Interoperable, flexible mobile connectivity for IoT moves one step closer!

On June 29 and 30, COMPRION hosted an eSIM test meeting at its headquarters in Paderborn, Germany. Different server providers and eSIM manufacturers came together to find out how their products and systems interact, and to provide a proof of concept for the M2M Embedded SIM Platform Change. COMPRION was asked to provide the necessary infrastructure for these tests.

The delivery of reliable eSIM deployments requires that the user can switch between different operators. The development of the specifications for eSIM and remote SIM provisioning has taken years, and interoperability has been at the very heart of the industry wide work. This test session to evaluate interoperability is a crucial step in ensuring the words within the specifications become a reality.  In order to change the profile containing the credentials for the mobile network access, the eSIM – as the secure element – needs to have access to the different background servers (SM-SR, SM-DP).

Priyasantha Somapala, Software Project Manager at Safran Identity & Security explains, “These interoperability tests between multiple vendors have enabled us to verify how reliably the systems inter-work together. It’s great to know that all the development work achieved so far will ensure successful, interoperable commercial grade deployments.”

COMPRION provided its Network Bridge to make these tests possible. Olga Kaethler, COMPRION representative of the eSIM working group, explains, “This software enables the processing of remote administration scenarios in a lab environment”. Due to the variety of the components involved (eSIM, device, mobile network, and different servers such as MNO, SM-DP, and SM-SR), testing of eSIM provisioning and changing the operator framework are very complex.

Jens Christoph, responsible for eSIM M2M test solutions, adds, “The COMPRION Network Bridge provides a direct connection between an eSIM and a back end server without the need for a real device or a real or simulated mobile network. We reduce the test complexity significantly as it is not necessary to operate any network simulator and as there are no testing limitations of a real network, M2M device, or other disruptive factors. At the same time, the usage of COMPRION Network Bridge remains as close as possible to the real-world scenario, supporting all necessary communication protocols”.

The test session is a first important step towards the successful deployment of eSIM-based services. In a second step, testing of the interoperability between servers and the eSIM with real M2M devices in a real network is planned for the second half of the year.

 

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• eSIM
• eUICC
• M2M
• COMPRION Network Bridge
• Remote SIM Provisioning