In September 2025 the United States Secret Service announced the discovery and dismantling of a network of electronic devices, in the New York area that could have crippled telecommunications systems. According to officials, this network represented a significant threat to United States telecommunications infrastructure. This network consisted of more than 300 SIM servers.

What is a SIM Server?

SIM servers (sometimes called SIM boxes or SIM banks) are devices that allow multiple SIM cards to be used simultaneously. Each server can utilize thousands of SIM cards. While they have some legitimate enterprise and testing applications, they are often abused for large-scale fraud or spam operations. An SIM card is the part of a cell phone that allows it to access the cellular network.

What Could This Network Have Done?

In theory, with 300 servers, each holding 1,000 SIM cards and each SIM capable of sending 100 text messages per hour, this network could have generated up to 30 million text messages per hour. At such a scale, the operation could have resulted in a denial of service to parts of the United States cellular network.

Signals of Need

If a network like this were used to disrupt the United States cellular system, groups such as the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES), the National Traffic System (NTS), and the Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) could be called upon to help fill the resulting communications gap.

Bibliography

Haraburda, John. 2025. “What Is SIM Box Fraud: Understanding Telecoms’ Most Challenging Scam.” TNS, August 5. https://tnsi.com/resource/com/what-is-sim-boxing-blog.

United States Secret Service. 2025. “U.S. Secret Service Dismantles Imminent Telecommunications Threat in New York Tristate Area.” Press Release. https://www.secretservice.gov/newsroom/releases/2025/09/us-secret-service-dismantles-imminent-telecommunications-threat-new-york.

Wikipedia. n.d. “SIM Card.” Accessed September 23, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIM_card.