Saudi Arabian telco, stc, will launch localising platforms for e-SIM services for the first time in the Kingdom.
The move will transform the way consumers use smart phones and devices in Saudi Arabia, allowing them more flexibility to take control of their digital lives.
STC now has the capability to provide e-SIM services to all Mobile and Virtual Network Operators (MNOs/MVNOs) in the Kingdom as a National eSIM Platform. The service can also be extended to any MNO in the Arabian Gulf region.
Hiatham Al-Faraj, stc SVP of Technology and Operations at STC, said: “The adoption of eSIM in Saudi Arabia in co-operation with GSMA Certification is a step forward towards achieving the mandates of Saudi Vision 2030 by localising eSIM technology and further enabling Digital Transformation.
“We are excited about the possibility of introducing eSIM technology in Saudi Arabia. The SAS Certification process was a challenging one but passing and holding the certification stands as a testimony to stc’s world-class security standards and operational excellence.”
eSIM technology eliminates the need for traditional plastic SIM cards and allows subscribers to add and remove operators remotely. The technology will be crucial for fast tracking uptake of IoT technology, particularly in a domestic setting.
Adopting and commercialising eSIM technology require the company hosting the eSIM Platform to undergo a series of stringent technical and security audits, namely SAS Certification, sponsored by the GSM Association, an international standard-setting body.
STC has successfully passed the audits and scored the highest results worldwide following a long and rigourous process that asserted the company’s technical and security readiness.
Obtaining the GSMA Certification marks a key milestone for localising the technology in Saudi Arabia, while an actual timeline for deployment remains to be announced.
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