SIM

Applications

The benefits for wireless

application providers,
operators and users

A Gemplus Paper
October 2004
 Table of contents

1. Introduction ..............................................................................................3
2. Applications for Daily Life............................................................................3
3. Evolution of the SIM...................................................................................4
4. The Wireless Eco-System............................................................................5
5. Opening the SIM to Independent Developers ...............................................6
6. A Helping Hand for Application Providers......................................................6
7. Conclusion.................................................................................................8

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1. Introduction

Did you know that more than one need to run on all handsets, that help
billion people in the world have a optimize operators’ network usage or that
standardized computing platform in require a certain level of confidentiality or
their hands where applications and security. From basic SIM Toolkit (STK)
data can be stored? menus that dramatically increase the
This is the SIM card and there is one in visibility and uptake of mobile services, to
the hands of every GSM and 3G more sophisticated Java applications that
subscriber, making this an interesting leverage key SIM assets, innovative value-
device for mobile application developers added solutions help drive mobile
wanting to target these subscribers. operators revenue and generate
Mobile devices offer greater memory competitive differentiation.
space and computing power but the SIM is
the ideal platform for applications that

2. Applications for Daily Life

Daniel Mendoza lives in Barcelona, Spain through the list to get the exact location
and works as a sales representative in a or the type of additional services available.
large pharmaceutical company. He uses Daniel can also access some of the
his GSM phone to stay in touch with his enterprise resources he usually gets
customers, colleagues and family. Daniel’s through his company Intranet . This could
phone is a very basic one – not one of be the list and phone numbers of other
those new fancy phones with a camera, employees, prices of new products or their
MMS or Internet connection – but even availability.
still, he is a very heavy data user thanks to
all the applications available from his While traveling abroad, Daniel’s phone
mobile phone menu. This menu – actually always selects a roaming network that has
stored on the SIM and managed by the special agreements with his home
mobile operator – gives him the possibility operator; this allows him not only to
to immediately access weather forecasts, benefit from the best tariffs but also to
traffic information and all kind of useful access the same services as at home. His
data to optimize his time while on the mobile operator has recently introduced a
road. very convenient service; when Daniel
switches on his phone after a meeting, a
The instant messaging application stored message is displayed on the phone screen,
in the SIM enables Daniel to stay in touch showing the list of people, who tried to
with his friends and children. In fact, he call him while his phone was off. Daniel
can see when his relatives are on-line in can then browse through the list and call
front of their PC and can start sending back any of the people he wishes to.
them messages using his phone.
Few people know it is the SIM, which
One of the most useful services helps him makes these services possible. For
to locate petrol stations while he is on the the end-user it is a transparent
road. With one click on the phone, he can technology something that creates
access the list of petrol stations located in maximum impact with minimum
the area where he is and can then scroll fuss. It simplifies the user interface

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and is available on all handsets powerful platform to develop and
regardless of brand, age or available host mobile applications such as the
features. ones described above.
The rest of this document explains in
more detail how the SIM is used as a

3. Evolution of the SIM

The GSM standard defined in the similarly on all handsets and all
early 90s established the SIM networks without having to worry
(Subscriber Identity Module) as the about difference between these
physical identity of a subscription environments. The capacity and
and the platform to perform network power of the SIM are still limited. Its
authentication. Users subscribe to a power cannot be compared to the
wireless service through a mobile power of handsets and its memory –
operator and receive a SIM which 128KB to 256 KB currently - cannot
embodies their subscription. The SIM be compared to that of the phone or
represents the physical relationship a flash memory card. The SIM is
between a subscriber and a network therefore not the ideal solution for all
operator. By typing a PIN on the wireless applications but it should be
handset, subscribers identify seriously considered in the following
themselves to the SIM and cases:
subsequently the network. This • Applications that help mobile
ensures that they are who they claim operators to optimize their
to be and are subsequently enhancement in networks. It is
authorized to access the network. difficult for mobile operators to install
From this authentication function, or download such applications to
mobile operators have quickly mobile phones. Since operators own
understood that the SIM can be a the SIM, it is easy for them to have
powerful way for them to manage the applications of their choice loaded
the relationship with their onto the card and administer them at
subscribers. Mobile operators can will.
program the SIM card with the • In the same spirit, mobile operators
applications of their choice and can ensure that their applications or
therefore propose a unified customer services gain good visibility with
experience to their subscribers their subscribers if it is placed on
whatever the handset. Mobile their SIM menu. Mobile operators
operators control and manage the can remotely manage their SIM
SIM and can therefore promote the menus and decide which services
services they want to their they want to highlight, at which time
subscribers. They can even use the and to which subscribers. Conversely,
SIM to monitor certain parameters the network operator has much less
related to subscribers’ behavior, control over the services provided by
handset configuration or network the handset itself.
performance, and take the necessary • Applications that require security.
actions to optimize the network use The SIM is a secure element in the
in real-time. handset and can securely store
certain parameters, such as
For application providers, the SIM
subscribers’ personal information or
represents the ideal platform to
authentication keys. It is also capable
develop an application that will run
to verify a PIN, generate a signature

