Mobile Industry Backs GSMA Embedded SIM Specification to Benefit from US$1.1 Trillion Internet of Things Opportunity

Indosat, Tele2 and Telefónica | Vivo Become Latest Operators to Release Commercial Solutions; 75 Per Cent of Global M2M Connections Serviced by GSMA Embedded SIM Specification.

The GSMA today announced that Indosat, Tele2 and Telefónica | Vivo are the latest mobile operators to launch commercial solutions based on the GSMA Embedded SIM Specification for the remote over-the-air provisioning of machine-to-machine (M2M) devices such as smart meters or connected cars.

The Embedded SIM Specification is now backed by 23 mobile operators, including members of the Global M2M Association (GMA) and the M2M World Alliance, and 11 operators worldwide have launched commercial solutions.¹ The adoption of a single, common and interoperable specification will reduce fragmentation and help the industry to take advantage of the fast-growing Internet of Things market, estimated to be worth US$1.1 trillion by 2020².

Alex Sinclair, Acting Director General and Chief Technology Officer, GSMA, said:

“It is clear that the industry is united behind this global standard which allows mobile operators to provide scalable, reliable and secure connectivity for a range of diverse services such as smart meters, traffic lights and home security, among many others.”

“With commercial solutions already available today, we encourage additional operators and ecosystem players to adopt the specification in order to capitalise on the tremendous market opportunity enabled by the IoT.”

GSMA Intelligence research highlights that nearly 75 per cent³ of global M2M connections are now serviced by mobile operators that are deploying or are committed to the GSMA solution, underscoring the momentum behind the specification. Analyst firm Machina Research has also published research confirming that embedded SIM connections will account for 25 per cent of the embedded share of gross cellular additions by 20204.

Profile Interoperability and Updated Test Specifications

The latest release of the GSMA Embedded SIM Specification includes a feature called ‘Profile Interoperability’, which enables an operator to create a SIM Profile which can then be downloaded to any compliant eUICC regardless of the manufacturer. This feature will allow operators to easily connect a greater number of M2M devices, opening up the market, reducing fragmentation and providing additional commercial flexibility for original equipment manufacturers and M2M service providers. The GSMA has also released new test specifications to give assurance that products have the correct security levels and are compliant with the GSMA Embedded SIM Specification.

For more information on the GSMA’s Embedded SIM please go to: http://www.gsma.com/connectedliving/connected-living-mobilising-the-internet-of-things/.