SM-DP+: The Technology Powering the Global eSIM Revolution

The rise of the eSIM is no longer a subject of speculation. It’s well evidenced and having a seismic effect at every level of the global communications ecosystem. The physical SIM card is being phased out thanks to the superior flexibility, convenience and performance of eSIM tech.

This technological evolution is easy to spot when the hardware starts to follow suit, such as the old card tray disappearing from the new Apple device generations. Less obvious but just as profound are the infrastructure and architecture changes that had to be made to enable the paradigm shift.

Critical to this eSIM takeover is SM-DP+.

This tech is the engine powering many core functionalities of eSIMs by enabling remote provisioning and management of mobile subscriptions. Understanding what SM-DP+ is and why it's essential is no longer just an obscure detail – it's core for anyone with a stake in the global state of mobile connectivity.

SM-DP+: What, why, and how

SM-DP+ stands for Subscription Manager Data Preparation Plus.

To get a full picture of its significance, it's helpful to look at each of those terms individually:

• ‘Subscription Manager’ derives from its fundamental role in managing mobile subscriptions, handling the total lifespan of the subscription, from purchase/activation to deactivation/recycling.

• ‘Data Preparation’ covers its function in preparing the necessary data packages that constitute a digital SIM profile. 

• The plus (+) signifies that this is an enhanced version, building upon the earlier SM-DP and SM-SR (Subscription Manager Secure Routing) as used in machine-to-machine (M2M) contexts. The GSMA (Global System for Mobile Communications Association) defines and standardizes this architecture, ensuring interoperability and security across the industry.  

At its most basic, SM-DP+ is a sequence responsible for the secure storage, preparation, and digital delivery of eSIM profiles to compatible devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and IoT appliances. This eliminates the need for physical SIM cards to be produced, distributed, and awkwardly inserted into these electronic gadgets and goods.

SM-DP+ manages the entire lifecycle of an eSIM profile, encompassing its generation, encryption, secure storage, over-the-air delivery, activation on the device, and also deactivation and eventual deletion when necessary. This comprehensive management ensures an easy and efficient experience for both users and service providers.  

Note: Many users refer to it as "SMDP+ address" or "SM DP+ address." While commonly used, the correct technical term remains SM-DP+.

SM-DP+ and remote provisioning

The process of remotely provisioning an eSIM, facilitated by SM-DP+, involves a series of carefully orchestrated steps.

It typically begins when a user decides to activate an eSIM. This initiation often involves following a link prompt or scanning a QR code provided by a network provider. This QR code or link contains essential information, including the address of the SM-DP+ server and specific parameters for the desired eSIM profile.  

Once the device has this information, it establishes a secure connection to the SM-DP+ server via the internet, utilizing robust protocols such as HTTPS and TLS (Transport Layer Security). This secure channel ensures that all subsequent communication is encrypted and protected from potential interception.

Following the establishment of a secure connection, the SM-DP+ server needs to verify the legitimacy of the device requesting the eSIM profile. This authentication process relies on unique identifiers, primarily the device's embedded identity document (EID) and the integrated circuit card identifier (ICCID) associated with the user's subscription from the mobile network operator.

In some deployment scenarios, a Discovery Server (SM-DS) plays a role in helping the device locate the correct SM-DP+ server address, particularly in retail or consumer-centric environments.  

Activation of the eSIM

Upon successful authentication, the SM-DP+ server proceeds to create a digital eSIM profile tailored to the user's subscription. This profile contains critical information required for the device to connect to the operator's network, including authentication keys, network settings such as Access Point Name (APN) and roaming configurations, as well as metadata like the operator's name and tariff conditions.

To ensure the confidentiality and integrity of this sensitive data, the created profile is then encrypted using strong encryption algorithms like AES-256 or RSA-2048. The encrypted eSIM profile is not directly sent to the device but is instead securely transmitted through another infrastructure element known as SM-SR (Subscription Manager Secure Routing). The SM-SR acts as a secure conduit, ensuring reliable and protected delivery of the profile to the intended device.

Finally, the device receives the encrypted profile via the SM-SR, decrypts it, and securely stores the contained information within the eSIM chip. Following successful installation, the eSIM is activated, granting the user access to the mobile operator's network and the subscribed services.  

Benefits for End-Users: Flexibility and Control

For end-users, SM-DP+ has a multitude of benefits, primarily centered around enhanced convenience and greater control over their mobile connectivity.

One of the most significant advantages is the effortless ability to switch between mobile operators. Unlike traditional physical SIM cards that require manual replacement, eSIMs allow users to change their mobile service provider remotely, often with just a few taps on their device. This is particularly beneficial for travelers who can easily add a local data plan upon arrival in a new country, avoiding expensive roaming charges.  

Furthermore, eSIM-enabled devices often have the capability to store multiple profiles simultaneously. This allows users to manage different phone numbers or data plans on a single device, catering to various needs such as having separate profiles for personal and business use.

The process of activating a new subscription or renewing an existing one is also significantly faster and more convenient with eSIMs powered by SM-DP+. Instead of waiting for a physical SIM card to arrive, or visiting a store, users can typically download and install an eSIM profile within minutes.  

