Manage eUICC profile localization
The steps described in the tutorial show how to manage profile localization for eUICC.
An eSIM is a particular SIM able to host and enable multiple SIM profiles – each profile comprising of the operator and subscriber data that would have otherwise been stored on a traditional SIM card - even belonging to different operators and to switch to one to another. It is like having multiple virtual SIMs.
A bootstrap profile, a sort of default profile, is always initially present on the eUICC just to allow fetching and activating a commercial profile, that will enable the end-user to make traffic and be charged accordingly.
The term “localization” is used in IoTA to refer to the remote provisioning procedure that brings an eUICC to download, activate and switch through various profiles: from the bootstrap profile to a commercial profile of a given operator, between commercial profiles of two different operators or rollback from a commercial profile to the bootstrap (namely “delocalization”).
Preconditions
- You should know your eUICC ID (defined into the IoTA inventory in advance) and the IoTA account login credentials belonging to it.
- A mobile device.
- An eUICC IoTA SIMs:
- IoTA service portal accounts (as Enterprise user) belonging the subscriptions correspondent to this eUICC
- PC to browse IoTA service portal
Your device shall be switched on with the eUICC inside it.
Aspects to be known
The transitions, in both ways, may require some time (more than 1 minute) before the eSIM target state becomes fully operative, especially if the eSIM destination profile is operated by a CSP that will result as in roaming over a different local operator network.
The transitions require that the device is switched on and attached to the network in advance. Sometimes it might be beneficial to de-attach and re-attach the mobile terminal (e.g. enabling/disabling the airplane mode).
1. Check eSIM info & status
Log in into the IoTA service portal GUI, or use your service portal dedicated URL.
Select the eSIM, using “add filter” or scrolling the page, then click on the eUICC ID.
2. eSIM Inventory
In the eUICC inventory page is possible check the actual status and the subscriptions available on the SIM, they are associated to several commercial profiles. “SW1” is the id that points to the commercial profile targeted as destination.
3. Switch on device
At this stage the device has to be simply switched on and wait it gain access to the network enabled by the Bootstrap Profile.
4. Localize eSIM
Click to localize the eSIM using the localization command, it can be launched from the button “actions” or from the second box “localization”.
A new popup will require to select the localization profile, pick up the SP1 profile to trigger the localization procedure.
5. Check localization transition
A first check is to look at the IoTA GUI and verify that the status of that eUICC changed from "unlocalized" to "enabling": this means that IoTA is processing that work order.
It is possible to verify that a sequence of events (which include an exchange of SMS between the device and the network) is present like in the example below, clicking on the bootstrap IMSI link in the subscription box (the last one). It represents the initial actions that move the SIM from the unlocalized state. Note: timestamps go from bottom to the top.
Verify that a sequence of events (which include an exchange of SMS between the device and the network) is present like in the example below, clicking on the second active IMSI link. It represents the continuation of actions that move the SIM to the localized state on the final destination operator network.
However, the final transition step from "enabling" to "localized" will occur only after the device would have re-registered to the network (so you may note the device temporary disconnects and reconnects) with a valid commercial profile.
After this took place, also the service portal confirms that the eUICC state is “localized”.
