INTELLIGENT MOBILE TECHNOLOGY
Sherry Zameer is Senior Vice President IoT
Solution for the CISMEA region at Gemalto.
the device. It offers new features that are
useful for everyday consumers and allows
devices and machines in industries like
automotive and wearables to connect to
the internet through the mobile device.
The embedded SIM is crucial to
unleashing the connected devices market
and will be mandatory for some new
devices, for example a car, which might
stay active for a very long time and change
users repeatedly in its lifetime. In addition,
a soldered eSIM allows manufacturers
to protect it against things like dust
and water, making it more robust and
resistant, and in devices such as a smart
watch it allows for more space, meaning
devices can become smaller and smarter,
and improve things like battery life.
The eSIM is very smart and allows
an end-user to change their mobile
operator through a simple download. So,
if a contract on one network is finishing,
and they would like to swap to a new
operator for a better deal, they could do so
themselves, without visiting the operator’s
shop. No more swapping SIM cards!
For various industrial sectors, this is
very useful, as it is possible to put the
eSIM in a machine, and protect it from
heat or being bashed about by soldering
it to the other computer chips. Then the
owner can update his or her settings
remotely, saving time swapping the
cards, and ensuring that the SIM cannot
be damaged.
The opportunities presented by eSIMs
are huge for consumer electronics, mobile
network operators, automotive companies
and industrials, and provide the key to
unlocking the Internet of Things.
On-demand connectivity means that
the mobile device ecosystem is no longer
limited to mobile phones. It opens new
possibilities and allows OEMs to develop
new user experiences. It allows operators
to diversify connectivity services, expand
into connected cars, industrial routers,
drones and wearables, all of which can be
powered by cellular connectivity under a
single contract.
Enabling a streamlined journey across
multiple touch points, the eSIM allows
customers to flit between devices on-the-
go, providing a seamless experience of
consumer technologies.
Connected cars will become
commonplace on the roads within the
Enabling a
streamlined
journey across
multiple touch
points, the
eSIM allows
customers to
flit between
devices on-the-
go, providing
a seamless
experience
of consumer
technologies.
next ten years, with the driver’s role
becoming less and less important, as more
autonomous features are built in. However,
the progress of self-driving cars relies on
the provision of seamless connectivity.
With on-demand connectivity,
wearables are going to be more powerful
in the future, thanks to embedded
SIMs and remote SIM provisioning.
For instance, watching television on a
smartwatch could become commonplace,
as could making a phone call via
connected jewellery. Users will be able
to connect and make calls or access
Internet services with their portable
devices without having to take their
smartphone with them, or committing
to multiple monthly subscriptions with a
connectivity provider.
Pairing eSIMs with the on-demand
connectivity solution eliminates logistical
challenges of provisioning online
connectivity in different territories for
IoT device makers and service providers.
For example, through the remote
subscription management, users can
easily connect to any Bridge Alliance
Member Operator’s network, allowing
them to immediately access Internet with
their devices, and manage their mobile
subscriptions with ease.
Bridge Alliance is a partnership of 34
mobile network operators in Asia Pacific,
Middle East and Africa representing
over 800 million customers and mobile
operators, to supply its on-demand
connectivity solution.
On-demand connectivity and
embedded SIMs will be crucial in
powering the connected world of the
future, although it is important the right
standards are in place to be able to bring
a seamless connectivity experience to the
end consumer.
The possibilities being created by
the IoT seem endless, with on-demand
connectivity providing the key, and it is set
to have an enormous impact on our lives
over the next few years. It is an exciting
time – technology can transform the world
as we know it, creating new opportunities,
and making our lives more convenient
than ever before.
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