what is saved on a physical SIM?

[FSyd]

Hello, my current SIM suffered water damage.  Following Community advice, I will be purchasing a new one and will update my profile so that it is tagged to my current cell phone number (I don't want to change cell numbers).  Can you tell me:  will I lose any data by doing this?  What is saved on a SIM?  For instance, will my contacts and txt message history all be erased, or is that info not on a SIM but on the cloud?  Note that I have had to buy a new phone as my old phone no longer works.

[Handy1]

@FSyd  Just insert the sim after you have done this 

SIM  SWAPPING  profile tabs

Note only do this on lap top or computer/ not mobile device

[FSyd]

Thanks for all of the tips and step by steps - much appreciated!  Question:  once I update the SIM number, do I click the "Transfer Phone Number" button?  Does that activate the SIM?  Or I just insert the new SIM into the new phone and it will start working?  What is the "Transfer Phone Number" button for?

[Yosemite_Sam]

@FSyd 

Ok now we are smoking. 

Read this.  
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/101336

I would suggest that you share contacts on all APPLE  devices. Delete, add or update on one device then they ALL change. Kind of like imap for email. 

So do the back up as suggested. And then restore to the new phone. OR do the much easier side by side set up. Like this. https://support.apple.com/en-ca/guide/iphone/iph1fd7e482f/ios

[hTideGnow]

hi @FSyd should have no issue.  Make a backup to iCould. And do a phone migration.  don't wipe your old one yet just in case

Enjoy your new phone 

[Handy1]

@FSyd  Yes you will be absolutely fine , enjoy the new iPhone 🙂

[FSyd]

Thanks everyone for the input.  I am going from an iphone SE to an iphone 14.  Based on everyone's responses, looks like I should experience no issues, since I'll be updating my profile w the new sim, same number, and all other info is in the cloud.   Thanks again.

[will13am]

@FSyd , you should lose absolutely nothing by doing a physical SIM swap.  Public Mobile is a relatively new carrier brand.  By the time they came to market, the use of SIM cards to save anything was a thing of the past.  Data such as call and text history are stored on your phone, there is no way a SIM card has that kind of storage capacity.  Things like contacts and email are stored with whatever provider you are using.  

[hTideGnow]

hi @Yosemite_Sam if you had Android, it was smartphone era already and the choice to store on Google was there.  But early Android users might still be saving the contacts the old way

[Yosemite_Sam]

Thus the need to ask the OP to identify the make and model of phone. 

@FSyd 

[Yosemite_Sam]

I would only guess…..15 years ago. And I don’t recall having a google cloud account. 

[hTideGnow]

hi @Yosemite_Sam 

While you can choose to save to sim card, most smartphones now won't default to save to sim.  But of course, OP has to check it hinself 

[Handy1]

@Yosemite_Sam  When did you switch to iPhone ? When I was on android and changed to another android my contacts only came back when I signed into my google account /gamil and the contacts and pictures all came back to the phone . But ever since I phone 7 came out I never looked back and get the new iPhone each year 

[Yosemite_Sam]

It depends on what phone you have. Some phones do store contacts on the sim. When I switched from android to iPhone the iPhone saw the contacts on the sim and asked to move them to my Apple contacts. Apple makes it very clear that contacts are not saved on the sim. 

I suggest that you google your phone make and model to find the answer.

[FSyd]

Thank you very much 🙂

[Chalupa_Batman]

Hi @FSyd 

You can purchase a new SIM either at a local Telus store (call ahead first) or off Amazon. Do not purchase directly from PM as it will take 3 plus weeks.

SIM cards hold information of the account holder. However when you insert the new SIM and register it with PM, all your information from the server is placed on it. Stuff like contacts and such are stored on the phone or "Google" or "Apple" servers.

[hTideGnow]

hi @FSyd 

most people these days do not save the phone number and text on the sim card.  But if you did, then yes, they will be gone.   (This is more practice from old days before smartphone)

However, as I said, most people are saving the phone number and text on the phone, or some on Google or iCloud.  

To switch sim card, login to My Account, Profile and click the pencil beside sim card number and update to the new one

[Handy1]

@FSyd  Your phone number and plan are tied to your SIM card , get a new one and update as you already noted you will do , viola your good as new again with same number and plan 

all other contact info is in the cloud and will be restored when you sign back in on new device