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 or encrypt data, useful for confidentiality or close management
applications such as mobile banking. by the operator. The standardization
• -Applications that require a unified of the communication between Java
customer experience such as pop- applications on the phone and on the
up menus on which subscribers will SIM allows such an architecture.
have to react and that can have In summary, there are clear
different behavior on different advantages for using the SIM for
handsets. On the SIM, the user wireless applications. Moreover the
experience will be unique and the standardization of this platform
messages displayed to subscribers through the use of Java SIMs and
will always be consistent. Dynamic SIM Toolkit (D-STK)
engines makes it very attractive for
Another way of using the SIM is to
developers, who do not need to
share an application between the
master a new developing
handset and the SIM. The mobile environment but can leverage their
hosts the part of the application experience in Java or WML
calling for power and memory, and
languages.
the SIM manages the part of the
application requiring security,

4. The Wireless Eco-System

As we have seen before, mobile various handsets. Indeed SIM menus
operators own and manage the SIM & settings can greatly enhance the
and it is very much linked to their end-user experience. This is because
strategy of keeping a predominant they are present in every handset,
role in the mobile environment. offer a uniform interface and can be
Many other service providers would remotely updated.
like to capture this preferential • Service adoption: mobile services
relationship with users in order to are now widely available but it is
deliver mobile services directly. The sometimes difficult to ensure that
main constraints operators have to subscribers are aware of them. Mobile
face if they want to remain the operators can highlight the services
principal wireless service provider that best fit each subscriber’s needs
are: via the SIM without bombarding them
with unnecessary direct mail or SMS.
• Brand management: for
Experience shows the adoption rate
subscribers using services on their
of services present on the SIM is
handsets there is a huge risk that at
usually 5 to 10 times higher than
some point they may become more
pure SMS services.
loyal to their service providers
(games, news, ring tones or • Managing complexity: mobile
multimedia aggregators) rather than handsets are becoming more and
their mobile operator. If the only more sophisticated to enable access
brands subscribers see during their to services such as MMS, email, WAP
mobile experience are the handset etc. However, many users still find
suppliers’ and those of the major many of these handsets and services
service providers’, they will only too complicated to use and therefore
associate their network operator with do not make the most of the
the bill they receive at the end of the technology on offer. The SIM
month. The SIM is a good means to provides an easy way to reduce this
overcome this problem and deliver complexity by automating device
the user experience the way the configuration and then access to new
operator wants, at a limited cost, on services on offer.

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5. Opening the SIM to Independent Developers

The handset is a well-known platform is the time to fill them with creative
for data services as seen by the ideas from application providers.
proliferation of Java developers Application providers know their
taking an interest in building market very well. They are
applications for this device. However, innovative and have precisely
the SIM which is also a Java-based identified what they need to best
device (Java Card) offers great serve their customers.. The SIM
potential as a platform for getting brings more value to their clients
applications to the end-user and while adding security, rights
securing those run elsewhere. management and removing certain
Compared to the handset few people limitations introduced by handset-
have realized the power of this small, based applications.
standardized computer inside the Over-the-air (OTA) management of
mobile phone and it is time that the SIM, dynamic SIM tool kit
more and more wireless application platforms and OTA device
developers discovered its potential. management have made SIM and
So far many SIM applications have service lifecycle management a
been custom built for operators by reality. With more and more
the SIM suppliers themselves but as applications on the SIM, it becomes
with the maturity of Java Card and vital for our customers and our
SIM browsing technology there are partners to access easily the handset
no longer any barriers to opening and SIM to update the applications or
this SIM development environment communicate with it in real-time. The
to as many application developers as SIM has to serve a purpose; it is a
possible. SIM manufacturers have tool for application providers to
realized that they must focus on the increase the performance of their
SIM and its management applications but the starting point
infrastructure and personalization has to be the business value that
services leaving the content and such application will provide to
application side to specialized mobile operators and to consumers.
developers. The card now offers
increased computing power and
extra space for applications and now

