Like most people, you probably know about the SIM card that’s in your phone, but did you know about your SIM’s ICCID number? ICCID stands for Integrated Circuit Card Identifier. It’s a number that identifies your SIM and helps you in a number of ways. Here’s what you need to know about your SIM’s ICCID number.
1. It Helps Your Network Find Your Account
If you need to contact your mobile carrier for a service issue, the representative will ask you for your phone’s ICCID number. Knowing that number enables the representative to access your name and carrier information. It’s a faster way to find and fix network problems.
2. It Helps To Activate Your SIM Card
Every time you purchase a phone and the SIM card that goes with it, you need to install the SIM card into your phone. The phone then sends an identification code to your mobile network that’s unique to your phone. After the network identifies the ICCID and recognizes that it’s the only number out there, you’re able to use your SIM card.
After that, the network recognizes your ICCID and knows you are a subscriber no matter where you’re located.
3. It Helps You Cancel Your Subscription
If you want to cancel your subscription, knowing your ICCID helps you accomplish this task with ease.
4. It Helps You Roam
No matter where you’re at, even if you’re in another country, your ICCID number enables you to roam and use whatever Wi-Fi is available. Even if your service provider has no signal in the area, your phone will connect with a different service provider. Your provider and the provider in that area partner together to provide you with a signal.
5. It Helps You Find Your Phone
If your phone is ever lost or stolen, the ICCID number on your phone’s SIM card can help you locate it. Even if thieves remove the SIM card and install a new one, the police can track your stolen phone, especially if you’ve written down and given them your ICCID number. Look it up first thing, and then make a copy to save in a safe place.
6. It Helps You Identify Your Network
Some people use dual SIM smartphones to enable them to use two different carriers so they can have coverage no matter where they’re at. If you run a business and are on the road a lot, having a dual SIM smartphone makes sense. Finding which SIM card you’re using, however, can be tricky, and that’s where the ICCID number comes in handy.
7. What the Numbers Mean
The first number of your cell phone’s ICCID will always be 89, the identifier of the telecommunications industry. The country code comes next and will be either two or three digits long.
Your mobile network’s identifying numbers follow and will be between one and four digits long. Your SIM card’s unique identifying number is last.
8. How To Find Your ICCID
When you purchase a SIM card online or by itself, you’ll find the ICCID number on the card’s packaging. If you’ve thrown away the packaging, you can still find the number by looking at the settings on your phone.
Finding Your SIM’s ICCID on an Android Phone
If you have an Android phone, go to your home screen and select “Settings” from your menu. Then choose “About Device” or “About Phone” depending on the model. After that, choose “Status” and you have the option to choose “ICCID” or sometimes “IMEI”. Tap that, and you’ll see your ICCID number.
Finding Your SIM’s ICCID on an iPhone
If you have an iPhone, you can find your ICCID number by going to settings from your home menu. Choose the “General” menu. Select “About” and then tap “ICCID”.
Just like people have names and Social Security numbers, your SIM had a unique ICCID number to enable networks to recognize your SIM and your phone.
