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Old Phone, New Service? Upgrade
Your Wireless with a SIM Card Swap
Article by Consumer Cellular Company
(BPT) - Americans are holding onto their smartphones for longer than ever. Pricier smartphones have led consumers to wait an average of nearly three years before upgrading their device. Fortunately, smartphones today are so good, and so powerful, that they simply don't need to be replaced nearly as often as in the past. But does holding onto your phone mean you also have to stick with your current wireless carrier? In many cases, the answer is no.
Many smartphones connect to a carrier's network through a small chip inserted into the device called a SIM (for 'Subscriber Identity Module') card. The SIM card holds your identity, location, network data, security keys, contacts and saved text messages. Each carrier has a unique SIM card, so the process of activating your phone with a different carrier can be as simple as swapping to the new provider's SIM.
Know your network
There are some important nuances you'll need to be aware of before you can switch, though. The biggest is that different carriers use different types of network technology to convert incoming data into radio waves for making and receiving calls. Verizon, Sprint and U.S. Cellular networks connect using a CDMA (for Code Division Multiple Access) network. AT&T and T-Mobile use a different type, called GSM (Global System for Mobiles).
What this means is that your smartphone will only work with a carrier that uses the same type of network that it is designed for. So, if for instance, you wanted to use your Verizon phone with AT&T service, it's simply not possible. The GSM network won't be able to connect to a phone designed for a CDMA network.