SIM cards are an integral part of mobile devices. Be it smartphones, feature phones, basic mobile phones, broadband dongles, or SIM-compatible tablets, this card is necessary for them to function properly. SIM cards are also used in devices meant for commercial uses such as CCTV cameras, sensors, robots, and so on. But it is important to understand that SIM cards come in different sizes. In contrast, consumer SIMs vary in size, but not in functionality. A 2FF SIM card is one of the variations of size, and “FF” in 2FF stands for Form Factor.
1FF SIM cards are the largest and no longer in use. 2FF is the second-largest size available and is also not frequently used these days. However, old mobile phones still use 2FF SIM size, and so do some commercial or industrial devices. Let’s analyze them.
2FF SIM card dimensions
As we mentioned above, the 2FF SIM card is the largest size of SIM card still in use. 2FF SIM cards are also called mini-SIM cards, as well as standard or regular SIM cards. Although these cards are not employed a lot nowadays, the name “standard” still somehow manages to stick. It used to be the standard size SIM card from 1996 to early 2010. The dimensions of this SIM card are 25 mm in length, 15 mm in width, and 0.76 mm in height.
Why is the 2FF SIM card no longer used in smartphones?
Mini or 2FF SIM card is big. Generally, the yellow chip area (which is the useful part) is small, but the plastic rim around expands its dimensions, making the entire SIM card large. New smartphones don’t accommodate SIM cards of that size. That’s because these devices need to save space and fit some more useful components. With that said, it’s clear the extra plastic around the yellow chip is irrelevant. Hence, the smaller versions of SIM cards, which reduce or almost remove the plastic casing, are used instead. Foreshadowing: 2FF SIM cards are still utilized in old phones and devices where space-saving isn’t necessary.
Where to find mini SIM cards nowadays?
Though the mini-SIM card no longer has a purpose in modern smartphones and tablets, it doesn’t mean it has become completely useless. They are still used in devices such as mobile broadband dongles, IoT (Internet of Things), and M2M. M2M means machine to machine and these devices interact with each other, and thus need a SIM card to communicate.
IoT devices use the internet (mobile data in the case of SIM cards) in the same way, e.g., remote sensors and CCTV cameras. M2M and IoT devices are of commercial importance and purchased by business organizations in bulk most of the time. That’s why 2FF commercial SIM cards are much cheaper than 2FF consumer SIM cards.
Adaptability and compatibility of 2FF SIM cards
These days, all SIM card kits come in a 3-in-1 combo. This means you can snap out the type of SIM card you need for your device. Furthermore, if your SIM is just an old-school 2FF, you can cut it down to size manually. However, this method isn’t recommended as it could damage the chip.
In case your SIM card is smaller than 2FF, i.e., either 3 FF or 4FF, you can enlarge it to 2FF size with an adapter. An adapter is generally a simple plastic frame you can fit in your 3FF or 4FF SIM card into. That way, you transform it to the size of a 2FF SIM card.
All the SIM cards can work the same way no matter what size they are. The point behind reducing the SIM card size is not to change the functions or features of the SIM card. Instead, its purpose is to save space on the device to accommodate more tiny components. That way, there’s no need to increase the size of the gadget.
Nano SIM card or 4FF is the most common SIM card size prevalent in today’s smartphones and tablets. In the future, the SIM size will shrink further. These days, the eSIM (embedded SIM card), which is even smaller and soldered to the device during the manufacturing process, is used in high-end smartphones.