TelecomTV TelecomTV
  • News
  • Videos
  • Channels
  • Events
  • Network Partners
  • Industry Insights
  • Directory
  • Newsletters
  • Open RAN
  • Digital Platforms and Services
  • 5G
  • Access Evolution
  • Private Networks
  • Cloud Native
  • Edge
  • Open Networking
  • Sustainability
  • AI, Analytics and Automation
  • 6G Research and Innovation
  • Security
  • More Topics
  • Network Partners
  • Industry Insights
  • Directory
  • Newsletters
  • |
  • About
  • Contact
  • |
  • Connect with us
  • 5G
  • 6G Research and Innovation
  • Access Evolution
  • AI, Analytics and Automation
  • Cloud Native
  • Digital Platforms and Services
  • Edge
  • Open Networking
  • Open RAN
  • Private Networks
  • Security
  • Sustainability
  • Connect with TelecomTV
  • About
  • Privacy
  • Help
  • Contact
  • Sign In Register Subscribe
    • Subscribe
    • Sign In
    • Register
  • Search

News

News

Surprise! the GSMA’s big Christmas present to the M2M sector

Dec 19, 2013

This is a tricky subject in the mobile world, which is why what an independent observer might expect to be an obvious move has taken to now to reach fruition. The idea of loosening their iron grip on the SIM has mobile operators in a sweat - what about security? And without a physical SIM all sorts of uncontrollable disruptive retail behaviour might break out. It’s dangerous territory.

But nevertheless the completely embedded (and therefore untouchable by human hand) SIM has long since become an obvious ‘must’ for many M2M applications and as that’s an area mobile operators desperately want to keep, the embedded SIM has arrived.

Why embedded? Many tiny sensors, for instance, must be hermetically sealed, so there’s little chance of inserting a physical SIM upon deployment. In other applications M2M units might move about and may need to be updated (after manufacture) with an appropriate service provider. And it’s not feasible to send out a man to several thousand units in the desert (say) with a screwdriver and a pack of SIM cards.

What was clearly needed was an industry-standard embedded SIM specification. The embedded ‘blank’ SIM could go in at manufacture and the service provider could then undertake remote 'over the air' provisioning and management of the units at a later date… and then change them again if necessary.

And today, that is what the GSMA has provided, with all the signs of an end-of-year deadline being met.

"The number of mobile connected devices is expected to reach 11 billion by 2020, growth that will be led predominantly by advances in the M2M market," said Alex Sinclair, Chief Technology Officer, GSMA. "This level of growth will be heavily dependent on the adoption of a common, global and interoperable SIM provisioning and management architecture that enables the M2M market to flourish. The specification released today will have a significant impact on the M2M marketplace, as it will help provide lower operational costs and drive economies of scale."

Related Topics
  • Analysis & Opinion,
  • News

More Like This

Access Evolution

What’s up with… Inmarsat & Viasat, BT, human augmentation

Aug 10, 2022

5G

Türk Telekom and KT unite for 5G R&D and content push

Aug 10, 2022

Access Evolution

Head of China’s homegrown microprocessor industry fund arrested in fraud scandal

Aug 9, 2022

Access Evolution

What’s up with… FCC, Spirent, HPE and VMware

Aug 9, 2022

5G

Eyes on the prize: BT pioneers four-carrier aggregation on a 5G standalone network

Aug 9, 2022

Email Newsletters

Stay up to date with the latest industry developments: sign up to receive TelecomTV's top news and videos plus exclusive subscriber-only content direct to your inbox – including our daily news briefing and weekly wrap.

Subscribe

Top Picks

Highlights of our content from across TelecomTV today

0:46

The Cloud Native Telco Summit returns this September!

8:32

Azita Arvani on Being a Female Leader at Rakuten Symphony

16:19

AT&T Amy Zwarico on securing telco applications in the public cloud

1:44

Join us for the greatest industry debate of the year!

TelecomTV
Company
  • About Us
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
Our Brands
  • DSP Leaders World Forum
  • Great Telco Debate
  • TelecomTV Events
Get In Touch
[email protected]
+44 (0) 207 448 1070
Connect With Us
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Terms of Use
  • Legal Notices
  • Help

TelecomTV is produced by the team at Decisive Media.

© Decisive Media Limited 2022. All rights reserved. All brands and products are the trademarks of their respective holder(s).