Abolishing the SIM Card for GSM M2M Platforms

French company, Wavecom says that it has developed a GSM module which does away with conventional SIM cards by embedding the SIM functionality directly into the chipset.

Specific requirements for industrial wireless devices include: long-life -- more than ten years for utility meters, for example -- and harsh environments such as extreme temperatures and excessive vibrations for vehicles. The typical SIM card, like those used in GSM mobile phones and other consumer electronics are built in to plastic cards and therefore do not address the rigorous demands for many industrial applications.

Laurent Girault, Wavecom Technical Marketing Director explains, "Many industrial devices present a set of complex design challenges as they become adapted to wireless communication. One such challenge is the integration of the SIM card. We are extremely pleased to be the first to have demonstrated a technology which fully embeds the SIM function into selected GSM Wireless CPU models. This breakthrough removes one more obstacle to stimulating wireless M2M and automotive market growth."

The company says that the robust industrial design ensures proper functioning in harsh climatic conditions which reduces the risk of disconnected devices that are often linked to high-value, time-sensitive transactional data.

In addition, with the SIM embedded into the Wavecom Wireless CPU, the company says that logistics and management issues associated with the SIM card inventory becomes easier, more cost effective and more secure, thus reducing the risk of potential SIM card theft, especially once it is installed."

Posted to the site on 5th March 2007