The SIM has come a long way in three decades. After widespread adoption around the world, it is now evolving to a more functional format better suited to fast-developing internet of things (IoT) use cases. Its latest iteration, as an application running on eUICC-capable cards, delivers a range of benefits and opens up powerful use cases for IoT operators.

This white paper explores those benefits, along with the evolution of this technology and where it is headed next.

eUICC technology (the ‘e’ stands for embedded) evolved to solve these problems. It is a new form of UICC that can hold multiple carrier profiles adhering to a set standard. A service provider can provision and update the onboard information securely over the air (OTA). That makes it possible to update the SIM profile (including carrier connectivity and authentication information, configuration, and application data) over the network, eliminating the need for truck rolls or device returns when the customer needs to access a different network. It can also be used to address the complexity of permanent roaming restrictions loading a SIM profile from local operator.