5G standalone launch - SIM provisioning challenges and options

This article was contributed to Inform by a member of TM Forum.

Our previously published article discusses how a five-stage 5G model can improve customer experience (CX), while this article takes a closer look at the challenges and proposes steps communications service providers (CSPs) can take to improve CX while providing 5G standalone (SA) SIMs to customers.

Major CSPs are expected to launch 5G SA services commercially by 2021/22 and with iPhone launching its 5G flagship device it has become even more important to focus on how effectively the service will be provisioned to the end customer.

According to Ericsson’s November Mobility report, by 2026, 60% of the world’s population will have access to 5G coverage, with 5G subscriptions forecasted to reach 3.5 billion.

The embedded SIM (eSIM) market was valued at $392.74 million in 2019 and is projected to reach $2,282.27 million by 2027, with a significant expected compound annual growth rate of 27.36% from 2020 to 2027.

Deploying standalone 5G

Major CSPs have made 5G non-standalone (NSA) services commercially available based on Release 15 of 3GPP’s NSA new radio specifications for 5G, with E-UTRAN new radio dual connectivity (EN-DC). Further enhancements for release 15/16 are offering 5G SA specifications for deployment.

The graphic below provides a simplified view of 5G NSA and SA radio access showcasing control and user data paths through which the customer gets connected to the data network.

The complexities and challenges of customer provisioning

We are primarily focused on the provisioning of 5G SA SIM in this article. Both plastic SIMs and embedded eSIMs will be available for 5G SA services. The diagram below demonstrations further challenges of customer provisioning for 5G SA services.

The figure below showcases the variations and complexities CSPs will need to manage. The challenge is to meet compatibility efficiently and provisioning of 5G SA services right the first time for improved CX.

SIM provisioning constraints:

• Only 3GPP’s R15 SIM/eSIM version are compatible and can be used to provision 5G SA services.


• Device compatibility to SIM/eSIM varies based on SIM type and version.


• 5G SA service requires SIM swap.

These constraints multiply provisioning challenges in different ways across the three channels of self-serve, telesales and retail. The device and SIM type a customer chooses introduces further complex variations, for example:

• An existing customer is looking for an upgrade. They currently have a 5G NSA service on a dual SIM type device which has a r10 plastic SIM and r10 eSIM configuration. The process to migrate on a 5G SA service will be complex.


• A 5G NSA plastic SIM card can be upgraded with a 5G SA plastic sim swap however 5G SA can only be provisioned on eSIM r15, whereas the customer’s device is only eSIM r10 compatible.


• In this case customer will either make a forced choice to have a eSIM r15 compatible device if they insists on having eSIM, or continue with a 5G NSA service which will be less superior in service quality attributes like speed, latency than 5G SA service.

Similarly only eSIM version devices like smart watches will encounter the same issue if they cannot be upgraded to latest eSIM r15 configuration.

Adopting the proposed business rules below while provisioning 5G SA service will improve CSPs’ success rate with provisioning services right the first time:

There is an option, especially with device and SIM cell order type, where CSPs can work with the original equipment manufacturer to pre-provision device eSIM with a CSP SIM provisioning platform during device manufacturing stage. This platform is what CSPs use to securely encrypt their operator credentials for over the air installation within the SIM. The automatic selection of an eSIM profile – the profile specific to the selected CSP - can be implemented via the SIM provisioning platform. However, where there is an urgency to launch, and where there are technical complex processes involved in business support systems (BSS), the table above provides a pragmatic compatible matrix solution.

The overall objective is to simplify provisioning and enhance CX. The result will be delivering what customers want, which includes:

• Effortless buying experience of 5G services


• Sense of unlimited speed with 5G SA


• Offering actual experiences and not just data bundles e.g. 5G SA service will offer low latency and high speeds which will positively impact several applications like games installed or HD video which will play on phones without buffering


• Delivering network-as-a-service and provisioning actual 5G SA experiences compared to NSA services which are dependent on the 4G packet core network

Reviewer:

Stuart Robinson is a freelance Technical Consultant in the Telecommunications industry with over 20 years experience. He is currently performing the role of a Senior 5G Solution Architect delivering the SA solution to a Tier 1 CSP.