[johnchristopher]

They closed that loophole in Europe after the terrorist attacks of recent years. You can't buy pre-paid SIM cards without giving an ID anymore.

[Symbiote]

Please don't generalize about Europe unless you're certain the statement is true.

You can buy a SIM card in a vending machine in at least airports in Denmark and the UK.

[Loic]

Last time I was there in Denmark I had to provide a CPR number to enable the SIM card. For the non-danish people the CPR number is basically your lifetime number for everything from social security, to tax, payroll, etc.

[Symbiote]

Perhaps if you want a contract, but it would be rather pointless requiring a CPR number, yet selling SIMs in the arrivals hall of Copenhagen Airport.

[blub]

Can you also activate it and use it?

Because I've seen SIM cards that can be bought in supermarkets in another country, but then you need to show your ID to an operator over Skype to activate it.

[fooker]

You can.

[natch]

How?

[johnchristopher]

Indeed, I thought it was a European directive.

I am willing to bet the vast majority of European countries will follow suit before 5 years though.

[miluge]

In Romania by law you have to give your ID. But between what the law says and what happens in practice...

[anticensor]

Throwaway SIMs are unavailable and foreign throwaway ones do not work in Turkey.

[carlos_silva]

In Portugal you can buy and use a prepaid sim card without showing your ID or giving away any personal information. On the other hand buying credit is done via the bank, so you only have a few euros to spend before losing anonymity.

[bye_gmail]

It's different in different countries. Estonia, Latvia, Netherlands allow sim cards wihout IDs. Poland, Switzerland do not.

[svdgraaf]

Afaik since last year an ID is required in The Netherlands as well.

[squarefoot]

You lose anonimity in a very short time if you either:

1- Use the new "anonymous" sim card with a phone you already own and used with other sim card (IMEI matching).

2- Use a new phone with the new sim card but let it connect through your home WiFi network (IP tracking).

3- Use a new sim card and a new phone, but carry the new phone around with your main phone so that they find your second phone and number just by looking in the carrier(s) database(s) if there are any matches to the tower areas the first phone connects to.

[dazc]

Must be a buoyant market in sims walking over the border?

[kefyras]

You don't need ID in Lithuania. You can also buy top ups with cash.