IMT2020

Commitiee#2
SWG 3 on ITS
e-SIM remote provisioning echo system –
MNO Technical Review

Elrashid Ibrahim
elrashid.ibrahim@du.ae
Director Digital Enablement & IOT Planning
Tel: +971554972579
 Outline

v Introduction.
v Traditional SIM Card Role.
v GSMA eSIM Remote Provisioning Architecture
(Simplified).
v eSIM M2M Use Case
v eSIM Consumer Use Case
v eSIM Implementation Options
v eSIM Implementation Options comparison.
 Introduction
An embedded SIM has the same functionality as a normal removable SIM card
but is of a small form factor and design as a chip to be soldered within the
equipment.
The concept started from M2M devices and is now moving gradually to
consumer devices.
Challenge:
The SIM card is soldered into the device and can’t be easily changed and
customer needs a way to move his subscription to another operator.

Solution:
GSMA addressed this with a specification for embedded SIM card remote
provisioning of SIM card operator profiles, for consumer & enterprise

This presentation provide further technical dive

in eSIM deployment with governance
consideration.
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Traditional SIM Card Role

Traditional plastic SIM card is small computer

with the below main functions:

1- Mobile Network Authentication & Traffic

Ciphering: as it stores the Authentication and
Ciphering keys.

2- Storage for file system & different file categories

such as :
• SIM Content Browser Files
• Telecom Files: Phonebook (1000 entries), SMS (100 entries).
• 2G Files
• 3G Files

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GSMA Specifications Status

Source: Gemalto
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M2M Embedded SIM
 GSMA eSIM Remote Provisioning Architecture
(Simplified)
• Storage of profiles generated by • Download and manage profiles
eSIM manufacturer. on eSIM through Profile DB and
eSIM Profile secure routing
• Profile Management: secure
profile installation on eSIM.
DB (SM-DP) • Update profiles using OTA
• SM-DP is generally owned by the
MNO (hosted anywhere)

Network
operators
eSIM Secure
Routing

• Supplier of eUICC
• Generation of MNO profiles
• Secure communication with eSIM for
eSIM eSIM Subscription
manufacturer Management purpose.
• Profile Management (profile download) form DB
• Platform Management: enable, disable and
delete
Off-card interface
profiles on the eSIM in accordance with the MNO’s
eSIM interface Policy Rules
• SM-SR is generally owned by the OEM (Samsung,
Toyota, BMW etc.)

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M2M Embedded SIM Provisioning Flow

• OEM generally partner with an MNO

1 • An MNO bootstrap profile is loaded in the eUICC

• The eUICC connects to the network using the bootstrap profile

(connects to SM-Secure Routing Node (SR)).
2

• Upon connection to the network, the bootstrap MNO chooses to

download & activate a local MNO profile on the SIM through the
eSIM Profile DB (SM-DP). The SM-SR chooses the SM-DP to get the
3 profile from.

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Consumer Embedded SIM
GSMA eSIM Remote Provisioning Architecture
(Consumer)
• Storage of profiles generated by
eSIM manufacturer.
• Profile Management: secure • Download and manage profiles
profile installation on eSIM. on eSIM through Profile DB and
• Secure Download of the project secure routing
on the eSIM eSIM Profile • Update profiles using OTA
• SM-DP+ generallly owned by the DB (SM-DP+)
MNO (hosted anywhere)

• Responsible for guiding Network

LPA (Device)to the operators
correct eSIM Profile DB
(SM-DP+)
SM-Discovery
• SM-DS is planned to be Server (DS)
owned by GSMA (hosted
anywhere)
Device
• Supplier of eUICC
• Generation of MNO profiles
LPA End
User
eSIM
manufacturer eSIM

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e-SIM Interoperability Testing

Currently most e-SIM vendors are involved in the GSMA compatibility lab tests for e-SIM
for the interworking between different e-SIM vendors and Profile DB.

This means that vendors will create their profiles in a standard way and then can load
them on any Profile DB (SM-DP+) platform to be downloaded & provisioned on any e-SIM
device.

SIM alliance have also released a specification for profile interoperability where each
eUICC contains a profile package interpreter to create the profile within the SIM.

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Implementation Options
GSMA M2M/Consumer Architecture Facts

vAccording to GSMA standard e-UICC architecture for

M2M and Consumer only IMSI ICCID / Keys, are stored
on the SM-DP & SM-DP+, in the normal SIM scenario
the information is also shared with the Vendor.

v No customer related information will be stored in the

Profile DB.

vGSMA specifies SM-DP for M2M Scenarios & SM-DP+

for Consumer Scenarios. As per discussion with eSIM
vendors, these are two separate nodes (not converged
currently)

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Thank You

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