Du And Gemalto Introduce The E-SIM In The Middle East

UAE-based telecommunications service provider, du demonstrated the new e-SIM for the first time in the Middle East. Working with Gemalto, the world leader in digital security, du demonstrated the e-SIM during a round table held at the Grand Midwest Hotel in Media City. The e-SIM will enable du subscribers to activate the e-SIM on any device over the air, allowing an enhanced user experience in a new era of technology adoption that supports multi-device usage, such as smartwatches, tablets, laptops, other wearable devices or even cars. This will also enable a streamlined journey across multiple touch points, allowing customers to switch between various devices.

Saleem AlBlooshi, Executive Vice President of Network Development and Operations at du, said “At du, to simplify and enhance the lives of our customers. Individual and enterprise customers increasingly rely on multiple devices for myriad reasons and they all expect the same seamless experience, no matter the device or when they use it. This is why we are proud to bring the e-SIM technology to the UAE for the first time and why we are working with major businesses to create tailor-made e-SIM solutions - to ensure we are providing best-in-class services for our valued customers.”

The company is also expecting a number of commercial launches this year by various consumer technology brands which will support e-SIM in the region. At MWC 2016, Gemalto demonstrated its GSMA-compliant On-Demand Connectivity solution, an end-to-end, interoperable solution which features an e-SIM managing subscription remotely. AlBlooshi added: “The recent demonstration of e-SIM adds further impetus to the initiative of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in establishing the UAE as a global leader in all aspects and as an innovator in technology in the Middle East region.” 

The e-SIM will also reduce costs and improve flexibility as well as efficiency. It is also said to will accelerate the growth of the IoT/M2M Industry by providing a single de facto standard for remote SIM provisioning. The collaboration intends to avoid market fragmentation and also for all stakeholders and to support development of a strong e-SIM ecosystem. According to researches the growth will come from connected IoT/M2M devices estimated to be 15 Billion devices by 2020 including Connected Healthcare Devices, Connected Automotive Devices, and Smart Cities Devices.

Commenting on the demonstration, Benoit Jouffrey, Vice President of On-Demand Connectivity solutions at Gemalto said: “We are thrilled to work with du on e-SIM technology to create a powerful platform which will provide tangible benefits for du’s customers. The On Demand Connectivity solution combined with the e-SIM will dramatically increase business opportunities across IoT verticals such as automotive or consumer electronics that rely on seamless connectivity."

This article was originally published on  and has been reposted on Entrepreneur Middle East based on a mutual agreement between the websites.

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