There are lots of reasons why people decide to change to a new SIM. It is sometimes just the most convenient option, and it tends to mean a new phone number is going to be used as well. If you are thinking about changing your SIM card, but worried about what the repercussions will be, don’t panic. Thankfully, there is a clear list of tasks that can be ticked off one by one to ensure a smooth transition, and this guide explains all the details below.
What is Actually Stored on Your SIM?
First up, it will always be helpful to understand a little more about what your SIM card actually has stored on it. SIM cards are ways for networks to identify the individual phone user out of hundreds of millions of others. Standing for Subscriber Identity Module, these handy hardware pieces are an integral part of accessing data and mobile phone functions like having a number, making calls, and sending text messages.
On your SIM card, there is an ascribed phone number that will be yours and only yours until you no longer need it. Data about contacts on the mobile are usually stored here too, and this will be the most important thing to focus on before you make a change. There may be a few text messages, but this depends on how much space is taken up by your personal information and contact list.
What Happens When Your Old SIM Goes in a New Phone?
When your old SIM goes into a new phone, there are a few things that could happen. If your SIM is still active, aka assigned to you, and still billable, it is likely that unless the device is unlocked it will simply be blocked and unusable. This may be a problem if your device breaks and you need to use a temporary handset, but it is not insurmountable.
Why Do People Change Their SIM?
So, why do people change their SIM cards in the first place? Well, the truth is that there are lots of reasons why someone might need or want to change their number or SIM provider and these are listed here.
Better Plan Options
The most obvious answer is that a new SIM plan often brings a better deal. This is the biggest reason why someone would make the transition to a different SIM card or plan, and it is a completely understandable one.
A Fresh Start
Sometimes, a fresh start is just necessary. Whether you have left a messy relationship or you are trying to re-establish yourself in a new life, a change in SIM could be a big part of that.
A Re-Branding Initiative
Some small businesses or sole traders may change their SIM when trying to re-brand. New and shiny are appealing characteristics, after all, and that is exactly what is brought to the table with an upgraded plan.
Moving Countries
There is also the consideration of changing SIM cards if you need to move to a different country where the cell phone options are completely different.
What to Do Before Changing SIM Card
There are lots of things that have to happen before you change your SIM card so you don’t find yourself in any frustrating situations where you’ve lost data and so on.
Save Your Contacts
Save all of your contacts by either writing them down (on a spreadsheet) or uploading them to your preferred choice of virtual data backup. That way, you can still access them even after you change SIMs and you won’t misplace any important phone contact after the change is complete because there will always be a backup stored somewhere different.
Verify Important Numbers
Check-in to make sure that the numbers you are saving are up to date so that you’re not saving old numbers for important contacts too.
Update All the Essential Services You Use
There are a lot of essential services that need access to your most current phone number. If they don’t, you might miss something really important and even run the risk of getting into financial difficulty or losing access to vital utilities.
Bank
Banks require a lot of verification when changes take place, so you have to get ahead of the curve in this sense. Not only does your app need to be updated, but you will also have to go through the security process for accessing your online account as well.
School
Whether it’s for your kids or for yourself, school is a big one that needs informing of the change in details. They may have to contact you in an emergency, if your child is sick, or anything else but either way, you don’t want to miss a call from the school. The same can be said of your own education provider, if you are in college studying, there are always reasons that the campus may need to update you and they need your correct phone number to do that.
Doctors
Your doctor will need those new digits, how else will they get in touch about health appointments and essential prescriptions or results? You don’t want to miss a vital health catch-up because you forgot to tell them you’ve switched SIMs, so make sure that they are high up on the list!
Deliveries
Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and every other company that you use for regular deliveries all have to be informed of the number change. This is usually achieved through your online personal information section of the account. However, if you forget to do it, you may miss out on essential updates about your packages and that is a major inconvenience!
Payment Providers
Another thing to think about is how many third-party payment providers on your mobile wallet use your phone number for authentication purposes on purchases. If this is the case, you will have to update it before you lose access to the old number because it could mean you are frozen out of your account and can’t access the options you’ve become accustomed to.
Utility Companies
Utility companies are things like your WI-FI provider, water and energy, and other basic household services you think of. They need to be able to get in touch with you for essential updates or in case of an emergency, plus it’s good to have your updated number on file just for admin purposes too.
Update Your Friends and Family
Family and friends should also be told, and are probably high up on the list especially if there are things you need to organise together like childcare or healthcare appointments. These are easy people to tell in person, but you can still include them in a widespread message if you think it’s worth the energy.
Make Sure You Know Your Passwords
One thing that you may struggle with when changing SIMs or putting them into a new handset is losing all the essential access to apps that you have gotten used to. Finding yourself locked out of your banking app is less than ideal, so this is the moment to try and remember every password and write it all down somewhere (to destroy later of course).
If you can’t remember the logins, this is a great opportunity to reset passwords while you’re still on your old and familiar setup and you have access to certain things to help the process go more smoothly. There is nothing more frustrating than being locked out of everything because of authentication factors and blocked passwords holding you back.
Send a Universal Message
Mass messaging may seem cheesy, but in circumstances like this, it is the fastest, most convenient way to get the information out there to the most people possible. If you have a lot of contacts or even a handful, it is going to be the most straightforward method for letting them know you have a new number. Make up a draft version and keep it stored for when you’re ready and happy with what it says. Check, and double-check, that the new number is listed correctly and includes a call-to-action so that people are prompted to update their contact list.
Follow Up With Important People
After you have informed who you need to about the impending change in SIM, there are a few people who you should always follow up with to ensure they have received the message. While sharing your new number is helpful, you have to let people know when the date will be and reconfirm when the change is complete. There are always going to be some people you don’t want to lose touch with, like your core family members, best friends, and any essential utility service provider aka your internet company. Follow up with these people to rule out any confusion over the change, and to verify that everything is sorted out admin-wise too.
Changing your SIM card is a common thing to do, but when it happens it’s important to take protective steps to ensure no loss of data. The additional factors of sifting through the admin and making sure you don’t get locked out of any apps are important too, but these are all manageable tasks if they stay on the radar. Don’t forget to tick everything off the list, and you will have a smooth transition into a new SIM in no time.