MWC Las Vegas Interview: Richard Cunliffe, Director at Resilient SIM

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MH: Are you able to inform me a bit about rSIM, clarify it as a know-how, and clarify the motivations behind doing it?

RC: CSL’s work has at all times been rooted in important sectors, like hearth security and telecare, supporting thousands and thousands of lives and properties. Through the years, we’ve seen connectivity reliability wrestle to maintain up with demand, so we’ve layered on options like firmware testing and dual-SIM setups to bridge the hole. However with rSIM, we wished to simplify this entire course of. We got down to create a single SIM that manages its personal connectivity whereas adhering to GSMA requirements.

We’ve innovated inside these requirements, which is why we’re right here on the GSMA stand at MWC Las Vegas. With rSIM, we wished to consolidate every little thing historically dealt with in machine firmware—like connectivity testing and managing twin SIMs—into one SIM. It actively assessments the connection itself, operating connectivity assessments each 60 seconds. If connectivity drops, it prompts a “ fallback” by switching to a second profile from a separate cellular operator with unbiased infrastructure. Primarily, you’re getting steady connectivity with minimal downtime, because it’s like swapping SIMs to remain on-line.

MH: You referred to how you’d have performed it up to now as two SIM playing cards. What’s the distinction between that and what you’re speaking about? What extra performance does it provide you with that you simply may not have had from utilizing, successfully, a redundant SIM within the machine?

RC: The distinction is within the simplicity and scalability for producers. With rSIM, they don’t want additional {hardware} to help twin SIMs or the engineering assets to handle two connections. You possibly can drop rSIM into any single-SIM machine that helps eUICC, whether or not it’s model new or legacy. So, it’s all about eradicating these layers of complexity, making it simpler to keep up.

MH: And is quicker fallback to the backup community a part of the performance?

RC: Sure, it’s a key characteristic, however we additionally have to fastidiously stability how shortly we detect and reply to connectivity loss to keep away from extreme or untimely switching. For instance, in important functions like medical gadgets, we’d set rSIM to check connectivity often and swap to the backup profile shortly when points come up. However with automotive functions, the place a automobile would possibly simply be in a tunnel or automobile park, the connectivity assessments can run much less often, and the SIM can permit extra time to roam and restore the connection earlier than switching networks.

MH: You talked about it’s a typical. How lengthy has it been a typical? How important is it that it’s requirements primarily based? As a result of folks do plenty of issues with SIMs that aren’t essentially standards-based with the intention of attaining perhaps related types of goals. Multi-IMSI is an effective instance of a reasonably broadly used method to multi-country connectivity, multi-carrier connectivity, however in fact not standards-based. So how necessary do you see the requirements side to it?

RC: Requirements are every little thing. Multi-IMSI, for example, is fashionable amongst MVNOs, partly as a result of it differentiates them from bigger operators and monetises their core infrastructure. But it surely typically goes too far, tapping into commercials to pick the most affordable community or counting on device-specific behaviours, which might shortly restrict machine compatibility and considerably decelerate entry to the community. Since rSIM is totally standards-based, it really works throughout all compliant gadgets with out extra customisation, simplifying market deployment and it fast to attach.

MH: One other adjacently associated query. Does this transformation with eSIM and with distant SIM provisioning? Is the rSIM depending on that? Does it work in another way with completely different variations of distant SIM provisioning? There are at present three, no, 4.

RC: Right this moment, we use the SGP.02 customary, which is the unique M2M customary. As a standards-based SIM, we’ll adapt to every customary—SGP.22 and SGP.32, which is at present a scorching matter—when the time is true. SGP.32 remains to be a bit additional down the road by way of changing into broadly adopted. For now, SGP.02 is our basis, and we’ll transition to SGP.32 because it good points traction. By way of kind issue, rSIM might be applied as both a bodily plastic SIM or an eSIM.

MH: Completely different matter, collaboration. So, this rSIM method is a collaboration between a number of operators to get it developed and all people’s working collectively to push that as a typical that they are going to all use. How does that collaboration work?

RC: We see resilient SIM because the pure evolution of the roaming SIM. Simply as we progressed from single home SIMs to roaming SIMs, resilient SIM is the subsequent leap. And since we’re not an MVNO, we don’t have a core infrastructure we’re making an attempt to monetise. As an alternative, we’re taking this innovation and providing it again to operators. rSIM operates as a impartial host inside the operator ecosystem, utilizing a impartial SM-SR that connects completely different operators. This setup permits us to handle resilient SIM companies throughout networks, constructing the SIM with operator profiles and returning it to operators to supply on to their clients.

Similar to MVNOs sought differentiation available in the market, operators are additionally trying to stand out. Resilient SIM provides them that differentiation with an extra layer of resilience. What’s extra, this kind of connectivity can also be rising ARPU. Notably in Europe, the place competitors has pushed connectivity prices down, resilient SIM gives a premium product that may assist operators add worth and probably reverse the race to the underside on pricing.

MH: It’s very attention-grabbing, that concept of enhanced ARPU for the operators. We speak to plenty of community operators and MVNOs about their approaches to the market, and the search for extra income streams is clearly just about the primary theme. They’re chargeable buyer help, added-value companies, or consulting engagements to drive that extra income. So, an extra, chargeable service like this has clear worth.

RC: Precisely. As we converse with operators globally, we see that that is resonating with them.

MH: The place have you ever seen adoption to date, by way of operators and verticals?

RC: Final week at IoT Tech Expo in Amsterdam, we showcased a collaboration with Vodafone IoT. They’re an operator already serving clients who demand the next degree of uptime. Throughout the board, operators we converse to are occupied with resilience as a differentiator.

By way of verticals, adoption is broadening. The thought of “important connectivity” has moved past defending life or property. Now, we’re seeing it utilized to a variety of areas—suppose income assurance. For instance, if a scooter loses connectivity, it stops working and might’t be rented out once more till the connection is again up. It’s all about understanding what connectivity is important for in every particular case.

MH: It’s true—what’s important varies. Life-critical circumstances, like healthcare or coronary heart fee displays, are clear examples. Then there’s important nationwide infrastructure. However for a enterprise that solely takes card funds, dropping connectivity may very well be important for them.

RC: Completely. That’s a good way of placing it.

MH: So, you’re seeing some attention-grabbing early use circumstances in several verticals?

RC: Completely. In telecare, we’re working with Careium, a shopper utilizing our resolution in important gadgets like panic buttons. These clients are sometimes weak people who depend on telecare for security and peace of thoughts. So, why would we let a weak life rely upon a single connection? Simply as we wouldn’t depend on a single parachute when skydiving or a single rope when mountaineering, dual-path connectivity gives the important safety these people want. It’s a pure development for your complete business.

Article by Matt Hatton, a founding associate at Transforma Perception

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