HT202340: iPhone: Understanding SIM cards

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kevin_h

Q: how can I update the SIM card contacts with the changes made in the iPhone?

so, I bought an unlocked iPhone in ny, I put my sim, realize there are no contacts, find the import button, contacts in. The issue is that I realized that if I message someone and the return number is a bit different to what I have(due state and region codes), the message will appear in a new conversation, so, I edited all contacts to avoid this (using iCloud, export, edit .vcf and import back in), success, but then I thought, "what if I need to change my phone? how do I update the SIM card contacts", and of course, no "Export" button, so, If anyone is so kind to make my 550 bucks worth spent, please help me with this, thanks in advanced.

iPhone 4S, iOS 6.0.1

Posted on Dec 31, 2012 8:43 PM

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Q: how can I update the SIM card contacts with the changes made in the iPhone?

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  • by roaminggnome,

    roaminggnome roaminggnome Dec 31, 2012 8:45 PM in response to kevin_h
    Level 10 (97,387 points)
    Dec 31, 2012 8:45 PM in response to kevin_h

    Iphone stores nothing at all to the SIM.

     

    You should be syncing your contacts with your computer.  From there you can put them anywhere you like.

  • by kevin_h,

    kevin_h kevin_h Dec 31, 2012 8:49 PM in response to roaminggnome
    Level 1 (9 points)
    iPhone
    Dec 31, 2012 8:49 PM in response to roaminggnome

    yeah, I see that, but a few years from now I'll need to move on and I will take my SIM card with me, no my pc or the iPhone contacts, so I need to find a way to export the updated contacts back to the SIM. thanks anyway. you are saying that I should sync contacts to my pc, but then how can I put those contacts in the SIM?

  • by roaminggnome,Helpful

    roaminggnome roaminggnome Dec 31, 2012 9:05 PM in response to kevin_h
    Level 10 (97,387 points)
    Dec 31, 2012 9:05 PM in response to kevin_h

    "I see that, but a few years from now I'll need to move on and I will take my SIM card with me"

     

    You don;t have to "take them" with you.  They should be on your computer.  You will never be without them.  You should be backing your computer up regularly so your contact sare safe even in a computer failure.

     

    You can copy them form your computer to your next phone.

     

     

    " you are saying that I should sync contacts to my pc, but then how can I put those contacts in the SIM?"

     

    Yes. That is the design of the iphone.  The iphone is not a storage device.  it simply mirrors the selected content of your computer.  Everything should reside on your computer.  Your phone just allows it to be protable.

     

    Why would you put them on your SIM at all?

     

    When you get another phone, I am confident that it will be able to take the contacts from your computer.

  • by kevin_h,

    kevin_h kevin_h Dec 31, 2012 9:10 PM in response to roaminggnome
    Level 1 (9 points)
    iPhone
    Dec 31, 2012 9:10 PM in response to roaminggnome

    honestly, what you're saying sounds great, but here in argentina we cannot import a .vcf file to any phone, here we handle contacts carrying them in SIM cards. How you been handling contacts when first SIM card came out? you''ve been always backing them up tou your pc? thanks.

  • by roaminggnome,

    roaminggnome roaminggnome Dec 31, 2012 9:15 PM in response to kevin_h
    Level 10 (97,387 points)
    Dec 31, 2012 9:15 PM in response to kevin_h

    I have alwasy had my contacts on my computer.

     

    I can't remember the last phone I had that did not have some way to get the contacts from a computer.