The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Monday said it has granted approval for two mobile network operators (MNOs), MTN Nigeria and 9Mobile, to carry out a trial on the workability of embedded Subscriber Identification Modules (E-Sim) Service in Nigeria.
The regulatory body added that the trial would run for a period of one year, noting that it would involve testing 5,000 E-Sims by the two networks.
A statement by the Public Affairs Director of NCC, Dr Ikechukwu Adinde said the trial is subject to compliance with a number of regulatory conditions.
Adinde announced that the conditions include full compliance by the MNOs with the Registration of Telecoms Subscribers Regulations 2011; the Mobile Number Portability Regulations and Business Rules 2015.
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He added that guidelines on Sim Replacement 2017; and non-degradation of the Quality of Service (QoS) experienced by users of e-SIMs are part of the conditions.
The Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Professor Umar Danbatta, was quoted as saying that the primary objective of the E-Sim trial is to assess the technical performance of the E-Sim on telecoms service providers’ network towards eventual rollout, if satisfactory.
According to the EVC, the E-SIMs is a technology that will eliminate the need for physical Sim card slots on mobile devices in the near future, adding that the trial is in line with the Commission’s forward-looking regulatory approach to ensure Nigeria’s telecoms ecosystem is in tandem with global best practices.
Adinde further explained that an E-Sim is a small chip that is embedded on a mobile phone or smart device. “It is designed for convenience, flexibility, and simplicity.
“The E-Sim makes it easier for subscribers to choose a pre-paid plan provider and switch between network operators, he said.
“The information on the E-Sim is rewritable by operators and the identification information can be updated over time,” Adinde added.
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