A majority of phones and tablets that access the Internet use a Subscriber Identity Module or SIM card. Its purpose is to provide an ID for your mobile device, one that’s used by a cellular provider to give the device service, a signal, and basically sort your phone or tablet out from the zillions of other phones or tablets.

Oh, and it’s used to help with billing. So there’s that.

My question is this: Does the mobile device really need a SIM card?

Of course not!

Since Ethernet took over computer networking a few decades ago, all network devices sport unique numbers. The NIC (Network Information Card) has a MAC address, where MAC doesn’t stand for anything to do with McDonalds. No it’s Media Access Control, and it’s a unique ID that all NICs have.

If your laptop has a Wi-Fi and wired Internet connection, then it has two unique MAC addresses. Your phone has a unique MAC address, so does the tablet. And, according to laws enforced by large reptiles that hide under the north pole, no two MAC addresses are alike.

So why don’t the phone companies and cellular providers use the phone’s MAC address, or something similar, instead of a SIM? It makes sense.

For most cellular users, the SIM isn’t even a thought. But when you buy a loose or “unlocked” phone, you need to obtain a SIM card to get service from a cellular provider. I’ve done this routine a number of times.

First, you obtain an unlocked phone from some source. Amazon has them. The Galaxy Note 4 I purchased was unlocked, and yes, I paid full price for the device. They aren’t cheap!

Next, you sign up for cellular service, which is usually a month-to-month deal. Because the phone is unlocked, you can choose the cellular provider. You can go with a reseller and save a ton of money. My current unlocked phone costs me only $30/month for unlimited voice and chat plus about 500MB of data, which is plenty for that phone.

Finally, you obtain a SIM card that’s compatible with the provider’s service — and your phone. That requires a modicum of research before you begin the process, but most of the resellers document everything on their website.

Install the SIM card. Visit the web page. Boom! You have service and save a ton of money. That process would be made a heckofalot easier if you didn’t need to purchase and install the SIM card. In fact, I don’t see why the major phone manufacturers and cellular providers don’t get together now and just make it happen.

Or not happen.