What is Over-the-Air (OTA) provisioning?

OTA stands for Over-the-Air provisioning. OTAs are becoming increasingly popular as more devices are connected to the internet than ever before. OTA updates are a great way to keep your device up to date with the latest features and security fixes when using a cloud service.

OTA updates allow users to update their devices without having to go through a third party, such as a carrier or manufacturer. These updates are usually much smaller than full firmware updates, so they can be downloaded and installed much faster. They also don’t require any special tools or knowledge to install, so anyone can do it.

Over-the-Air updates, are a way to update your devices without having to remove them from being in action or take them offline for a long period of time to physically update. Here’s how it works if it’s managed by the manufacturer:

1. When a device is connected to the internet, it will check for any available updates. Once an update is found, the device will download it and install it automatically.
2. OTA updates can be used for updating different software aspects of an item, this could be system, application or even security.
3. When the device identifies an update it is eligible for it can download it automatically. Or, you can grant it permission to download to either install immediately or at a time convenient for you.
4. These updates are not invasive at all. Without being told they are happening, the operator could be completely unaware of any downtime due to the installation.
5. If an OTA update is available, it’s usually recommended to install it at your early convenience but if you’ve got any concerns, then always check the update notes.

If you’re managing your own updates, then you can simply follow the steps to interact with your devices over-the-air, without the worry of having to be physically next to your devices.

As the world increasingly moves toward a digital future, more and more companies are using OTA updates to keep their products up to date. OTA updates provide many benefits, including the ability to remotely update software and firmware, fix bugs, and add new features.

Over-the-Air updates can also help improve customer satisfaction by ensuring that products are always up to date and running smoothly. In addition, OTA updates can help reduce support costs by allowing companies to fix problems quickly and easily, without having to send out replacement products or parts.

There are numerous companies that use OTA updates, including Google, Samsung, LG, HTC, Motorola, Huawei, Sony, and others. Many of these companies have been using OTA updates for years, and they have found them to be an essential part of keeping their products up to date.

In most circumstances the answer is yes, because if you can upgrade or manage your devices remotely it will save you time, cost and effort in the future.

This is also known as Over-the-Air service provisioning. Our eUICC SIMs can host multiple profiles at the same time. This means you can deploy these with an initial profile at the start and then use OTA provisioning to adjust it to an alternate one to suits your needs. This saves you the headache of having to find your needs in advance of deployment and create an opportunity for user error.

There are numerous companies that use OTA updates, including Google, Samsung, LG, HTC, Motorola, Huawei, Sony, and others. Many of these companies have been using OTA updates for years, and they have found them to be an essential part of keeping their products up to date.

If you’re appreciating the benefits of OTA updates in other areas of your life, and you’re looking to enjoy Over-the-Air updates with your IoT and M2M SIM deployments, then get in touch for a free consultation.