eUICC

eUICC stands for embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card. It is a tamper-resistant integrated circuit that is soldered into a device rather than being a removable SIM card. An eUICC can securely store one or more mobile network operator profiles and supports remote provisioning, enabling profile installation, updates, and operator switching without a physical SIM swap.

The eUICC is the hardware platform that implements the concept of an embedded SIM. The term eSIM is commonly used to describe the embedded SIM functionality and provisioning model built on top of the eUICC. The broader UICC family includes traditional SIM cards, with eUICC representing the embedded variant.

Standards and provisioning: The GSMA defines the Remote SIM Provisioning (RSP) framework, which specifies how profiles are securely downloaded, installed, activated, and managed on eUICC devices. The framework supports over-the-air updates and enables operators to provision, swap, or revoke profiles remotely via subscription management servers.

Form factors and deployment: eUICC typically uses the MFF2 form factor in devices, including smartphones, tablets, wearables, and many IoT devices. This allows manufacturers to ship devices without a physical SIM slot and to offer flexible carrier selection to end users and enterprise customers.

Security: The eUICC provides hardware-backed security with secure storage for profiles, cryptographic keys, and mutual authentication with mobile networks. It supports profile lifecycle management, revocation, and secure deletion of profiles.

Impact and use cases: Remote provisioning of profiles simplifies roaming and operator updates, reduces logistics for operators, and enables devices to be deployed globally with localized profiles. It is increasingly adopted in consumer devices and a wide range of IoT applications.