Holland is First Country to Legalize Carrier-Free SIM Cards | |
Holland is First Country to Legalize Carrier-Free SIM Cards  Open SIM cards could be reprogrammed for any carrier, company. It's now legal for any company to issue carrier-free SIM cards in the Netherlands, according to the Holland government website. Because Holland is the only country to legalize this kind of SIM card setup, don't expect any major changes in the way you use your smartphone on a network. However, if other European, Asian, and North American countries were to follow suit, carrier-free SIM cards would pave the way for maker-controlled wireless networks. Put another way, Apple, Samsung, or other phone manufacturers could load their own custom SIM cards into their devices, bypassing carriers altogether. Non-telco companies could provide SIM cards to their employees or clients, again bypassing carriers in favor of their own networks. Setting up a wholly new network takes gross quantities of cash, so another scenario is Apple buying data and voice services from existing carriers, then selling the the services to iPhone and iPad users at a discount. No more middle man, even if their networks are still being used. It's not just a win for smartphone makers, as other industries could make use of the new rules. As GigaOM points out, car manufacturers could equip their cars with these agnostic SIM cards, allowing your car's data service to be attached to whichever carrier you prefer. Or even better, your car comes with a SIM card that can change carriers on the fly, so the odds of hitting a data dead zone decrease. Again, this move would need widespread adoption to truly change or revolutionize how we use mobile data with smartphones and other devices, but it's a step in the right direction. | |
I was going to make a sarcastic comment about how you would no longer need to pay $0.50 (hyperbole) for a new sim card when you switch carriers, but now that I think about it it seems like a very useful thing, particularly the switching carriers on the fly thing. Also would this possibly make starting a new carrier company easier? | |
@DasDestroyer: | |
I'm going to be "that guy" and say that Holland =/= The Netherlands. We usually prefer the latter name if you talk about our glorious submerged nation. I dunno if I'll notice these changes - I barely use more from my current cellphone than the alarm clock function >_> Still, this law got us in the news so hurrah ;) | |
Ouch trampling all over my tender Frisian soul are you. | |
No offense intended to readers from Holland...or the Netherlands. Sorry, I've always used both interchangeably. :( | |
You'd better be sorry :@ On a more serious note here, Holland is what I know as north and south holland, two provinces, rather than all of the Netherlands. As for the carrier free SIM card, let's hope it's not too hackable. But it looks like the 'problem' is easily solved by the companies. | |
In that case, let me clear it up for you. Now OT; even though i live in THE NETHERLANDS (sorry, couldnt help myself) i never heard of it. And doubt it will have any impact whatsoever. When i get a new phone i either just go with the same carrier (which is transferable then) or just get a new sim. | |
Strange definition of clearing up you have. on topic, This could mean the end of SIM card as we know them. | |
Bwuh? This was not on any Dutch news website or the actual news on TV! | |
As someone who does not have a cellphone, what does this mean? | |
Tweakers actually alluded to it here yesterday, but nary a mention of it before that. For all you Duchies out there: here is the official statement issued by the government | |
No problem a lot of people have that. But you could maybe correct the article. On topic. | |
Ok, that one slipt under the radar. for all the non Duch speaking here.
To you as a person? But if you are going to buy a new car, it's an other accessory to consider.(text goes about Audi, so it won't be cheap) | |