The word VIP stands for Very Important Person, and you can infer what it has to do with SIM cards. However, you’d be wrong if you thought the phone number is reserved for celebrities and millionaires or billionaires. They undoubtedly make a portion of the user base. With that said, they aren’t the only owners of such SIM cards. In fact, you could become one today, provided you’re in the right country, have extra cash, and can find an adequate mobile network provider. We’re sure this piqued your curiosity and got you excited about becoming a part of the elite. Thus, let’s answer, “what is a VIP SIM card?”
Definition of a VIP SIM card
VIP SIM card, as mentioned, is not you may think at first. Although it can be, it is not reserved for people in high positions or celebrities. It’s an item in high demand you, a regular Joe, can have as well. Unsurprisingly, you’ll have to pay a little extra or be extremely lucky, but you can acquire one nonetheless. VIP SIM card numbers are phone numbers that mobile network carriers reserve (or not, there are no set rules) for people who want a custom one. To clarify, it’s intended for users to desire a specific, exclusive string of numbers for the SIM card in their devices.
Those usually start at a mere three digits, like 123, after which the carrier will randomize the rest. Depending on the country, the regulations for phone number length, and availability, you may get all characters to be identical, such as “9999999”, excluding the international and country codes. Another popular choice is easy-to-remember strings such as “123456789”, the reverse, “987654321”, or something like “222-333-444-55” or “01-02-03-04-05”. Even if your carrier doesn’t offer them, they still aren’t impossible to get—we’ll elaborate on that in the upcoming sections.
With that said, it’s important to note that, though they have the capability, not all countries offer this option. Another significant thing is that sellers don’t necessarily call them “VIP” across the world. In our experience, we’ve seen them advertised as “exclusive”, “Gold/Golden”, “fancy”, “Platinum”, “premium”, “business”, “elite”, “unique”, “easy”, and so on. Thus, don’t lose hope if nothing comes up when you do an initial search. Finally, we should point out that VIP SIM cards can be prepaid, postpaid, or pay-as-you-go, and unsurprisingly, uses the same sizes, from mini SIM to embedded SIM ones.
Can regular people use a SIM card for VIPs?
We speak in general terms when we say ordinary people can acquire a VIP SIM card legally, easily, and quickly. Some countries refrain from this option because it’s unpopular. Others find it an object of common scams, and some government regulations prevent the mobile network provider from giving users this option, at least publicly.
However, the vast majority of countries supply these on a first-come, first-serve basis, informally known as “finders keepers”. In other words, they either release numbers all at once, and let people test their imagination to claim them, or announce their availability and make them available in series over time. It’s not unusual for a carrier to set a high base price or even start a bidding war, though likely unofficially.
Where are VIP SIM cards sold?
Wondering where you can get a VIP SIM card? You can obtain a SIM card with a custom phone number in nearly the same places as the regular one. Well, so long the carrier supports that option. Official websites, more specifically the page for making an order, is the first place you should check. You’ll encounter two situations:
- A dedicated page. Rarer of the options in our experience. Carriers such as Vi (Vodafone Idea) in India have a page where you can sign up for the service, verify the desired number is available, and make an order if it is. A representative will deliver the SIM to your doorstep, or you can visit a store to pick it up.
- Part of the SIM card order or activation procedure. Most carriers simply implement the number-choosing functionality as part of a sign-up process on their website. To clarify, you choose it while providing personal details. Another practice slowly gaining frequency is embedded SIMs, which can be configured with a phone number after purchase. In that case, you select it while going through a web-based activation procedure and download a generated profile from the website or via a QR code.
Though the two options above are common, they are in no way the only ones. You might find SIM cards for VIPs at kiosks that let you select a number on-screen or up for grabs on the carrier’s online store without registration. You may even stumble upon them accidentally. For instance, you may discover a handy phone number on a prepaid or pay-as-you-go SIM sold in outlets, supermarkets, airports, and so on. However, the fastest and most convenient method, although far from the cheapest, is to reach out to third-party sellers, i.e., resellers.
How will a third-party vendor provide a VIP phone number?
Unsurprisingly, savvy people will jump at any opportunity to make a profit, and some transform it into a business. Searching for some terms we mentioned above will lead you to a variety of good-looking and shady business websites alike. Third-parties in countries worldwide reach out to the carrier, usually when the latter is new. Afterward, they order SIM cards with easy to remember or interesting phone numbers en masse. Then, they continuously keep purchasing numbers they deem attractive and resell them at a marked-up price.
Therefore, when you decide you want such a number for your use, you’ll often find it’s unavailable through official means. One search engine inquiry later, you could discover the number is on sale on a third-party website. There are also forums where individuals post numbers they purchased. Alternatively, you can make a request for a specific number or a similar variation. As for the transfer process, we already analyzed whether you can change the ownership of a SIM card. Another useful topic we covered is how to port a SIM card.