Digital security company Gemalto has developed an industry-first 5G SIM card, which will enable seamless 5G global roaming and improved data privacy, as well as enhanced protection against hacking, when the first networks are launched later this year.
A key feature of the new 5G SIM is full anonymisation of end-to-end subscriber identity thanks to onboard identity encryption. This ensures mobile operators comply with regulations such as GDPR by eliminating the potential to misuse such information to locate and trace individuals, or collect personal data.
Additionally, trusted environment resilience will help operators secure the entire SIM lifecycle, eliminating exposure to hacking attacks and accidental breaches.
Gemalto said it has worked closely with key 5G industry stakeholders around the world in developing its 5G SIM, through standardisation, prototyping and testing.
“The 5G SIM provides the foundation of trust in this next-generation mobile network for operators and other stakeholders in the ecosystem,” commented Emmanuel Unguran, executive vice president of Gemalto’s Mobile Services & IoT business unit. “It will help operators unleash the full 5G potential, maximise their network investments, and simplify new service deployment with full backward compatibility to previous 3G/4G technology.”
Offered in all SIM form factors (removable SIM, M2M SIM, eSIM), the Gemalto 5G SIM will be available in the first half of 2019.
A report from Ericsson last year predicted that 5G will reach more than 40% global population coverage and 1.5 billion subscriptions by the end of 2024, making it the fastest generation of cellular technology to be rolled out on a global scale.
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Tags: 5G, 5G sim card
