Deutsche Telekom, together with chipset manufacturer Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., module manufacturer Quectel, and solution provider Redtea Mobile, are introducing their implementation of nuSIM, the integrated SIM for the Internet of things (IoT). nuSIM removes the physical SIM – a perfect fit for mobile IoT applications when cost- and power efficiency paired with unique design advantages are important factors.

“The nuSIM initiative was introduced by Deutsche Telekom at the beginning of last year and quickly adopted by leading IoT industry players around the world,” says Rami Avidan, responsible for IoT at Deutsche Telekom. “Meanwhile, it has moved from the concept stage to real implementations from various partners. This is another exciting step forward, as nuSIM will bring important cost and design benefits to our IoT device partners.”

For the first time, nuSIM functionality is now fully integrated into a Qualcomm Technologies chipset. The joint solution has been developed in accordance with Deutsche Telekom’s open nuSIM specification. It consists of a nuSIM operating system from Redtea Mobile in a Quectel BG95-M3 module which contains a Qualcomm® 9205 LTE modem.

“Qualcomm Technologies is utilizing its Qualcomm® Trusted Execution Environment (QTEE) to enable nuSIM directly on the Qualcomm 9205 LTE Modem. nuSIM provides an optimized SIM function integrated into the chipset itself, thus removing related logistics, stockkeeping, and feeding efforts and adding design advantages due to the saved space on the PCB and ultimately in the IoT device. The implementation also includes a dedicated provisioning process to help protect size-optimized operator profiles (< 500 Bytes) that can be downloaded to the device anywhere in the value chain,“ said Hamid-Reza Nazeman, Country Manager Germany, Qualcomm Communications GmbH.

“The nuSIM operating system has been developed by us according to Deutsche Telekom’s open nuSIM specification,” adds Xiaodong Guo, VP Global Strategic Partnership at Redtea Mobile. “It provides all functionality to receive an encrypted nuSIM profile and securely process the contained elements so that the result delivers the functionality of the classical SIM. An important aspect of our vision is to provide new and innovative features to IoT devices for easy deployment and ubiquitous connectivity. Together with our partners we have worked in this initiative to demonstrate our value in the shared ecosystem.”

“Quectel Wireless Solutions has securely integrated the Qualcomm 9205 LTE Modem and nuSIM OS into our BG95-M3 LTE Cat M1/Cat NB2/EGPRS module to create an ultra-low power product,” concludes Dominikus Hierl, SVP EMEA at Quectel Wireless Solutions. “The result is ideally suited for a wide range of IoT applications such as wireless POS, smart metering, tracking, or wearable devices, where the removal of the physical SIM component helps to reduce device size and save on cost and power consumption.”

The Benefits of nuSIM

nuSIM is an integrated SIM solution dedicated to the specific needs of the IoT market. It makes the usual SIM component obsolete by moving the SIM function into the chipset. This creates clear benefits for the device’s bill of materials, power consumption, and overall design. Mobile operator data is added in a secure process at the time of module or device manufacturing. The end customer gets instant connectivity without any additional steps. The commercial availability of nuSIM is planned for later in 2020.

Established nuSIM partner program

Since the introduction of nuSIM, Deutsche Telekom has partnered with world-leading companies in the respective fields of IoT chipsets, modules, and digital security. An open specification set ensures interoperability for the secure provisioning of operator credentials during module or device production. Deutsche Telekom is ready to share the technology with other operators and vendors in the IoT segment to extend the growing nuSIM eco-system. Interested parties are welcome to join.

Foundation of Deutsche Telekom IoT GmbH on July 1, 2020

With the spin-off of the IoT business into an independent GmbH as of July 1, 2020, Deutsche Telekom aims to accelerate its market entry. Competitors in the IoT environment are particularly agile and have lean decision-making structures. The independent Deutsche Telekom IoT GmbH (DT IoT) is intended to strengthen Deutsche Telekom’s position in this growth market. “As an independent company, we are more agile and can better address the fast-moving IoT market”, says Rami Avidan, designated CEO of Deutsche Telekom IoT GmbH. The newly founded DT IoT will have end-to-end responsibility for the entire IoT business at Deutsche Telekom.

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