World’s First 512 Megabyte SIM Card

The half-gigabyte SIM card has been produced by Oberthur Card Systems and is empowered by M-Systems' platform. Orange will be the first mobile network operator to offer multimedia content services to subscribers via 512 megabyte SIM cards.The high density SIM will be rolled out across Orange European markets in 2006, commencing in France, where it will be initially available on an LG U8210 handset. 

The SIM will transform the mobile phone into a true multimedia player, capable of securely storing a music library containing up to 125 songs, three full-length movies, or 80 Java games. The 512 megabytes offering will enable subscribers to store comprehensive SMS, MMS and e-mail archives, complete with attachments, in addition to complete PIM and calendar functionality.

The new SIM card is also a highly-secure authentication device connecting the subscriber to the network. At the same time, it enables secure portability of sensitive personal data and DRM-protected files, permitting instant access to additional services and content.

M-Systems’ MegaSIM® offers new opportunities for MNOs to change the way they interact with their customers and further differentiate themselves from competitors.  For handset manufacturers benefits include better scalability of memory for subscribers to enjoy and benefit from an enhanced mobile experience.

Frank Boulben, Executive Vice President, Brand Consumer Marketing, Orange, comments: “This collaboration demonstrates our continued commitment to delivering an end-to-end multimedia solution to our customers. This high density SIM brings with it a range of customer benefits: portability, choice, security and personal spontaneity, we expect the value delivered to our customers through this technology will be empowering. The ultimate end-user experience is set to chart previously unexplored territory, something we are very excited about."

Alain Jarre, Mobile and Solutions Marketing Director at Oberthur Card Systems added: “Oberthur Card Systems is once again at the forefront of the smart card industry innovation. In this pioneer experience, we are particularly proud once again to be supported by Orange. Last year, Orange was already a visionary by being the first wireless group involved in the GIGAntIC project. After 12 months of hard work, we are the only players to present mobile services powered the world’s first 512 megabytes high-density SIM Card."

A high-density SIM with abundant flash-based storage offers a secure, removable, standardised, and accessible memory resource. This alleviates the need to design additional card slots in handsets to provide scalable storage in multimedia handsets. The high density SIM card allows subscribers to take their environment and personal settings with them when they upgrade their phone and enables far wider scope for what can be stored on the SIM with its substantially increased capacity.

“With more than 1.5  billion SIM cards expected to be sold next year, there is a massive opportunity in the market for a secure MNO-provisioned SIM card with high-density memory," said Simone Cavallo, general manager of M-Systems’ MNO division. “We are pleased that our MegaSIM platform, incorporating M-Systems' TrueFFS flash file management, will provide a robust mechanism for generating new services, content, applications and, of course, revenue streams, making mobile services smarter."

High-speed data interfaces enhance overall USIM performance and high level cryptographic security can provide security at levels never previously considered feasible. This increased functionality will give mobile network operators like Orange, much greater scope to tailor products and services, helping to address the key industry challenge of reducing customer churn, and offer an optimal storage solution for the delivery of secure mobile multimedia content and services. www.m-systems.com