Mobile News

A SIM Toolkit (STK) allows the operator’s SIM to provide proprietary applications through over-the-air SMS configuration which updates the SIM with new or updated services. Traditionally, the SIM has been used to:

* Prevent unauthorised network access using local PIN

* Provide secure access to network services

* Enable service personalisation, a feature to be enhanced with the advent of 3G through a new SIM product known as USIM.

The SIM has continued to evolve since GSM Phase 1 through industry cooperation between manufacturers and operators. In February 2000, five major smart card manufacturers (Orga, Gemplus, Montrouge, Schlumberger and Gesiecke & Devrient) announced their SIMalliance: designed to procure standards for smart card browser specifications, it affirms the importance of SIM (smart card) functionality for value-added services such as mobile banking.

The first SIM Toolkit application was the BT Cellnet/Barclaycard remote banking service launched in May 1997 on GemXplore SIM cards. Currently, STK cards represent about 20% of the SIM cards on the market; containing far greater memory than SIM cards merely used for identification, they allow for sophisticated application management. STK functionality enables operators to store mobile banking applications on their closed networks rather than the internet.