28 Apr
2022
28 Apr
'22
11:41 p.m.
Hello Osmocom community,
In my previous reply to Anonymous Internet User msfu666, I mentioned
that I sometimes give out FCSIM1 cards free of cost to certain
recipients, but I did not elaborate on the conditions. I did not
spell out the conditions because I hadn't actually given much thought
to what they should be - but thinking about it now, I realize that
only one condition would actually make sense. My FCSIM1 cards are
good for one and only one purpose: operating your own GSM network
(presumably with Osmocom CNI software, no idea if OpenBTS/YateBTS
would work or not) *for the purpose of* providing service specifically
to vintage handsets. Therefore, the condition becomes quite simple:
if there is anyone here besides just me who operates their own
Osmocom-based GSM network _specifically for the purpose_ of providing
service specifically to _vintage_ GSM handsets and you would like some
of my FCSIM1 cards, please let me know and I'll send you a few.
What are vintage GSM handsets? For the present purpose, we can define
a vintage GSM handset as being one that:
a) has a 2FF SIM socket, as opposed to 3FF or 4FF or eSIM;
b) has a 2G-only radio;
c) does not speak UICC/USIM protocol, only GSM 11.11 SIM.
If anyone besides me operates their own GSM network specifically for
the purpose of providing service to (or just playing with) such vintage
handsets, then FCSIM1 cards would be a good choice for such operation:
hence if you would like some, you can have them for the cost of
shipping. OTOH, if you operate your own network, even if it's a 2G
network radio-wise, for some purpose other than exclusively serving or
playing with vintage handsets, then my FCSIM1 cards will NOT be a good
choice for your applications. Specifically, if you are going to
connect any kind of "modern" phones to your network, even if it's 2G
RAN, those "modern" phones will want 3FF or 4FF SIMs - but my FCSIM1
cards are 2FF only, and thus a poor choice for such usage.
Sincerely,
Lady Mychaela Nadezhda Falconia,
Mother of FreeCalypso,
Dame of the Order of 2G,
Champion of Published Source Code