+Comment Vodafone CEO Vittorio Colao has dismissed the Apple Soft-SIM as “just an EE SIM” and said that it would not be supported by his company.

“To me, a SIM which can switch from one operator to the other [but] ... is locked – I’m not sure how much to support [it],” the charismatic CEO said.

He can see the benefits, though. “Is there a need to provide for these data devices to provide the customer with a solution that allows the network to activate them and deactivate them? Yes. In that sense it is a step in the right direction.”

But he says that Apple is not on the right track, telling a small gathering of journalists: “The solution that Apple propose is not consistent with what we like. It’s not consistent with what we have been working at the GSMA level. It is not consistent with the long term solution for the industry.”

He was scathing of EE’s support for the Apple technology: “For the time being if you get a so-called Apple SIM it’s only an EE SIM today, so we are swapping, delivering devices with our own SIM. “

What he really means is that the Apple solution for the soft SIM puts the choice of the mobile network in the hands of Apple and the consumer, and not the networks. And that’s why he aligns with the GSMA, which is the trade association for the networks.

The GSMA told us: “He is probably referring to the GSMA Embedded SIM Specification – which to be clear is not a soft SIM solution. In terms of consumer devices - at present there is no standardised solution for provisioning an embedded SIM in a mobile handset. It is a much more complicated technical proposition than a tablet device that just requires a data connection because it includes a phone number and because the business model means most devices are subsidised and sold on a fixed-term contract. The GSMA is working with its members on this and will provide further information in due course.”

Colao added: “Over time, once the industry solution prevails, we will be happy to support [the Apple soft SIM] and then customers will be able to use the design. The solution must be correct from the provisioning point of view, from the security point of view, from a customer data protection point of view. There is a lot of things that we need be make sure this is a standard and not just a great proprietary solution of Apple.”

What this misses is that the GSMA solution is aimed at machine-to-machine (AKA Internet of Things) devices, things like ATMs which might be made with a single soft SIM and then sold to different markets, or smart meters – where there is a mandate that customers should be able to switch providers. If you change power company, it’s very possible that the new supplier will have a mobile data agreement with a different telco and the whole raison d'etre of smart meters is to avoid having to send anyone to customer premises.

The GSMA’s embedded SIM has a lot of support, although as ever with any level of industry co-operation, Apple isn’t on the roster of names.

Comment

The specs are sensible too, but proffering support for the GSMA’s embedded SIM isn’t really comparing like with like. What’s behind this is Colao is showing that Vodafone is man enough to stand up to Apple, while EE is not. ®