The ability to utilize smart card based Internet applications is facilitated by enhancing the functionality of smart cards dedicated to other applications, to enable them to connect to and interoperate with Internet application servers. The functionality of subscriber identification module (SIM) card is enhanced to incorporate the information necessary to interact with an Internet-based application service provider. The user can also employ a conventional smart card to access an Internet application from a personal computer or other terminal equipped with a conventional smart card reader, and use the SIM card to interact with application when access to a conventional smart card reader is not available. The application server recognizes the distinction between access with the two different types of cards, and ensures that both cards are synchronized with one another.