Convergence of secure systems in connected devices

Commenting on his re-election, Claus said: “Over the past 18 months, TCA has made significant progress in advancing the trust and security credentials of tamper resistant elements (TREs), alongside initiatives to enhance the supporting ecosystem.

"Looking ahead, the convergence of multiple services and secure technologies onto a single TRE within connected devices is an emerging trend that promises both opportunities and challenges. Ensuring it is supported by open, interoperable and scalable industry standards will be critical, and as leaders within the global TRE ecosystem we are committed to working with our industry partners to promote security, reliability and convenience”.

TCA also continues to closely monitor the ongoing effect of silicon supply chain pressures, which, coupled with unprecedented demand for digital products and services driven by the pandemic, have contributed to a global chip shortage that has impacted various industry verticals and looks set to continue into 2022.

“The SIM industry’s trusted and robust supply chains reflect the essential role that secure connectivity plays in our society, and manufacturers will make every effort, as far as is possible, to ensure that demand for SIM products continues to be met,” added Dietze.

“While SIM manufacturers are usually able to operate on a reactive basis, mobile network operators are encouraged to consider ongoing supply chain pressures and take a long-term view when forecasting volume requirements to support seamless business operations.”

TCA has also confirmed its board members for 2021/22: Benoît Collier (IDEMIA), Jean-Philippe Betoin (Kigen), Cyril Caillaud (NXP Semiconductors), Christian Vignes (STMicroelectronics), Stephane Quetglas (Thales) and Bertrand Moussel (Valid).

TCA’s Board expanded from five to seven members in June 2020 as the organisation evolved from SIMalliance, reflecting the need for broader industry collaboration among all ecosystem participants beyond traditional SIM manufacturers.

Key accomplishments for the organisation to date include:

• Enhancing its Recommended 5G SIM technical definition to align with new use cases introduced by 3GPP’s Release 16 Specifications for 5G Phase 2
• Publishing recommendations to promote subscriber privacy in 5G
• Demonstrating the significant growth of the worldwide eSIM market by p­­roviding the only quantitative global view of eSIM shipments
• Supporting eSIM interoperability and expanding the benefits of the technology to emerging IoT market segments through a major update to its eUICC Profile Package: Interoperable Format Technical Specification – which is used in every eSIM deployed in the field
• Advocating and championing integrated SIM standardisation efforts that ensure high levels of security assurance and global interoperability
• Expanding its membership footprint and industry partnerships to deliver enhanced market intelligence. This includes the recent addition of new member OASIS Smart Sim, as well as a partnership with Eurosmart to deliver clearer and more robust TRE sector data

For more information from Trusted Connectivity Alliance, visit its website’s Technology Library.