4 ms·

Presumably all european nations will harmonize in the next year or two and it will be a requirement to provide government identification prior to purchasing a d

Presumably all european nations will harmonize in the next year or two and it will be a requirement to provide government identification prior to purchasing a data SIM.

icebraining 11y ago
Why is that presumable?
- throwaway049 11y ago
  Harmonisation in general is one of the main aims of the EU. I can't comment on the two year timescale though.
- ghshephard 11y ago
  In general, Europe tries to have consistent policies regarding commercial activity, such as mobile data communications. Otherwise you run into odd arbitrage situations, or scenarios where people dodge legislation/laws in one country simply by hopping across the border, potentially putting businesses at a commercial (dis)advantage based on the country they are in, which is counter to some of the EU objectives. If Germany begins tightening up laws (beyond just ID for SIMs) regarding data communications, but other countries don't, and you can roam your data between them - it creates an incentive for people to just ignore Germany as a supplier, and hop across the border and chose someone more flexible.
  - icebraining 11y ago
    Sure, yet thousands of my compatriots have and continue to travel every month to the neighboring country to fill up their gas tanks, due to much lower fuel taxes. Just because Germany decide to cripple their providers does not necessarily mean the EU will impose the same on every other member state. Besides, what further tightening of laws regarding data communications do you see Germany implementing? I hardly think requiring ID for SIM purchase will be a sufficient incentive to make users lose the advantages of a local phone number, having to figure out a way to credit a foreign pre-paid SIM, etc.
programLyrique 11y ago
An ID is required in France (and presumably in other EU countries) to buy a SIM card and has been for some years... and yet no harmonization has taken place.
- yetihehe 11y ago
  And it stopped how many terrorists?
- 05 11y ago
  Might be technically required, but.. http://techcrunch.com/2014/04/10/free-will-sell-sim-cards-using-vending-machines-in-france/ http://techcrunch.com/2014/04/10/free-will-sell-sim-cards-us... Where do I put my passport in this SIM vending machine? :-)
  - wolfgke 11y ago
    At least in the picture of the vending machine I see no possibility of using cash. Instead you probably have to use your ATM card or credit card, which leaves a strong data trace.
    - JoeAltmaier 11y ago
      I'm thinking, the anonymity of cash is currently very popular, but probably unintended. See, used to be anybody could print currency, but not everybody accepted all the different kinds. The Govt wanted to streamline banking and commerce, so they said "federal currency is legal tender for everything". Not because cash is cool. Because they only had cash or barter, and wanted just one cash. Maybe we should rethink all this - if anonymity is important, cash isn't the best way. E.g. they could chip our coins and paper money, and track it through every transaction. Still cash; but not anonymous. Anyway just thinking out loud.
    - 05 11y ago
      The name on the credit card is a much weaker data point than an actual photo ID. Assuming terrorists have access to guns and explosives, but not to stolen/registered to a fake name cards is not very reasonable. Even with the photo ID requirement, it's shouldn't be that hard to buy a stolen phone with a prepaid SIM that the owner didn't bother blocking.

Presumably all european nations will harmonize in the next year or two and it will be a requirement to provide government identification prior to purchasing a data SIM.

icebraining 11y ago

Why is that presumable?

throwaway049 11y ago
Harmonisation in general is one of the main aims of the EU. I can't comment on the two year timescale though.
ghshephard 11y ago
In general, Europe tries to have consistent policies regarding commercial activity, such as mobile data communications. Otherwise you run into odd arbitrage situations, or scenarios where people dodge legislation/laws in one country simply by hopping across the border, potentially putting businesses at a commercial (dis)advantage based on the country they are in, which is counter to some of the EU objectives. If Germany begins tightening up laws (beyond just ID for SIMs) regarding data communications, but other countries don't, and you can roam your data between them - it creates an incentive for people to just ignore Germany as a supplier, and hop across the border and chose someone more flexible.
- icebraining 11y ago
  Sure, yet thousands of my compatriots have and continue to travel every month to the neighboring country to fill up their gas tanks, due to much lower fuel taxes. Just because Germany decide to cripple their providers does not necessarily mean the EU will impose the same on every other member state. Besides, what further tightening of laws regarding data communications do you see Germany implementing? I hardly think requiring ID for SIM purchase will be a sufficient incentive to make users lose the advantages of a local phone number, having to figure out a way to credit a foreign pre-paid SIM, etc.

programLyrique 11y ago

An ID is required in France (and presumably in other EU countries) to buy a SIM card and has been for some years... and yet no harmonization has taken place.

yetihehe 11y ago
And it stopped how many terrorists?
05 11y ago
Might be technically required, but.. http://techcrunch.com/2014/04/10/free-will-sell-sim-cards-using-vending-machines-in-france/ http://techcrunch.com/2014/04/10/free-will-sell-sim-cards-us... Where do I put my passport in this SIM vending machine? :-)
- wolfgke 11y ago
  At least in the picture of the vending machine I see no possibility of using cash. Instead you probably have to use your ATM card or credit card, which leaves a strong data trace.
  - JoeAltmaier 11y ago
    I'm thinking, the anonymity of cash is currently very popular, but probably unintended. See, used to be anybody could print currency, but not everybody accepted all the different kinds. The Govt wanted to streamline banking and commerce, so they said "federal currency is legal tender for everything". Not because cash is cool. Because they only had cash or barter, and wanted just one cash. Maybe we should rethink all this - if anonymity is important, cash isn't the best way. E.g. they could chip our coins and paper money, and track it through every transaction. Still cash; but not anonymous. Anyway just thinking out loud.
  - 05 11y ago
    The name on the credit card is a much weaker data point than an actual photo ID. Assuming terrorists have access to guns and explosives, but not to stolen/registered to a fake name cards is not very reasonable. Even with the photo ID requirement, it's shouldn't be that hard to buy a stolen phone with a prepaid SIM that the owner didn't bother blocking.