Technologies of virtual SIM cards

Imperceptible revolution in GSM

In 2014 GSM association which includes more than 800 operators worldwide developed the uniform standard of management of the built-in sim cards (eUICC) and updates of profiles of sim cards "by air" ('over-the-air'). Such decision under the name Remote SIM Provisioning was made because of understanding by operators of the fact of explosive growth of the devices connected to the Internet and development of concepts of M2M and iOT. In what revolution? Actually and in transition within the closest several years of producers of smatrfon from "classical" SIM cards on virtual.

Imagine that in your smartphone the application in which there are all operators working in Russia, both all their tariff offers and century is installed. You can replace one click, or a rate and/, or the operator. The same scenario waits for you at trip abroad — you come, for example, to Prague and see in the application of all operators working locally in the Czech Republic. You are completely free in the choice of the operator and a local tariff plan. There is a logical question — why the community of operators itself dug out to itself such "hole" of risks of transition of the client at any time to the competitor? The answer is simple — the number of the devices connected using classical cards is limited, inconveniently, and costly, and use of chipsets of the built-in SIM chips (virtual/hybrid this) in devices is boundless. In this case understanding of the horizons of development by operators and perspectives won against the risks connected with a possibility of leaving of the client from the operator.

What is the virtual/hybrid SIM card?

Basic function of the classical SIM card — storage of the identification information about the owner that allows the subscriber easily and quickly to change cellular devices, without changing at the same time the account (account), and having just rearranged the SIM card in other phone. Virtual Virtual SIM or can be tied to some specific device in the form of the built-in SIM chip on which at any time it is possible to fill in a profile of the local operator. if it is executed in the form of a chipset or the alternative option is what the form factor with one indisputable advantage does not differ from "classical" in — the account can be uploaded in a few minutes or selected other preset operator and the tariff plan can be changed in a few minutes. The hybrid card in our understanding — the card with several preset profiles selected from the application and a possibility of refilling of a profile at any time. The difference in terms virtual and hybrid is not obvious and yet there are no settled-down determinations, but the vector is set also by it and we will operate.

How does it work?

Scenario 1

House. The virtual SIM card or chipsetvstroyen the SIM chip can be installed in any wearable device. The choice of the operator to be made by the user from the application. For security profiles of operators are stored on the certified platforms of world famous producers of sim cards. In a profile can be filled in (to be selected from the application) Sim cards of any operator who implemented a possibility of transfer independently or made the decision to work with the independent supplier of the SIM profiles from a cloud.

The uniform aggregator which signed distributor contracts with the chief local mobile operators creates market place of local tariff plans. It looks similar to the choice of a sim card in universal cellular shops like Euroset or Svyaznoy with the only difference: the subscriber does not need to go to physical shop, and it is enough to select the necessary operator and a tariff plan directly from mobile application.

Receiving service from a cloud of the independent supplier — the supplier aggregates profiles of virtual sim cards and the user selects the necessary operator and a rate from the application. The supplier turns into a market plays rates of operators.

Receiving service from mobile operator — the producer pre-installs the application at the choice of a rate for the smartphone and the user selects a necessary rate from the application. The operator should have own implementation of Remote SIM Provisioning technology (remote loading of the SIM cards profiles on the smartphone). The option of downloading of the application by the user is possible, i.e. the application is not preset by the producer.

Scenario 2

Roaming. This scenario is similar to the first, but the speech in it goes about providing profiles from a "independent" cloud "native" imarket place with rates of local operators or regional branches of one operators. The account at such scenario changes on local and on house at return to the home region. The subscriber in this case purchases one of local rates with local number. Calls on the home phone number are implemented according to the following scheme

• The user from the home SIM card does unconditional forwarding on the virtual home phone number (DID)
• From the application the binding of the home phone number of the user and local number is carried out
• All calls arriving on the home SIM card will be readdressed on house Didvirtualny number which then redirects redirected them on VoIP on local number of the user.

Implementation on the party of the operator

Indisputable advantage which is got by operators from use of Remote SIM Provisioning is put in the name of technology and does not require explanations. For business of the operator in spite of the fact that operators have risks of churn raterosta of outflow of subscribers, virtualization gives indisputable business benefits:

• cost reduction on logistics of SIM to of course client — the SIM card is already preset in the wearable device.
• to increased security — the SIM card to become the operator managed remotely from own cloud or from a cloud of the independent supplier.
• Sales of SIM via smartphones and market place of independent suppliers of distributors worldwide profiles (a cloud of virtual SIM)

The foundation of transition on hybrid virtual is already laid for these - in October, 2014 the Apple company made the statement for the beginning of use in new iPad Air tablets of 2 built-in sim cards with a possibility of change of several cellular an operatorovra. The idea of innovation came down to the fact that users of iPad will be able to select from the application of the optimal operator from a zone of finding of the subscriber. So far an opportunity extends to the United States and Great Britain. Actually declared to Apple the beginning of an era of bezroumingovy communication, and similar solutions will become a trend in mobile communication in 2015.

Independent cloud of profiles of virtual SIM

Основная статья: ComfortWay