rSIM offers resilient connectivity for IoT

A new resilient SIM card aims to improve connectivity for Internet of Things (IoT) devices through a partnership with operators Deutsche Telekom IoT and Tele2 IoT, a cellular service provider with a strong presence in the European market and customers in the health, agriculture and fleet management sectors, among others.

The rSIM  (or “resilient SIM” card), supplied by the company of the same name and British origin belonging to the CSL Group, uses new patented technology that checks its own connectivity status and changes provider automatically when service interruptions occur, minimizing the chances of periods of disconnection. To do this, it stores two independent mobile operator profiles on a single SIM card, with two levels of resilience, allowing roaming outside the device’s country of origin as well as a proactive solution for uninterrupted Internet access.

Richard Cunliffe, Director of Products and Innovation at rSIM, comments that by 2023 there were already around 2 billion cellular IoT connections, a figure that is expected to reach 7 billion by 2033. And with more sectors of activity dependent on the IoT and more frequent interruptions to mobile networks, it is essential to have global partners to develop and implement solutions such as rSIM and its innovative dual SIM approach.

How does it work? The rSIM card tests the connection used by the device every 60 seconds. If it identifies consecutive failures, it will continue testing for another 5 minutes, as a tolerance feature for minor network failures or so that the roaming mechanism itself can switch to an alternative radio network. If connectivity is not re-established, rSIM switches to the second profile. The card continuously switches between the two profiles until the connection is re-established.

In addition, from a connectivity management platform, customers can monitor the connection tests of each SIM in real time, regardless of the profile of the mobile operator to which it is connected. Deutsche Telekom IoT and Tele2 IoT are the first connectivity partners for rSIM.

In response to contact from Network World, an rSIM spokesperson said that general availability of rSIM cards is expected in June 2024, noting that the price will be “slightly more expensive than a standard IoT roaming SIM”. The initial launch depends on partnerships with mobile network operators initially in Europe, with no information on partners in other locations.

A global SIM technology supplier will spearhead the manufacture of the product, as well as offering support systems so that rSIMs can be updated remotely. It will also ensure compliance with GSMA standards to optimize compatibility with devices and operators.

According to rSIM, the idea for this new SIM arose in the face of major incidents of disruption to the connectivity services of mobile network operators (MNOs), which are migrating their 2G and 3G networks to 4G and 5G. The company cites an event in Australia in November 2023 that left more than 10 million people disconnected for around 12 hours, resulting in a collapse in the health service and the paralysis of rail networks.

rSIM says that, to ensure compliance with the GSMA’s evolving standards, it will develop a version compatible with the SGP.32 standards in 2025, which are essential for remote eSIM provisioning for IoT devices, especially those with network or user interface limitations.

Differences between rSIM and Multi-IMSI

At first glance, rSIM and Multi-IMSI (Multiple International Mobile Subscriber Identities) could be considered similar solutions, but there are many differences between them, according to the creator of the former. rSIM is a SIM card based entirely on GSMA standards, while Multi-IMSI cards may not work on all devices because they are not based on standards.

In addition, Multi-IMSI cards do not test whether the data connection is working, an important advantage of rSIM. Another benefit comes from the fact that rSIM uses two separate mobile operator profiles connected directly to two different infrastructures, unlike Multi-IMSI solutions which use a single profile with several identities loaded onto it. In general, IMSIs are all linked to a single core and it can be more difficult to update them “over the air”.

It’s worth noting that Multi-IMSI cards try to optimize costs by directing the connection to more commercially advantageous networks. rSIM, on the other hand, simply aims to keep devices connected.