Definition
A subscriber identification module (SIM) on a removable SIM card stores securely the international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) used to identify a subscriber on mobile devices (such as mobile phones and computers) in a GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) network.
The universal integrated circuit card (UICC) is the chip card, a multi-application platform, used in mobile devices in GSM and UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System, one of the third-generation (3G) mobile telecommunications technologies) networks. In a GSM network, the UICC contains a SIM application and in a UMTS network it is the USIM application. A UICC may contain several applications, making it possible for the same chip card to give access to both GSM and UMTS networks, but also to store a variety of other applications.
Background
Since its conception in 1988 the SIM has undergone continuous...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Recommended Reading
Hillebrand F (2002) GSM and UMTS: the creation of global mobile communication. Wiley, Chichester
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC
About this entry
Cite this entry
De Soete, M. (2011). SIM/UICC. In: van Tilborg, H.C.A., Jajodia, S. (eds) Encyclopedia of Cryptography and Security. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-5906-5_307
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-5906-5_307
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-5905-8
Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-5906-5
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceReference Module Computer Science and Engineering