Events
SIM, SIM, one more SIM, and many more SIMs
Russia has started to abolish the "mobile slavery", but has approached the problem in the "barbaric" way. Ambiguity of the solution resulted in several delays in practical launching the Mobile Number Portability (MNP). However, there are more feasible engineering ways to ease the use of mobile communications. For instance, multy-SIM devices or virtual SIM enable users to change mobile services providers free of charge, as well as to use the cheapest services of the highest quality.
Sometimes the life issues rather strange challenges unbelievable ten years ago, and as the next ten years passes, they begin to look ridiculous. But here and now they must be solved. No one in mid-2000s was able to think that the "devotion" to a single provider would become a problem. Yet, the necessity to abolishment of the "mobile slavery" is being considered by the country leaders. Generally, the idea of introducing transferability of mobile numbers looks ambiguously, and it does not have unanimous public support.
Imposed innovation
The operation of the model developed by the Ministry of Communications does not need detailed description, since it was discussed in many articles. It obliges users to pay for migration from one provider to another to prevent them from abuse of such migrations. The proposed idea provides for establishment of a provider servicing the pool of portable numbers. The result is inconvenient for all - a subscriber pays more, and the structure of relations between providers becomes more complex.
It is representatives of MTT who are the champions of such portability solution. Probably, they hope that their company will become such portable number operator servicing the traffic between providers, as in its "golden age". Providers fight against implementation of MNP by tooth and nail. They are annoyed by the necessity of extra investments and complication of relations with subscribers that would result from introduction of the number portability. Social networks and web forums show that an ordinary user is interested in launching new Wi-Fi zones rather than in MNP. In most cases, the subscribers do not understand the idea of migrating from one brand to another, since the communication quality of all providers leaves much to be desired. May be just to run for luck.
MNP prospects look even more doubtful, if consider solutions that are sufficiently more simple. Actually, by now the subscribers who do not want to be linked to one provider can easily migrate to another one. The words "I would leave my provider, if portability is introduced" and "I use my number from long ago, but my provider is disgusting" look at least doubtful. You can buy a SIM card of a "good" operator and use the call forwarding. Many Russians use this solution; therefore, Russia is one of the world leaders in penetration of cellular communications. The statistics data show that each Russian, including centenarians and infants, has two mobile phones and even three ones in some cities.
Any Russian manager travelling from time to time on business can find two or three SIM cards of different providers in his/her desk. Those who frequently travels abroad can also find the travel SIMs or that of international providers. The slogan of the "mobile slavery" looks strange in such situation. You can migrate to another provider by just replacing the SIM in your device. And if the goal is not to spend the budget millions on implementing the system inconvenient both to users and providers, but to create conditions for free user migration, there are some more simple solutions, such as development of the device merging the fleet of SIMs.
Card for SIM card
The idea of using several numbers by one device is rather old. Two or three SIM phones have been being sold for years. But the life goes beyond the capacities of such devices. The user experience shows that a person can have more than just three numbers. An individual can simultaneously use corporate and personal SIMs, as well as have a roaming SIM, a data SIM in his/her smartphone and a SIM in his/her tablet. And this subscriber will be still dissatisfied, since providers do not have multi-purpose tariff rates fit for all applications.
The solution is evident. If anyone can have so many SIMs, the development of a device hosting all of them simultaneously is inevitable. In summer 2013 Intersoft Eurasia patented the Multi Dynamic SIM for hosting several SIMs operating simultaneously. It will look like a common credit card of the similar length and width, but slightly more thick (2.5 to 3 mm), to be carried in a valet or a pocket with nine slots for various SIMs (standard, mini, micro and nano). As the result, the device enables a single smart phone to use up to nine numbers.
