SIM Format Battle Ends – Nano-SIM Design is 40 Percent Smaller
ETSI has approved a new SIM format standard, which will be 40 percent smaller than the existing micro-SIM design that has been around since 2004. ETSI’s Smart Card Platform Technical Committee agreed a new form factor for the UICC, popularly known as the SIM card during a recent meeting in Osaka, Japan. The card will be 12.3mm by 8.8mm and will measure the same thickness as existing SIMs at 0.67mm thick. The design has been fiercely battled and the nano-SIM card had a total of four proposals that were all being backed by major hardware companies and the reason for the deadlock. The fourth proposal was submitted by RIM and appears to have been a good compromise between the Apple and Nokia designs. RIM might not be selling Blackberry devices like they used to, but they are still involved in all aspects of smartphones! This announcement is great news for everyone as with a smaller SIM card it means that we can get slimmer, smaller phones!
The fourth form factor (4FF) card will be 40% smaller than the current smallest SIM card design, at 12.3mm wide by 8.8mm high, and 0.67mm thick. It can be packaged and distributed in a way that is backwards compatible with existing SIM card designs. The new design will offer the same functionality as all current SIM cards. The SIM is the most successful smart card application ever. A SIM card is used to securely associate a mobile device with a customer account, preventing fraud and ensuring that calls are correctly routed to customers. It is an essential security feature of mobile networks, and is integrated into every GSM, UMTS and LTE device. Over 25 billion SIM card and derivatives have been produced so far, and the industry continues to issue over 4.5 billion SIM cards each year.
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