Can I used a Speakout SIM card?

[molty]

My wife has a Fido account and an old phone with a mini SIM card.

She bought a new unlocked phone- but it takes a nano SIM card.

We happen to have some Speakout SIM cards lying around.  Speakout uses the same Rogers/Fido network, and the SIM card ID numbers start with the same digits i.e. 89302.

She needs her phone tomorrow and works late. The backup plan is to go to a Fido store tomorrow and buy her a new FIDO SIM card- but what do you think- could I just use this Speakout SIM card and swap hers out, reassigning her account to the new SIM card number?

[molty]

Sadly the SIM card she has is an old one, so it can't be made smaller.  So I'll have to go in to the Fido store tomorrow and pick up a SIM card.  I have her old SIM card number and should then be able to swap SIM card numbers on her account.  

It's just not clear whether SIM cards are tied to particular carriers if they share the same network...I've searched and searched and haven't found out whether or not this is the case for sure or not.  If it weren't so important for her work to have a working cell, I'd just try it...maybe next week I'll try it with my own cell and see what happens.  I can always swap back again.  I have 3 of these Speakout cards- they used to give you one whenever you bought $100 worth of airtime so they kind of piled up...

[Cawtau]

Hello again,

  For the most part, SIM cards are tied to the particular carriers. The SIMs have an International mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) embedded (see here). The IMSI consists of the mobile Country code (MCC), mobile network code (MNC), and mobile subscription identification number (MSIN)(see here). Each provider has their own MNC (see here).

  As far as I am aware, SpeakOut uses a Rogers MNC (720). On the other hand, Fido (formerly Microcell) has their own MNC (370). Since the SIMs have different MNCs, it's unlikely they are interchangeable. **edit** It's also worth noting that a SpeakOut SIM identifies as SpeakOut (as opposed to Rogers) so that particular Rogers MNC may be dedicated to SpeakOut customers.**

Hope this helps 😀

Cheers

[Cawtau]

Hello  Molty,

  Welcome to the community!

  Unfortunately, I don't think you'll be able to use an old SpeakOut SIM for Fido service. I understand they both use the Rogers networks. However, the SIM cards would be coded specifically for each provider.

  Have you had a chance to see if her current SIM is one of the Tri-SIM variants? If it is, she might be able to simply remove the unnecessary plastic portion.

  If her current SIM is only one-sized, you will need to go and get her a new Fido SIM card. If she has post-paid services, she should be able to update her SIM card from her My Account --> Usage & Services --> Mobile. From there, she would need to select Update SIM card (near bottom of page under Quick Actions).

**edit** She might need to click on Profile & Settings before she'll be able to access the Usage & Services tab**

Hope this helps 😀

Cheers