15 June 2010 V1.

SIMpml
(SIM profile markup language)
White Paper

Summary

Document History
Executive Summary
What is SIMpml?
SIMpml Benefits
Contribution of SIMpml to SIM Profile Creation and Handling
Main Features of SIMpml
SIMpml Tools in the Market
Conclusion
Glossary

Document History
Version
1.0

Date

Author

Description

15.06.2010

SIMpml WG

Initial version

SIMpml
(SIM profile markup language)

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Executive Summary
A SIMalliance Working Group consisting of representatives of Datang, Gemalto, Giesecke&Devrient,
ST Incard, Oberthur Technologies, Morpho and Comprion, has completed the SIMpml (SIM Profile
Markup Language) specification, a unified XML schema for SIM cards profile description.
The aim of this standardized description is the simplification of operator's processes for definition of a
SIM card profile, development of prototype and commercial cards based on this profile description,
and acceptance tests of these cards. SIMpml helps to reduce time for profile creation and validation
and to increase portability of profiles between different SIM card vendors.
The SIMpml specification opens the way for the Telco community to develop and to adopt tools for
profile creation, for SIM card personalization and for compatibility tests of a final product with its
description.
This document addresses the features and benefits of SIMpml for different members of the SIM card
community.
The SIMalliance SIM Profile Mark Up Language template sheet has been based on the UXP 1.4
((U)SIM XML Profile (UXP) Template Sheet) created by the UXP forum which is comprised of
Gemalto, Giesecke & Devrient, O2, Oberthur Technologies, and SanDisk.

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What is SIMpml?
Anybody involved in SIM card production will be familiar with the complexity of handling information on
features, properties, and settings of new SIM cards. The process requires extensive management of
sensitive information. In this context SIM suppliers and mobile network operators have to deal with
intensive data exchange, involving different document formats and tools in different environments.
One can easily imagine how much work needs to be invested in this long chain to eliminate the risk of
errors.
Several tools to simplify the processes are used within the industry. However, as many of them are not
compatible, there was a need identified to offer a standardized solution to optimize the existing SIM
profile management processes.
In order to address this requirement, an initiative was started by Telefnica O2 and several SIM card
vendors with the aim to set up a common solution.
The objective of this initiative has been:

To simplify the transfer of card profile configuration information

To replace the various existing text based documents
After a first version of the specification document the intellectual property for the technology was
transferred to two renowned organizations of the mobile communications industry, GSMA and
SIMalliance.
The result of this close cooperation between the SIM vendors in a SIMalliance Working Group and the
close collaboration of the SIMalliance Group with GSMA Smart Card Group (SCaG) was a new
markup language specification dedicated to the description of SIM profiles. This specification provides
a basis to facilitate development of interoperable tools addressing the SIM profile lifecycle. The
document is based on XML, a commonly used language for transfer of structured data. The XML
format allows network operators or card vendors to specify and implement any SIM card electrical
profile, since it implements well-established smart card specifications such as 3GPP or ETSI
standards. This unified XML schema for SIM card profile description is called SIMpml (SIM Profile
Markup Language).

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SIMpml Benefits
The new specification brings the following benefits:

Improved time to market by optimizing profile configuration, distribution, test card

production, and approval process

Reliable and well-defined profile description based on a standardized XML format

Efficient change management and modification through versioning tracking of profile
specifications

Industrial standard (XML format) that is maintained and developed further by the
SIMalliance in cooperation with GSMA
Fig 1. SIMpml Benefits in Profile Generation Process

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(SIM profile markup language)

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Contribution of SIMpml to SIM Profile Creation and Handling

SIMalliance SIMpml Working Group considers the following usual scenario for SIM profile definition
and approval by a mobile operator.
Step 1:

Mobile operator defines the profile.

Step 2:

A card vendor receives the profile description from a mobile operator and produces test
cards using internal software.

Step 3:

A mobile operator receives the test cards from a vendor and tests the compliancy of the test
cards with the profile description.

Based on the experience of the membering companies the SIMpml Working Group has identified
several constraints within the above quoted steps:

Complexity and also number of SIM card profiles is increasing with introduction of new
technologies and services for subscribers

No common content description of a profile specification, content varies depending on level

of requirements details

Format of specification is MNO dependent (Excel sheet, Word or HTML document, or any
of their combinations)

Often multiple versions of one profile specification exist (e.g., one for every SIM vendor)

Every SIM vendor manually creates its own internal profile description based on a
customer specification

High and mostly manual efforts to compare a test SIM card with profile specification during
MNO card validation and acceptance process
Any issue discovered during one of the steps mentioned above leads to return to Step 1 for profile
specification modification and revalidation increasing efforts and time spent until final profile
acceptance.
Introduction of SIMpml will facilitate transition between each step, accelerate the execution of each
step and reduce number of iterations required for profile acceptance.

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Fig 2. Profile Generation Process with SIMpml

Step 1: SIM profile definition process

As of today, the profile creation process is quite complex for a mobile operator as he should either
define a proprietary profile description document or fill in a form provided by a SIM vendor.
In the first case, a proprietary description may require specific adaptation for each SIM vendor
due to differences in tools and processes at card manufacturers. In the second case, different
formats of specifications such as Excel sheets, text documents or sort of proprietary markup
language complicate maintainability and increase the risk of mistakes.
The existing process implies the following drawbacks:

Manual work to fill in document and adapt it according to each SIM vendor specifics

Need to maintain various versions of one and the same profile description for each card
vendor

Potential room for misinterpretation of profile description by a vendor

Time to synchronize processes between MNO and a SIM vendor

Limited options to receive assistance and guidance in profile creation and validation of final
profile description

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Use of SIMpml optimizes Step 1 of SIM profile lifecycle management by:

