The national roaming idea behind the sim card is the brainchild of Lancashire-based start-up Anywhere Sim, which aims to launch its notspot-tackling service within the next five weeks. The new mobile network hopes to make it easier for UK users who live in signal dead zones.
A handful of mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) already offer national roaming in the UK, but rather than being consumer-focused they target their products at business customers. The main operators such as Vodafone, EE, O2 and Three have managed not to succumb to government pressures to offer the service themselves.
Anywhere Sim will be more expensive than single-network alternatives and one expert told the BCC that demand for the new service might be limited by its costs. However, for users based in rural areas, it could prove an attractive idea.
Business Secretary Sajid Javid had proposed that the telecom firms automatically switch users to different 2G...