Solved! If you have a miniSIM where the gold contact area is too big to cut down to microSIM size without cutting into the contact (and the semiconductor inside)... chances are you have an older SIM like I did. Ask your network for a new SIM and chances are the new replacement will have the smaller contact area, which is cuttable.


Got my N9. This is good.

Do not have a micro SIM. This is bad.

My network doesn't provide micro SIMs and doesn't seem to have a plan to do so. This is very bad and also annoying.

I know that there are cutting templates etc. out there, and I've just given it a try. Issue is that the gold contact area on my regular mini SIM card is gigantic compared to that on my buddy's micro SIM which I borrowed for comparison. This means that to match up the contact lines, I ended up having to shave into the contact area a tiny bit.

Somewhat predictably, the results weren't too great: the N9 didn't detect a network when I inserted the my SIM card after surgery (for comparison, my friend's micro SIM works fine in my N9).

So: given that I'm not at all sure that my network will help me, does anyone know whether or not it would be possible for me to buy a microSIM from another network, take it to my network and have them re-program it to cause my N9 to register on my network?

Actual knowledge/info is greatly preferred over speculation at this point, because I'm currently without a cellphone (at least until I get a replacement mini SIM later today) and there's no way I'll rest until my N9 is capable of making and receiving calls/SMS. Please don't suggest moving to another network - if it comes to it, I can make that decision without help. Of course it's lame that my current network can't help me, but I'm otherwise very happy with them.

Congratulations on the phone. Sucks about the SIM card. Hope you find a solution.

I don't know the answer so I wont speculate

I know you don't want speculation, but I'm 99.9% sure that SIM cards cannot be reprogrammed by a different operator.

Your best chance should be to wait until you get your new miniSIM, which should have a smaller contact area nonetheless and cut it again...

Congratulations on N9!

Now about the problem... My operator does not provide MicroSIM either, but they are kind enough to cut them into store, so get a new one and ask them to cut it for you. If they screw up, it's not your fault anymore.

The miniSIM I just destroyed by accident was 2 years old - do you suspect that a new one will have a smaller contact area?

Hah - your network is better than mine. I just called the flagship store and they didn't even know what I was talking about until I said "You know, like the tiny SIM in an iPhone 4S". At this rate, they won't be cutting anything except the amount of money I give them each month...

Toronto? What stupid operator like that is there?

No, it's a city!

Haha, me so funny. Seriously though: it's WIND. I like them, I do. They're the little operator that could. They took on the big three networks and Industry Canada (who are quite cosy with Rogers, Bell and Telus?) and I've been very happy with the technical service and value-for-money.

However, I love my brand new N9 a lot more than I love them. "Well, it's your choice to use the that kind of phone" said one customer services manager on the phone this morning. Yeah, and it's my choice to pay or not pay also.

My carrier T-Mobile Germany has smaller contact areas now also on miniSIMs... but this could also be due to the fact that they also offer microSIMs... so maybe they just have one size of contact area for all their card types...

Yeah, makes sense. Rogers here have smaller area on their miniSIM, and they also offer microSIM.

This doesn't seem very hopeful for me

I'll see what I can sort out on my lunch break, and will report back.

Edit: possible solution! The original miniSIM I was given when I signed up two years ago had much larger contacts area - hence failure when I tried to cut it down. I now have a new miniSIM with smaller contacts area, and I'm about to try cutting that down.