Consumer eUICC architecture

Consumer eUICCs are defined by GSMA documents SGP.21 and SGP.22. SGP.21 is a functional specification while SGP.22 defines the technical realisation of the functional spec. Within the GSMA, SGP.21 is defined by the member operators ( MNO’s ) while the OEMs are tasked with producing SGP.22, which is the technical implementation specification.

The consumer specification is a later addition than the M2M version. The separate functions of the SM-SR and SM-DP have been combined into a single function SM-DP+. This is responsible for both establishing a secure programming channel to the eUICC and manipulating and personalising the Profile that is provided by the MNO into a suitable format for download. Certificates loaded into each component above and issued by a trusted Certificate Issuer ensures that the whole process is secure.

The major addition is that of a Local Profile Assistant ( LPA ) in the device that allows the End-user to control what profile is active and select new profiles. There is no need for a provisioning profile as the device can be connected to the Internet using WiFi.