6. A Helping Hand for Application Providers

Gemplus’ SIM’Xplore wireless partner SIM platform and best practices from
program aims to ease the usage of deployments with our network
the SIM for application providers and operator customers.
subsequently facilitate the - Development support: access to
deployment of such applications the technology is now easier thanks
through mobile operators. to software development kits and the
Facilitating SIM use use of standards such as Java or
- Communication: sharing WML languages. There is no need for
information on developing on the application developers to acquire
specific knowledge on card

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development if they are already Facilitate the deployment of
familiar with the development of Java applications by mobile operators
or WAP applications. Gemplus makes When evaluating a wireless service,
life even easier by running training mobile operators assess the potential
sessions to optimize the return on investment and how easily
development of SIM applications the service can be deployed.
Once the training is over Gemplus Gemplus SIM’Xplore partners have
maintains a tight relationship with the best knowledge on how to sell
companies developing SIM their applications and they are
applications to give them the usually in direct contact with the
necessary support and advice on decision makers in mobile operators
application development. All Gemplus organizations. On its side Gemplus is
regional offices offer such support in best placed in the SIM department
order to fit to local market and therefore in a position to support
requirements and to be reactive. the sales and technical effort needed
- Applications qualification: once to ensure the project advances
SIM applications have been smoothly. This allows a fast
developed, Gemplus can qualify implementation on the SIM side and
them to ensure they work on Gemplus keeps its role of integrating
Gemplus SIMs and are interoperable. partners’ applications in each card
We believe that this type of profile that is specific to the mobile
qualification is beneficial for both our operator. This is done in a faster and
partners and our customers. It gives more efficient way, as Gemplus has
more credibility to our partners’ SIM already qualified each application.
applications, and gives mobile As stated before, Gemplus strategy
operators the peace of mind that the is to focus on the infrastructure, the
leading SIM vendor has certified the SIM platform itself and the
application. infrastructure to manage the SIM.
- Use of standards: the Gemplus Gemplus does not intend to be
SIM’Xplore program is also a way to heavily involved in SIM applications
reinforce the use of the standards development but wants to provide
defined between mobile operators, the most efficient platform to allow
SIM vendors and handset application providers to develop their
manufacturers. Gemplus is very own SIM applications. However,
conscious that the SIM will only be Gemplus is in a position to present a
widely adopted as a development catalog of applications to its
platform if applications can run on all customers, with a first level
and if they are based on industry description of its partners’
standards. There should be no applications and give visibility to
restrictions to the development of such applications through trade
SIM applications and this can only be shows, web sites and publications.
done by using standards, based on This is another value brought by the
public specifications and with free SIM’Xplore program to Gemplus
access to the technology. partners and the SIM’Xplore team is
also heavily involved when it comes
to presenting an application to
Gemplus customers.

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7. Conclusion

There are clear advantages for application services by consumers will be simplified.
providers to use the SIM to host part or all Gemplus aims to ease the access to SIM
of their client application. Gemplus is fully technology and to provide the best
committed to support application providers support and infrastructure to application
in such an initiative and the benefits for providers. To do so, Gemplus benefits
mobile operators are obvious: more from the growth of the SIM market, both
applications distributed through the SIM in number of SIMs and in the size of the
will provide a better control for operators SIM.
on the services offered to their subscribers The SIM’Xplore partners program has the
and therefore more control over the objective to sustain this growth by
revenue generated through such services. facilitating the deployment of partners’
The brand of mobile operators will be applications to Gemplus customers.
strengthened and adoption of new

About Gemplus

Gemplus International S.A. (Euronext: LU0121706294 -- GEM) and (Nasdaq:GEMP) is the

world's leading player in the smart card industry in both revenue and total shipments (source:
Gartner-Dataquest (2003); Frost & Sullivan, Datamonitor.) It has the largest R&D team,
unrivalled experience and an outstanding track record of technological innovation.

Gemplus offers an exceptional range of portable, personalized solutions that bring security
and convenience to people's lives. These include Mobile Telecommunications, Public
Telephony, Banking, Retail, Transport, Identity, WLAN, Pay-TV, e-government, access control
and a wealth of other applications.

Gemplus' revenue in 2003 was 749 million Euros.

Contacts

Bertrand Michaux – Director Value-Added Solutions - Gemplus

Email: [email protected]
Phone - +33 442 36 5000
Gemplus: beyond smart
www.gemplus.com

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