Benefits for MNOs: Efficiency and Lower Costs

For Network Operators (MNOs) SM-DP+ brings substantial advantages, primarily in terms of streamlining operations and enhancing efficiency. One key benefit is the simplified customer onboarding and activation process. By eliminating the need to physically distribute SIM cards, MNOs can onboard new customers and activate their services more quickly and efficiently, often entirely through digital channels. This reduces the logistical complexities and costs associated with traditional SIM card distribution.  

The move away from physical SIM cards has also delivered significant cost savings for MNOs in terms of manufacturing, distribution, and inventory management costs. The inherent simplified activation and management processes brings a resultant decrease in customer service expenses, replacements, and swaps.

Centralized profile management through SM-DP+ has also provided MNOs with enhanced flexibility in managing subscriptions. They can easily roll out subscription changes, updates to network settings, and introduce new services to their user base in near real-time. 

The ability to gather data on profile activation and usage patterns through SM-DP+ has also empowered MNOs to improve their customer analytics, giving invaluable insights to their customer experiences, enabling them to tailor packages and offerings for optimal customer retention and engagement. 

Benefits for OEMs: Simpler supply chains

For device makers and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), SM-DP+ has been a huge benefit through its integration with eSIM tech. 

Embedding an eSIM chip directly into devices simplifies the manufacturing process, leading to more streamlined production lines and potentially reduced manufacturing costs.

A significant advantage is the ability to produce a single device stock-keeping unit (SKU) for global markets. Since the carrier profile can be provisioned remotely via SM-DP+, manufacturers no longer need to create different device versions with specific SIM card configurations for various regions and operators.  

This simplification in device production directly translates to simplified logistics and inventory management. Manufacturers can reduce the complexity of managing different inventories of devices based on SIM card compatibility, leading to more efficient supply chains and potentially lower warehousing costs.

The absence of a physical SIM card slot has also been a boon to hardware designers, always looking to make mobile devices smaller, sleeker, and thinner. 

SM-DP+ as catalyst

As far as most consumers are concerned, SM-DP+ functionality is what makes an eSIM an eSIM in terms of flexibility, convenience and easy remote switching between providers.

It’s been SM-DP+ that’s been providing the necessary infrastructure for eSIM to become the scalable and viable solution for the entire mobile industry. This has been particularly crucial with the exponential growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the deployment of 5G, which has basically meant much faster, much more sophisticated devices connecting in far greater numbers than ever before. 

Without the capabilities offered by SM-DP+, the widespread adoption and effective management of eSIM across diverse use-cases and applications would be effectively impossible.  

SM-DP+ security protocols

To stay in business for any amount of time in the connectivity market, security is paramount. SM-DP+ incorporates several robust protocols to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of eSIM provisioning.

Communication between the device and the SM-DP+ server relies on secure protocols such as HTTPS and TLS, establishing encrypted channels for data transmission. The eSIM profiles themselves are protected using strong encryption algorithms like AES-256 and RSA-2048, safeguarding the sensitive information they contain.

The device authentication process, utilizing the unique EID and the operator-provided ICCID, ensures that only legitimate devices can request and receive eSIM profiles, preventing unauthorized access. Additionally, the use of activation codes and matching IDs adds another layer of security by verifying the legitimacy of the activation request and mitigating the risk of man-in-the-middle attacks.   

The GSMA defines and enforces security standards within the worldwide telco ecosystem. They’ve established certification schemes like the eUICC Security Assurance (eSA) Scheme and the Security Accreditation Scheme (SAS-SM) specifically for SM-DP+ implementations and operations.

Industry adoption and eEmergent trends of SM-DP+

The adoption of eSIM technology, and consequently the utilization of SM-DP+, continues to grow exponentially.

By 2023 it was estimated that there were already more than a billion devices equipped with eSIM capabilities. This number is projected to increase dramatically in the coming years, with forecasts suggesting that eSIM will account for a substantial majority of smartphone connections by the end of the decade.

GSMA Intelligence predictions for the market include:

• 850+ million eSIM smartphone connections globally in 2025

• Growing to 6.7 billion by 2030

• Over 75% of all smartphones will connect via eSIM

As of June 2022, more than 260 operators globally had launched commercial eSIM services for smartphones, indicating a strong industry-wide embrace of the technology. While North America currently leads in eSIM adoption, other regions are also showing increasing traction.      

The use of eSIMs powered by SM-DP+ has already expanded significantly beyond smartphones and tablets, encompassing a wide array of devices from wearables to smart IoT devices and even vehicles. Future trends point towards deepened interaction between eSIM implementations and mobile operators, both facilitating and demanding increasingly sophisticated provisioning and activation across diverse devices and networks.

1GLOBAL’s role in the eSIM ecosystem

As technology pioneers and market leaders in the teclo industry, 1GLOBAL’s RSP & SM-DP+ platform provides convenient automation and intuitive oversight across all of your Apple and Android devices for secure discovery and profile activation.

1GLOBAL is:

• Fully GSMA-accredited

• Recognized as one of the top SM-DP+ providers in the world

• Fully compliant with GSMA SGP.21/22 as well as the latest .32 standard.

• Trusted by 50+ operators and 450+ million customers

• Secured by our own data centers in London and Amsterdam.

To make sure your business or organization has the technological advantage, and to learn more about how 1GLOBAL can help you streamline your connectivity, contact us today.