Offering unified standardized language

Opening the way to develop user friendly tools for a guided profile creation
Reuse of once created profile description for any vendor (one version for all)
Reducing risk of mistakes thanks to common format and option for automatic profile
validation function in the tools

Saving time in profile creation thanks to reduction of iterations for profile approval between
MNO and a SIM vendor

Simplifying creation of SIM profile variants (e.g. MVNO profiles, data only services)

Step 2: SIM test card production

When a SIM card vendor receives a profile description from an operator he manually converts this
description into an internal format compliant with his internal tools and processes.
This manual conversion procedure bears the risk of creating a wrong profile on the produced test
card due to human mistakes.
After performance of several internal steps normally comprising of development of personalization
software and related test scripts, test cards are personalized and internal tests are conducted.
The existing process implies the following drawbacks:

Manual conversion procedure of profile description into internal formats

o takes time for human operation and
o may lead to potential human caused mistakes

Non-formalized description format leads to SIM profile ambiguity like data inconsistency or
lack of input information. This increases the time required for test card profile fine tuning
and validation and as a consequence the overall lead time of profile acceptance.
Use of SIMpml optimizes Step 2 of SIM profile lifecycle management by:

A formal straight automated conversion of SIM profile description into internal vendor
formats
o Reduction of human involvement and as a result human caused mistakes
o Time savings for test card creation
o No more profile ambiguity

Step 3: Test card validation

The MNO receives a set of test cards from the vendor and performs acceptance test with these
cards. Usually, the following operations are performed:

Validation of the SIM card profile personalization against the original description of this
profile

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Functional tests of the cards in the network (e.g., authentication, remote SIM management,
etc.)

Compatibility tests with mobiles

Functional tests of applications loaded on the card
The existing process implies the following drawbacks:

The step of test card comparison with profile description is performed mainly manually or in
a semi-automated way due to
o variety of profile specification formats
o unavailability of supporting tools

The manual validation process

o is a risk factor leaving the room for human caused mistakes
o and takes time
Use of SIMpml optimizes Step 3 of SIM profile lifecycle management by:

Helping to automate the validation of test card against original profile description opening
the way to develop corresponding tools

Reducing the cost for custom tool developments when used

Reducing risk of errors thanks to
o common format of profile description and
o simplified test processes

Saving time in validation test card against original profile

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(SIM profile markup language)

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Main Features of SIMpml

SIMpml is a XML-based language with a dedicated structure for the handling of card information,
implementing the common standards such as ETSI, 3GPP and GlobalPlatform.
It specifies mandatory parameters and provides default field values, offering a transparent and
readable structure. SIMpml offers a mechanism to ensure the file integrity during its transfer. It
also provides the means for simple versioning management of SIM profile descriptions.

SIMPML specification Structure

Header XML Tag List / Requirements

TemplateInformation: This section describes all the attributes that will capture details
about the skeleton

SIMCardProfileReference: Customer profile reference information

CustomerSpecificRequirements: Specific customer requirements for the configuration of
the card
Body XML Tag List/Requirements

MF_DF: Definition of a MF or DF

ADF: Definition of a ADF

EF: Definition of a EF
Card Management

CHV_PUK_Settings: Defines the settings for CHV and PUK codes

PIN_PUK_Settings: Defines the settings for PIN and PUK codes
ADM_Settings: Defines the settings for ADM codes
SecurityDomain: Defines the settings of Security Domains
OTASettings: Defines the general settings used for Over the Air
Authentication: Defines the requirements needed for Authentication

OTA Access Conditions

RFMApplication: RFM applications description

RAMApplication: RAM description
Key Set Definition: Defines the settings for the Keysets Associated to an SD
Applet Configuration: Defines the applets / packages
File StructureBody: The delivered xmls have to be signed as defined in the w3 org
specifications.

Further information on restrictions and implementation tips of SIMpml can be found as

part of the SIMpml specification document

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SIMpml Tools in the Market

The SIMpml specification defines a framework for development of various types of tools covering one or
several steps of the workflow. For example:

Edition of profile description in SIMpml language (profile creation/modification/comparison/

version management is possible)

Generation of personalization software based on SIMpml profile description

Creation of sample, test, engineering, BAP, etc. cards corresponding to the SIMpml profile
description

Test of sample cards versus the SIMpml profile description

There are already some tools available on the market. The following figures present example
screenshots of the tool GUI.

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For available tools that comply with the SIMpml specification please contact the members of the
SIMalliance SIMpml working group directly!

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Conclusion
The introduction of SIMpml paves the way to a more efficient SIM profile lifecycle process
management from the profile creation until a test card is validated and approved. By reducing the
effort spent in managing sensitive information and the risk of errors SIMPpml-based tools will
significantly facilitate the technical exchanges between mobile network operators and the SIM
vendors.
The SIMalliance SIMpml Working Group is dedicated to the standardization of SIMPpml, maintaining
and constantly improving the SIMpml specification document, facilitating the interoperability of tools
based on the SIMpml standard.
SIMpml starts a new era of SIM Profile Management!

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(SIM profile markup language)

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Glossary
SIMpml

SIM Profile Markup Language

SIM

Subscriber Identity Module, any UICC based application such as SIM, USIM, ISIM, RUIM etc.

3GPP

3G Global Platform

APDU

Application Protocol Data Units

CAT_TP

Card Application Toolkit Transport Protocol

ETSI

European Telecommunications Standards Institute

HTML

Hypertext Markup Language

OP/GP

Open Platform/Global Platform

OTA

Over The Air

SD

Security Domain

SMS-CB

Short Message Service Cell Broadcast

SMS-PP

Short Message Service Point-to-Point

UXP

(U)SIM XMLProfile (now SIMpml)

XML

Extensible Markup Language

XSD

XML-Schema-Definition

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(SIM profile markup language)

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