On May 13, after China Telecom released the “5G SA Security Enhanced SIM Card White Paper”, the “White Paper” said: “The existing 4G cards lack the new functions defined in the 5G standard and the newly added card files and services, user identity The data is transmitted in plain text during the communication process, and the location information is not accurate enough to meet the information and security requirements of the 5G network.” This statement was interpreted as the need to replace the SIM card when upgrading from 4G to 5G.

In this regard, the Sino-Singapore Jingwei client called China Mobile’s customer service on the afternoon of the 14th. The other party said, “If you use 5G, you do not need to change the card. As long as the mobile phone supports the 5G network and meets the 5G signal coverage, you can use the 5G network.”

China Unicom’s customer service also said to the Sino-Singapore Jingwei client: “If you upgrade from 4G to 5G, you don’t need to change the card at all, as long as the mobile phone is a 5G mobile phone, the 5G switch is on, and the area covers 5G signals, you can meet these conditions. .”

China Telecom responded to the media on the 14th that existing 4G users of China Telecom do not need to change cards, as long as they change to 5G mobile phones, they can use 5G services in areas already covered by 5G signals. China Telecom’s 5G SA security enhanced SIM card is mainly for industry application scenarios with higher security enhancement requirements, such as intelligent manufacturing, Internet of Vehicles, telemedicine, smart cities and other fields.

In response, the three major telecom operators responded that existing 4G users do not need to change cards.