CENTRE OKAYS eSIMs, HIKES CONNECTION LIMIT

New Delhi, May 17: Mobile users will not need to buy a new SIM while changing service provider or buying a new connection, according to new guidelines issued by the department of telecom to allow use of embedded SIMs (eSIM).

The eSIM will be installed in the device and details of service providers can be updated in it at the time a customer buys a new connection or changes operator or wants to buy standalone service from a telecom operator like data or calling etc.

“To cater the needs of modern technological developments in M2M/IoT, it has been decided to permit the use of “EmbeddedSubscriber Identity Module (eSIM) with both single and multiple profile configurations with over the air subscription update facility, as the case may be, as per prevailing global specifications and standards,” the DoT said.

Along with guidelines for eSIM, the DoT issued instructions for SIMs that will be used for machine-to-machine communications.

Since the number of SIMs required for M2M communications will be huge, the DoT has enhanced number of connections per user to 18 which includes 9 SIMs that can be used for normal mobile phone communications or for use in devices which has slot for them. The other 9 SIMs can be purchased for M2M communications.

Along with eSIM norms, DoT issued instructions for SIMs that will be used for M2M communications.