What Is the Difference between IMEI/MEID and ICCID/SIM?

IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity)/MEID (Mobile Equipment ID) and ICCID (Integrated Circuit Card Identifier)/SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) are independent from each other.

IMEI/MEID identifies the physical phone set. For example, you may have two phone sets:

• An iPhone with an IMEI/MEID of 35-209900-176148-1/35-209900-176148.
• A Huawei phone with an IMEI/MEID of 86-153603-019601-9/86-153603-019601.

ICCID/SIM identifies the account from which your cellular services are charged. For example, you may have two ICCID/SIM cards:

• A SIM card from Japan with an ICCID of 8981100022152967705.
• A SIM card from India with an ICCID of 8991101200003204514.

Because IMEI/MEID and ICCID/SIM are independent from each other, you can put any ICCID/SIM card into any phone set and it should work in theory.

For example, you can put your Japan's ICCID/SIM card into your iPhone, and travel in Japan to make and receive calls. If that Japan's ICCID/SIM card has international service, you can use it anywhere in the world.

Of course, you have to pay monthly fees to the wireless carrier who provided the ICCID/SIM card to keep it working, unless it's a pre-paid card with a large amount of money in it.

For more information on ICCID numbers, see "What Is the ICCID Number on My Phone" tutorial.

For more information on IMEI numbers, see What Is the IMEI Number on My Phone tutorial.

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