| Some time ago, I was in charge of developing | | | | the world. One of the key differences with |
| a business concern on the beautiful island | | | | GSM is that the phone itself is not directly |
| of Sri Lanka while based in the United | | | | linked to you. Rather, the removable "SIM" |
| States. At one point, I needed to send an | | | | (Subscriber Information Module) chip is |
| employee there to set up the quality | | | | encoded with a unique serial number which is |
| control program. This employee did not have a | | | | what now identifies you to the wireless |
| GSM cell phone so I lent him mine to use | | | | provider. |
| "in case of emergency only". The employee | | | | |
| spent time each night chatting with family on | | | | Having your info embedded into a removable |
| the cell phone and came back with a $3,000 | | | | SIM chip rather than into your cell phone |
| phone bill in two short weeks. | | | | is what makes this all so interesting. If you |
| | | | place your SIM chip into a compatible cell |
| If you have a US GSM cell phone and service | | | | phone, you can use that phone as your own |
| account, you may find that it will cost you | | | | because the service provider will recognize |
| something in the range of $3 per minute to | | | | the SIM chip inside of it as yours. |
| use your phone overseas due to | | | | Conversely, you can buy compatible SIM chips |
| international roaming. As an example, on | | | | from the country you are about to visit and |
| one trip to Hamburg, I had lost my party at a | | | | use them in your phone. This is what allows |
| very large exposition. I used my cell phone | | | | you to avoid the ugly international roaming |
| to call them and found out that instead of it | | | | charges mentioned above. |
| being a local call, it went to the US and | | | | |
| back via their networks thus charging me | | | | Before you can do this, however, you will |
| for two international calls! | | | | most likely need to "Unlock" your cell |
| | | | phone. Most wireless service providers "lock" |
| A little while later I was on a plane to Sri | | | | their cell phones which means that they |
| Lanka. As we were about to land, the | | | | program them to only work with SIM chips |
| gentleman next to me took out a small bag and | | | | issued by their company. Unlocking a cell |
| dumped the contents into his palm. They | | | | phone is basically reversing this |
| were SIM chips. I asked him what this was | | | | programming. The process is very easy and |
| all about and he told me he was looking for | | | | quick. |
| his chip for Sri Lanka. He informed me that | | | | |
| the chip enabled him to make calls in and | | | | There are many service providers online that |
| from Sri Lanka without incurring the | | | | specialize in mobile unlocking. Once the |
| extremely high roaming charges my friend | | | | cell phone is unlocked, it is permanently |
| above met with. He traveled throughout Europe | | | | unlocked. |
| and Asia and had chips for each major | | | | |
| locale. | | | | Now I wanted a SIM chip that would work in |
| | | | the country I was headed too, again, Sri |
| I was intrigued by this idea and did some | | | | Lanka. I was told that the best way was to |
| research on what it took to use these local | | | | find a cell phone store there in Colombo |
| chips in my cell phone. Here is what I found: | | | | but this sounded difficult as my schedule |
| | | | would be very busy. While searching for an |
| Your basic cell phone service provider places | | | | alternative, I was directed to as a source |
| a unique serial number into your cell | | | | of chips via the internet. I found that I |
| phone. This unique number is called an "ESN" | | | | could buy a chip from Sri Lanka with pre- |
| and it is used by the service provider to | | | | paid minutes on it. They did also offer a |
| identify who you are. The service provider | | | | great variety of SIM chips from most major |
| uses this number to know where to send phone | | | | destinations around the world. The process |
| calls too when someone dials your number. | | | | was quick and painless and I found the cost |
| | | | to be very reasonable ($79 vs. $3,000!). |
| A GSM phone is a little different animal. | | | | The only drawback to the system was that this |
| "GSM" (Global System for Mobile | | | | did give me a new phone number which I had |
| Communications) is a type of digital mobile | | | | to pass out to family and business |
| phone service. GSM is the most common | | | | associates prior to departure. |
| standard for cell phones in the world. GSM | | | | |
| service is common in over 210 countries | | | | The trip went well as I was able to |
| around the world with over 1.5 billion | | | | coordinate activities with local vendors |
| users. The popularity of GSM makes | | | | and business associates without feeling like |
| international roaming very common between | | | | I had to hang up the phone after two |
| cell phone operators, enabling the user to | | | | sentences. |
| successfully use their phone in many parts of | | | | |