the separation of functions, between the chip and the > >> surrounding device? How to characterize it as a black box, > >> what exactly are the signals which flow across the pins? > >> Do any of those pins carry analog waveforms? > >> You can buy a USB adapter, that comes with software to read the content. > > Modern mobile phones also offer eSIMs with no physical card at all.
A SIM chip can be replaced by software? I thought they had rf detectors inside, TDM, FDM, CDM... -- Rich
fredag den 22. september 2023 kl. 22.47.14 UTC+2 skrev RichD:
> On September 17, Martin Brown wrote: > > >> It's remarkable that the industry has standardized on a > > >> single form factor and pin out. But I'm curious, what > > >> is the separation of functions, between the chip and the > > >> surrounding device? How to characterize it as a black box, > > >> what exactly are the signals which flow across the pins? > > >> Do any of those pins carry analog waveforms? > > > >> You can buy a USB adapter, that comes with software to read the content. > > > > Modern mobile phones also offer eSIMs with no physical card at all. > A SIM chip can be replaced by software? I thought they had > rf detectors inside, TDM, FDM, CDM...
no, it is only a bit of data to identify you on the network
On September 23, Lasse Langwadt Christensen wrote:
>> >> You can buy a USB adapter, that comes with software to read the content. > >>> Modern mobile phones also offer eSIMs with no physical card at all. > >> A SIM chip can be replaced by software? I thought they had >> rf detectors inside, TDM, FDM, CDM... > > no, it is only a bit of data to identify you on the network
I know Qualcomm is a big player. I thought their CDM devices are inside the SIM chips. What exactly are they selling then? -- Rich
søndag den 24. september 2023 kl. 01.34.21 UTC+2 skrev RichD:
> On September 23, Lasse Langwadt Christensen wrote: > >> >> You can buy a USB adapter, that comes with software to read the content. > > > >>> Modern mobile phones also offer eSIMs with no physical card at all. > > > >> A SIM chip can be replaced by software? I thought they had > >> rf detectors inside, TDM, FDM, CDM... > > > > no, it is only a bit of data to identify you on the network > I know Qualcomm is a big player. I thought their CDM devices are > inside the SIM chips.
no, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIM_card
> > What exactly are they selling then?
The main chips that makes up the functionality of a cellphone the SIM card is only a bit of encrypted data to identify you on the network the phone doesn't need a SIM card to make calls, you can call 911/112 without a SIM card