Major Industry Players Back Initiative to Develop New SIM Technology

HONG KONG, November 18 - The GSMA today announced that it has completed the first phase of its
Smart SIM initiative and has published three white papers* outlining the
commercial implementation of the technology. Led by the GSMA, this initiative
aims to drive the development and adoption of the Smart SIM, which will
enhance the mobile user experience by providing simplified, transferable and
consistent access to services, data, applications and settings, irrespective
of device type. The first phase of the project worked to ensure that
consistent interoperability between mobile handsets and SIMs can be achieved,
aligning device requirements and analysing the various SIM business models
and sharing them with industry partners.

"Use of Smart SIM technology will mean that operators will be able to
deliver a variety of capabilities without having to manage extensive and
complex commercial relationships or a mix of handset, operating system and
chipset technologies," said Alex Sinclair, Chief Technology Officer and Chief
Strategy Officer at the GSMA. "With the backing of some of the world's
largest operators, OEMs and software developers, the mobile industry will
address customer demand for the simplicity and transferability of user device
settings, applications and data, from handset to handset."

The completion of the first phase of the project was achieved through the
participation of 23 members, including 12 mobile operators representing more
than 1.2 billion subscribers, as well as SIM vendors, handset and device
OEMs, software developers and other key players across the mobile ecosystem.
The 23 members include AT&T, China Mobile, Gemalto, Giesecke & Devrient,
Infineon, KT, Latvian Mobile Telephone, LG, MCCI, Microsoft, Oberthur
Technologies, Option, Orange, Sagem Orga, Samsung, SK Telecom, Softbank
Mobile, SST, STC, Swisscom, Telecom Italia, Telefonica, and Telenor.

The GSMA's Smart SIM initiative will provide operators, handset
manufacturers, software developers and chipset vendors with the ability to
create a 'smart execution' environment and provide a common and interoperable
approach to application and service development. The initiative is focused on
creating a business environment whereby data mobility, service mobility and
enhanced user experience is guaranteed resulting in standardised,
interoperable and rich environments that will be used to build new services
and applications.

The completion of this first phase lays the groundwork for the next phase
of the Smart SIM initiative. The focus for phase 2 is to promote the
technology across the mobile industry and expand the Smart SIM ecosystem by
carrying out global trials of Smart SIM services in 2010.

Supporting quotes

"Orange supports the standardisation of SIM enabled services and welcomes
the launch of the white papers," said Frederic Dufal, Director of Device
Developments & Projects, Orange. "This first phase addresses some of the key
questions around use cases and implementation. However, in order for
customers to really benefit from the true potential of interoperable SIM
enabled services such as improved personal data storage and content
distribution, we need a stronger commitment from all players in the mobile
ecosystem. Together we have the opportunity to greatly simplify the
customer's user experience, and with the launch of the three white papers,
the Smart SIM initiative takes a positive step forward to achieving this
goal."

"Within the objective to accelerate the deployment of new business cases
generated by the implementation of an interoperable and advanced SIM
technology, we are pleased to support this initiative. Some of our members
are participating in the initiative and are already working on
implementation," said Michel Canitrot, Chairman of the Board, SIMalliance.
"The work the GSMA and members of this project are carrying out also
complements the work we are doing around the Smart Card Web Server."

"We are very pleased with what has been accomplished in phase 1 of the
Smart SIM initiative," said Dr. Cheol Kim, Project Leader on Global
Technology Strategy, SK Telecom. "We believe the Smart SIM will bring many
new business opportunities and will enhance the user experience in many ways.
SK Telecom joined the GSMA's initiative with the aim of resolving existing
interoperability issues and to create a new market for the mobile industry.
During 10 months of hard work and close collaboration, we have identified
several valuable business cases and interest from the mobile industry has
grown. Members of the project are aware that the Smart SIM will bring many
benefits to all stakeholders and we are now focusing on expanding this in
terms of business and technology commercialisation. SK Telecom will continue
to play a leading role in facilitating the adoption of the Smart SIM through
communication with the market and showing the actual benefits of the
technology."

"Smart SIM is an exciting opportunity to enable customers to benefit from
services with a consistent experience and which are portable across different
devices," said Vivek Dev, Innovation Director, Telefonica S.A. "The suite of
technologies defined by the project will enable a new generation of
compelling mobile services that move with the Smart SIM between devices,
ensuring a seamless, secure and consistent customer experience."

Note to Editors

* On completion of the first phase of the Smart SIM initiative, the GSMA
has published the following three white papers:

SC-04 Business opportunities and Smart SIM summary

SC-05 Technical implementation guide

SC-06 Detailed use cases paper

To view or download the white papers, please visit:
www.gsmworld.com/newsroom/document-library/technical_documents.htm.

About the GSMA

The GSMA represents the interests of the worldwide mobile communications
industry. Spanning 219 countries, the GSMA unites nearly 800 of the world's
mobile operators, as well as more than 200 companies in the broader mobile
ecosystem, including handset makers, software companies, equipment providers,
Internet companies, and media and entertainment organisations. The GSMA is
focused on innovating, incubating and creating new opportunities for its
membership, all with the end goal of driving the growth of the mobile
communications industry.

For more information, please visit Mobile World Live, the new online
portal for the mobile communications industry, at
www.mobileworldlive.com or the GSMA corporate website at
www.gsmworld.com.

Press contacts: GSMA, Richard Fogg: +44-7887-845-236, Daniel Lowther: +44-7747-636-687, press at gsm.org