The SIMFi takes a little bit of effort to wrap one's head around: This offering from Sagem Orga and Telefonica, announced at the Barcenola Mobile World Congress this week, puts a Wi-Fi radio into a standard SIM (Subscriber Identity Module), which is used in all GSM devices to authenticate to the network and associate billing information. This allows a 3G feature phone without Wi-Fi built in to become a hotspot, sharing mobile broadband with netbooks, smartphones, and other devices. It's fiendishly ingenious, as it obviates putting a 3G modem into multiple devices while offering "tethering" without a cable.
Does this mean that you carry your own hotspot around ANYWHERE as though you were riding the 3G--but just not being billed for it? Uninterrupted VOiP for free via Wi-Fi would be a dream come true!
So let me get this straight, SIMFi plus any unlocked phone equals the world at one's fingertips anywhere at anytime via free Wi-Fi?
I'm sure you'll correct me where I'm wrong OR just pinch me if I'm dreaming.
Here's your pinch.
Nothing is free, of course. If you have a 3G phone that doesn't have Wi-Fi, this is essentially a different way to offer tethering without having to install routing software in the phone. The SIM card does the heavy lifting. But you'll still have to pay your carrier for 3G data, and the phone can't use a Wi-Fi connection. It's one-way, 3G-to-Wi-Fi.
Many carriers in the US have tethering plans that rely on a USB or Bluetooth connection, and there are MiFi and Spot routers, among other things. Most of these tethered/sharing services cost from $30 to $60 per month with a two-year contract required.
It's more a way to avoid having to buy a MiFi, I think.
When and where will the SMIFI be available?
I think it is worth waiting to see this product really does, if anything. I am not optimistic.
Issue 1: Wifi is relatively high power. I doubt most GSM phones can supply enough power *through the SIM card* to run a Wifi radio and mini router.
Issue 2: SIM card is used for authentication of GSM connections, and for storing phone number lists. It does not have direct access to the phone's incoming/outging GSM data stream. So how is this new SIM card going to transparently route from Wifi to GSM without this access? Remember this is supposed to work without any knowledge of the GSM phone itself!
Issue 3: SIM card is even smaller than an SD Card. There is not much space to play around with in there, for radio, controller, and antenna.