The processor integrated into the Multi Dynamic SIM will manage operation of hosted SIMs. It will connect them through SMART Bluetooth or NFC channels to the virtual SIM installed in a smart phone, a tablet, etc. It is not necessary to use the powerful processor in the Multi Dynamic SIM, since modern mobile devices have excess computational capacities. It is t processors of such devices that will actually operate the hosted SIMs. using Multi-Dynamic-SIM.Soft installed at the mobile device. This software will also operate as a user interface for manual configuration and entering extra settings, and introduce the optimal scenario for multi-SIM operation. It will select the cheapest communication channel of the highest quality automatically. Smart software saving money of its users was developed long ago. IP telephony operators use it actively for calculating the cheapest routing of the highest quality for long distance call traffic. Multi-Dynamic-SIM.Soft will take into account the quality of a communication channel, the traffic price subject to seasonal or day/night discounts, actions and partner programs of operators, etc. On analyzing all data, it will select the optimal SIM for a call or an internet connection. As the result, the total communication expenses of the user will become lower without any "mobile slavery".
As closer as possible
The credit card form factor is one of the most optimal ones due to popularity of credit cards, but there are some other solutions. The developer proposes to manufacture Multi Dynamic SIM in the form of boots for the post popular models. The main weak point of such solution results from wide range of models, therefore, such boots will be available for the most popular ones only. But it has several obvious benefits. The first and the most one is the stability of the use of NFC data channel. This channel can be unavailable for the credit-card-like device, if the distance between devices is large. Moreover, the boot can host more than nine SIMs providing for more scenarios.
Indeed, one phone can host dozens of SIMs, rather than nine or twelve only. And the revolutionary discoveries are not necessary, since virtually all technologies are available. Multiservice platforms emerging at the market enable the user to widen the list of servicing, while lowering mobile communication cost. SIMs with increased memory integrating several subscriber numbers are already available. Therefore, the further improvement of card capacity is simple. One SIM can host 20, 30 or 64 numbers, rather than one number only. And such device was already patented as the Super virtual SIM. It looks like a common SIM. Its main difference lays in its design: the SIM is developed on the basis of more complex integrated circuit with a set of SIM emulators and a controller. As in the case with Multi Dynamic SIM, the device uses excess computational capacity of its host.
There are no technology obstacles impeding the manufacture of Super virtual SIMs, but the law and above all, the market are not ready yet. It will take much time to convince mobile service providers, which are the sole issuers of SIMs now. The development of the multi SIM requires integration into their processes. Large market players look at any attempt to modify the established business model as an intervention. All efforts will be in vain without preliminary popularization of the idea. It is necessary to convince mobile communication providers of the fact that the providers too along with users will benefit from implementing the multi SIM technology, since they will be able to increase widely the list of offered services. And above all, in spite of emergence of real possibility of user migration, the satisfaction and, consequently, the loyalty of subscribers will be increased.
Multi SIM technology will make the use of the mobile devices as comfortable as possible, since everything will operate faster, cheaper with more diversification and higher quality.
Bottom line
The "mobile slavery" problem is fabricated to a large extent. Even its ideologists acknowledge that users willing to mitigate to another provider amount to 10% and less. As the main reason in favor of MNP implementation, they are trying to make us believe that it will result in growth of competition among providers and, consequently, higher quality of services. But this result can be achieved by far more simple, e.g. by multi SIM. The providers will inevitably have to improve quality of services, if not, their services will become unpopular. Moreover, the companies will have to modify pricing. The processor will select the cheapest services of the high quality irrespective of tangled wording of user contracts. May be it will help to solve the long-time problem of international roaming. Now providers may accuse their roaming partners of high prices, but if all begin to use the traveler's SIM or tariffs of local providers, it may happen that everyone will be satisfied.
However, the SIM, whether the mini, micro or nano one, has become obsolete irrevocably, the SIM-less phones are the thing of the future. The ultimate abolishment of the "mobile slavery" is round the corner. It is not necessary to host the subscriber's number at the physical device in the age of cloud technologies, the unique device ID is enough. The phone number can be hosted in the cloud too. Moreover, as a matter of fact it is not necessary; now IP technology allows for calling to an e-mail address or to a nick in a social network. However, it is only the prospects. Before the new numberless age will come, the future holds the transitional multi SIM period for us.
