What is remote SIM provisioning (RSP)?

Remote SIM provisioning is the process of remotely managing SIM profiles on the embedded SIM cards within your portable devices or machines. It is a specification that was released by the GSMA (Global System for Mobile Communications Association) in 2016. The GSMA are an organisation that represent the interests of mobile operators all around the world.

The benefit of remote SIM provisioning is that it allows consumers and end-users to activate and switch between SIM profiles OTA (over-the-air) as and when their requirements change. There are currently two different solutions when it comes to remote SIM provisioning; the M2M solution and the consumer solution…

The M2M solution

The M2M solution was developed for the B2B market where end-user interaction is not required. It follows a push model, enabling the remote provisioning and management of SIM profiles. Remote SIM provisioning in M2M is made up of three main elements:

Subscription Manager – Data Preparation (SM-DP)

The SM-DP is responsible for protecting, preparing and storing SIM profiles. It is also responsible for downloading and installing SIM profiles onto your eUICC SIM card.

Subscription Manager – Secure Routing (SM-SR)

The SM-SR is responsible for disabling, enabling and deleting SIM profiles that are stored on the eUICC. It also ensures that the communication link between the eUICC and the SM-DP is secure for the safe delivery of SIM profiles.

Embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC)

An eUICC (embedded universal integrated circuit card) is the secure element that contains one or more SIM profiles. The eUICC operates in the same way as a traditional SIM card and can be deployed in any form factor, even as an embedded SIM.

Some of the main industries that the M2M solution was developed for are healthcare, utilities, transport and automotive.

The consumer solution

Although the consumer solution was developed using the M2M solution as a starting platform, it follows a client driven model that focusses on end-user managed devices. In the consumer solution, end-users are responsible for managing their own connectivity via the UI on their mobile devices. There are four key elements that enable remote SIM provisioning in a consumer environment:

Subscription Manager – Data Preparation (SM-DP+)

The SM-DP+ is responsible for creating, downloading, remotely managing, and protecting SIM profiles. The “+” indicates that it plays both the SM-DP and the SM-SR roles of the M2M solution.

Local Profile Assistant (LPA)

The LPA is a collection of functions that allow encrypted profiles to be downloaded to the eUICC. This includes an end user interface that enables end users to manage their SIM profiles.

Embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC)

The eUICC plays the same important role in the consumer solution as it does in the M2M solution. However, it is implemented slightly differently to support end user interaction.

Subscription Manager – Discovery Server (SM-DS)

Without knowing what network a device is connected to, the SM-DS helps the SM-DP+ to contact the eUICC. This is important as devices are able to connect using different access networks. The SM-DS also notifies the LPA when a SIM profile is available and ready to download to the eUICC.

What are the key benefits of remote SIM provisioning?

Mobile network choice

With remote SIM provisioning, end users and businesses can switch between SIM profiles from a wide range of mobile network operators. This is helpful when it comes to moving geographic locations as you can ensure that your devices connect via an eUICC subscription profile for a network that is local to the country your devices are located in, preventing costly roaming charges.

M2M simplicity

Unlike the consumer solution, remote SIM provisioning in M2M doesn’t require manual involvement to change subscription profiles. This over the air (OTA) functionality is a huge benefit when changing subscription profiles on devices that may be inaccessible without costly engineer callouts, such as electric and gas meters.

Encourage development

The popular use of OTA (over the air) solutions has encouraged development in these areas. We’re seeing more and more technologies adopt remote SIM provisioning to enable the seamless remote management and automation of business IoT solutions.

Framework for compliance

To maintain security standards and compliance, the GSMA created a compliance framework that must be followed with all subscription management products, including eSIM and eUICC. This not only ensures the security of your connectivity, it also makes sure that interoperability is functional between your devices.

Where is remote SIM provisioning used?

Remote SIM provisioning is used in almost every industry. From agriculture to energy, there is a plethora of innovations based around the remote provisioning of SIM cards.

Energy

Remote SIM provisioning is helping energy companies cut their costs. By deploying eSIM enabled devices, energy providers are no longer required to invest in building expensive network infrastructure at every site. The connectivity is scalable, meaning energy providers can utilise the benefits of real-time data generation and pass this onto the customer. For example, real-time billing.

Automotive

With remote SIM provisioning, auto manufacturers and fleet managers can switch between network providers on the eSIMs fitted in their vehicles, without having to take their vehicles off the road. The rising popularity of vehicle-to-everything applications has pushed auto manufacturers to install eSIMs in their products to ease the buying, selling, registering and deregistering of vehicles and services.

Agriculture

Due to the widespread nature of corporate farming, it can be hard to keep everything centralised. Remote SIM provisioning and over the air configuration allows businesses to deploy eUICC enabled devices and alter the network provider to the strongest network operator in their area.

Delivery

Tracking items can be simplified with the use of RSP (remote SIM provisioning). This is especially useful when it comes to international deliveries as companies can change SIM profiles depending on the location of their drivers. This will make sure that there’s coverage no matter which country a package is in, and costly roaming charges are avoided.

Logistics

When you’re shipping goods around the globe, it’s important to know their exact location at all times. By using eUICC devices on ships sailing around the world, companies can keep track of where their goods are being transported to. Due to coverage issues in remote locations, RSP makes switching networks for a stronger signal a simple task.

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