Benefits in Mobile Security

Compared with the physical SIM, the eSIM boosts security when working on the move. eSIMs come with various security measures implemented by default. The eSIM profile installation on a new device is encrypted to prevent data leaks. The same applies with end-to-end transmission between the eSIM provider's servers and the end device. Additional security is offered by a feature that only allows an eSIM profile to be decrypted and installed on a device assigned to the user.

The absence of a physical SIM card also reduces the risk of misuse because the eSIM cannot be slotted into another (possibly private) device. If a device does happen to be stolen or lost, IT support can quickly deactivate the eSIM remotely and delete the data from the device within the UEM system.

Wary of Change

All told, the eSIM offers many advantages over the physical SIM, and its use in smartphones in Germany is on the rise, mainly in the private sector, whereas German corporations still mainly use physical SIMs. Organizations with a large number of employees and complex structures in particular are worried that switching from a physical card to an eSIM could mean massive overhead in terms of time, resources, and manual work to set up the new system. After all, administrators need to configure various data (e.g., the eID, email address, device model: information that can usually be viewed on the UEM system in use) to enable an eSIM profile, but the data first has to be retrieved from various sources.

Additional data such as the telephone number, the selected rate plan, or details of the existing card, such as the ICC (the SIM serial number), can usually be found in the provider's customer portal or even stored individually in Excel lists.

The changeover can therefore require many manual steps on the part of the corporation if the data cannot be merged automatically. These steps apply not only when switching from the physical SIM card to the eSIM but also if a device needs to be replaced later, is lost or stolen, or a non-domestic plan is required.

Simplified Management

New software (e.g., the eSIM Business Manager, which EBF developed in cooperation with Deutsche Telekom [2]) can help in these scenarios. In conjunction with a UEM system, an eSIM manager makes it possible to link the required data from various sources and make the data clearly visible and usable in a portal. Using such portals, administrators can assign an eSIM to a device and remotely enable the eSIM (and also revoke it again if necessary) in a quick and easy way. The software therefore enables both the commissioning of a new eSIM profile and the migration of a physical SIM to an eSIM profile with just a few clicks.

The process is equally convenient on the user's side: Employees can define when they want to migrate to suit their needs and complete the move with just a few clicks. The plan can then be used directly. The software not only helps manage eSIMs in companies but also facilitates parallel management of physical SIM cards, because the portal also displays the details you need to manage physical cards, such as the PIN and PUK.