What’s The Difference Between SIM, eSIM, iSIM?
Comparing SIM vs. eSIM vs. iSIM
The SIM card is a small, detachable piece of silicon and copper enclosed in plastic that was first introduced in the early 90s. Mobile phones and other devices authenticate on a network and identify themselves as distinct using SIM cards. Nobody thinks of SIMs as glamorous or cutting-edge technology; they are clumsy plastic rectangles that must be carefully procured and juggled to be ejected.
However, in a world of increasingly connected people, devices, and machines, SIM technology has become crucial. There have been two advances in recent years to consider: embedded SIMs (eSIMs) and integrated SIMs (iSIMs).
The Standard SIM Card
The standard traditional SIM is a detachable card available in different sizes. They evolved into new form factors required to accommodate smaller devices after being initially designed for the consumer mobile phone market. For consumer applications and some IoT cases, they are simple and practical, but for most large-scale device deployments, they can pose reliability and security problems. IoT managers must, therefore, constantly monitor their devices’ SIM cards to prevent them from being taken out and put in new devices, which can be very expensive in large-scale IoT deployments.
What are eSIMS?
In contrast to a physical SIM, an embedded SIM (eSIM) is permanently attached to a device instead of being removable. It uses over-the-air, remote SIM provisioning solutions (RSP) to allow authorized users to access and update multiple profiles. Therefore, devices can be switched to the appropriate regional connectivity provider profile when deployed or moved. These embedded cards also only occupy about half the space of a nano SIM card, and as a result, device manufacturers can design their products more creatively and lower their production costs. Moreover, an eSIM cannot fall off and be tampered with or stolen, unlike the traditional removable SIM cards.
What are iSIMs?
The integrated SIM (iSIM) is the most advanced, efficient, and flexible SIM card. When comparing physical SIM cards with eSIM cards, physical SIM cards require dedicated slots, while eSIMs require chips soldered to the circuit board. iSIMs, on the other hand, are embedded in the system-on-a-chip (SoC) within a Tamper-Resistant Element (TRE). iSIMs even allow devices to be activated wirelessly with an industry-standard protocol. Like eSIMs, iSIMs enable carriers to preload network profiles directly to a user’s handset or send them remotely without visiting a store.
iSIM also occupies less space within a smartphone body than a physical SIM or an eSIM. This means more room can be used for other components or to make the device smaller. Furthermore, iSIMs are not restricted to Wi-Fi, so they can be used in many battery-operated IoT devices, providing access to a broader range of features.
You are not alone in exploring the IoT world created by eSIM and iSIM. Let RPMAnetworks help you become an IoT industry leader by selecting the right networking solutions for you.
