Glossary

Subscriber Identity Module – SIM

What is Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)?

Chances are you have a SIM card. But do you know what those three little letters stand for? 

Now you do! That little chip you put in your phone is actually called a Subscriber Identity Module. And it’s not just a piece of plastic – it’s actually something called an integrated circuit card (ICC), and it’s packed with information. And it’s what makes it possible for the user to be identified and securely access and use mobile networks.  

How? Each SIM card has a unique serial number (the ICCID), and an international mobile subscriber identity number (known as IMSI). And of course, it also has a bunch of other data like info from the local network and various protection codes. 

Why should you care about SIM cards? 

SIM cards make life a whole lot easier for operators and their customers alike. And they also make things more secure! For instance, SIM cards offer a great way of verifying customer identity and can be used for secure authentication.  

But they can also be misused. Have you ever heard of SIM farms? It’s something you want to stay away from!  

SMS are sent via SIM cards. And when businesses need to send SMS, it’s important that these messages are only sent via dedicated, secure mobile operator systems. But some actors – particularly bad ones – use consumer SIM cards in unauthorized ways. They do this to make it cheaper for businesses to send SMS – but they often do so by going against operator terms and conditions. They frequently don’t follow consumer protection and data rules.  

In fact, some of them even harvest customer phone numbers and other sensitive information. And no one wants that! 

That’s why it’s important to work with a provider you know you can trust.  

How Sinch works with Subscriber Identity Modules  

Well for one, you should know what Sinch never uses SIM farms! We have direct connections with over 600 operators worldwide, and we value security and data protection above all else.  

Also, remember we mentioned SIM-based verification? Now there’s a cool product!  

Think about it: each SIM card is unique. No matter what device is being used, it represents an individual’s telephone number and can be used to verify possession of that number.  

That’s why SIM cards are widely trusted. Thanks to SIM security, and the ever-increasing use of mobile devices, SIM-based verification solutions play a huge role in keeping everyone safe online.

Read more

SIM-based verification
SIM farms and the data protection risk
SMS messaging

Related glossary terms

Short Message Service - SMS
SMS Latency
Omnichannel marketing

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