Functions of SIM card
With the cooperation of mobile phone, antenna and base station, according to the communication principle, it is completely possible to make a phone call, and it is already possible to make an "emergency call" on the mobile phone without inserting a card. The full name of the SIM card is called "subscriber identity module". Small SIM card has CPU, ROM, RAM and other components, which can identify user information through the information stored on these chips, so that operators can provide corresponding services. As an operator, it is natural for users to pay for providing communication infrastructure. Through this SIM card, the consumption of each user can be calculated more accurately, so as to make corresponding charges.
Of course, not only that, but also the SIM card has a very important role, which is to bind the number and the network. Each operator will apply for its own number segment, such as "138", "186" or "153", which will be assigned to different operators and complement each other. Each chip will be written with the number and the corresponding operator information. Even under the same operator, you need to change the SIM card every time you change the number, because of this information.
In the past, it seemed a matter of course that the number was bound to SIM. Every time you want to change the operator, you have to change the number, which invisibly increases the replacement cost of users. This is also a function of traditional SIM for operators. Existing users are bound by increasing the replacement cost of users, but the appearance of eSIM card is likely to break this barrier.
ESIM card breaks the barrier 1: OTA air number change
Because each SIM card has its own unique operator code, it is impossible to write the number on the card across operators. If the SIM card has read and write permission, any operator can write the number on it. The full name of eSIM card is "embedded SIM card". By embedding a publicly readable SIM card in the smart device, the number can be changed directly or the operator can be changed through the network OTA, and the corresponding replacement cost will be lower.
In the era of traditional SIM card, if you want to "cancel the account" and other operations, you still need to queue up in the business hall. In the future, the launch of eSIM card may make the business hall empty. The replacement cost is low, users can choose more freely, which package is cheaper, and you can get it anytime and anywhere by poking the screen.
When all operators have opened the eSIM card service, the barrier of binding numbers of all operators is likely to be broken, which is another way to handle the port number transfer. However, there is a premise to break this barrier, that is, many operators have opened the eSIM card business, and it is impossible if only one operator launches it.
Because the cost of changing the number and network is low, the competition between operators will definitely be greater, and the package tariff and service quality will naturally go to a higher level. No matter what industry, as long as there is competition, consumers will always make profits.
ESIM card breaks down barriers 2: the advantage of quantity
After years of evolution, SIM card has developed from the initial card to Mini SIM, Micro SIM and Nano SIM cards, and its size has been shrinking, among which there is a very important promoter-"iPhone". Although every SIM card replacement is not initiated by Apple, one of the main reasons for its real promotion is "iPhone". This time, the eSIM card is a patent applied by Apple.
One of the important reasons why Apple is always competing with SIM cards is that the iPhone is getting thinner and thinner. IPhone is a design-driven product that complements design through one of the best industrial designs in the world. The designer has designed the thickness of the iPhone and handed it over to the industrial engineer. What should I do if the thickness designed by the designer is too thin and the SIM card slot is installed and I can't make it so thin? Minimize the size of the SIM card slot.
This is why Apple competes. The appearance of eSIM will break the volume barrier of digital equipment at present. A small chip is integrated on the motherboard, and there is no need for a "card slot" like the previous generation. The emergence of curved screens and the gradual popularization of smart wearable devices indicate that portable devices will become more and more sophisticated in the future, and SIM card slots will become a drag, so they will be eliminated.
ESIM card breaks down the barrier 3: multi-terminal with the same number
With the advent of 5G, smart wearable devices also need to be networked. A SIM card can only write one number. With the increase of the number of smart devices, it is urgent to get through the number sharing of multiple devices. In the early summer of eSIM card, it is to break the barrier that multiple devices share the same number.
In Unicom's publicity, it can already be seen that smart watches and mobile phones can be bound. When you go out without a mobile phone, you can talk through the same number through your watch and be online at any time. It may not be obvious now, but in the foreseeable future, with the development of the Internet of Things, watches, cars, refrigerators and even toilets can access the Internet, so this function is very convenient. Regardless of Bluetooth connection, each device has an independent communication module, which makes the network connection more stable and saves more power than Bluetooth continuous connection.
The emergence of eSIM card is actually weakening the status of mobile phone calls, and the mobile phone may really become a processing center, making online calls through watches or other smart devices. As long as you bring a smart device with you, you can surf the Internet at any time and never go offline. This is very important for the 5G era.
Present situation of eSIM card
The eSIM card was released a few years ago. 2065438+March 2009, China Unicom appeared in the public eye as the first operator in China to launch the eSIM card. However, eSIM card technology is still in its infancy, and base station debugging, equipment matching and tariff calculation are all problems that need to be solved. Now it can only be opened in seven cities across the country, namely Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Changsha, Zhengzhou and Wuhan.
However, the future of eSIM card is still very good. Now Unicom has also linked with many companies such as Xiaomi, Huawei and Apple, so many small partners in these cities should be aware of it.
However, many benefits of eSIM will certainly not be fully realized until both mobile and telecommunications are open. China Unicom has always been in the forefront among the national operators, so we can also see the actions of the other two operators in the future through the actions of China Unicom.
In the long run, the emergence of eSIM card will change the whole telecom industry. The most obvious change is that the number of offline business halls will decrease rapidly and many jobs will disappear. Therefore, the popularization of eSIM card is not only a matter of convenience, but also involves many social problems, and it is a very complicated mechanism.
However, since it is the future, it will definitely come. As consumers, we just need to wait quietly for the changes that little eSIM will bring to our lives.