GSM Phone Number: Resides in SIM or Account?

i.e. Does the SIM just have an account number or SIM numbere that links to the
provider's DB where the phone number resides.... or is the phone number actually
burned into the SIM?


Where I'm going with this is wondering if a phone number can be changed once a
SIM is issued and/or if a SIM is destroyed or lost can another SIM be issued for
the same phone number.
--
PeteCresswell

(Pete Cresswell) wrote:
> i.e. Does the SIM just have an account number or SIM numbere that links to the
> provider's DB where the phone number resides.... or is the phone number actually
> burned into the SIM?

The phone number follows the SIM.


> Where I'm going with this is wondering if a phone number can be changed once a
> SIM is issued and/or if a SIM is destroyed or lost can another SIM be issued for
> the same phone number.

Yes, it can. However, the existing SIM will be voided at that time.

(Pete Cresswell) wrote:

> i.e. Does the SIM just have an account number or SIM numbere
> that links to the provider's DB where the phone number
> resides.... or is the phone number actually burned into the
> SIM?

Talking GSM, the phone number doesn't need to be anywhere on the
phone or SIM. There's a spot for it (purely for documentation
purposes) on the SIM: entry one (of three) on the "own numbers"
file.

Some carriers will put the number there for you. Many phones
will let you read this "own number" entry. Some phones let you
edit it, but changing it makes absolutely no difference to the
behaviour of the phone.

> Where I'm going with this is wondering if a phone number can
> be changed once a SIM is issued and/or if a SIM is destroyed
> or lost can another SIM be issued for the same phone number.

A new SIM will be associated (by the network) with a different
phone number, unless the carrier has deliberately re-issued a
"clone".

John