GSM USIM

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||l| |7|
Engineering Instructions for

UNIVERSAL SUBSCRIBER IDENTITY MODULE

||| -||| Document No. : EI/USIM/12-13/10
|0-||| No of Pages. : 8
|| | | -|+| GR reference
: GR/WS/SIM-003/02 Jan 2010
-|7|| || (|l |$) Amendment
No. (If any)
: NIL
|0 -|7l|| Page Nos. Amended : NIL
||||| Issued By : Telecom Quality Assurance circle, Bangalore
|||l| Approved by : The CGM, TQA circle, Bangalore
||| | | l|| Date of Issue : 27.02.2013
Written by : ATUL KUMAR MAHAJAN (QA CIRCLE)
Expert Comments : MUKHESH MANGAL (QA CIRCLE)

Restricted use by BSNL Employees only

All efforts have been made to incorporate all relevant up to date information available, any discrepancies
or need for addition or deletion is felt necessarily may please be intimated to this office for further
improvement,on E-Mail Id cgmtqa_ei@ bsnl.co.in (or) cgmtqa.ei@gmail.com

DISCLAIMER:FORINTERNALCIRCULATIONAMONGBSNLEMPLOYEESASAGUIDELINEFORINSTRUCTIONAL
PURPOSE.

Office of Chief General Manager
Telecom Quality Assurance circle
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th
Main,
J ayanagar 5
th
Block, Bangalore - 560 041
Tel: 91 80 26533100 Fax: 91 80
26530681
Visit us at www.qa.bsnl.co.in
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CONTENTS



































Sl.No. Particulars Page No.
1 Scope

3
2 Introduction

3-4
3 BSNL Requirements for USIM Card

4-5
4 SIM to GSM and USIM to UMTS

5
5 UMTS Network

5
6 The Crypto Co-processor

5-6
7 Conclusion

6
8 Abbreviation

7
9 FAQs

7
10 References

8
GSM USIM
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ENGINEERING INSTRUCTIONS ON
UNIVERSAL SUBSCRIBER IDENTITY MODULE (USIM)


1.0 Scope:

This engineering instruction document on Universal Subscriber Identity Module
(USIM) will help in understanding the basic difference between SIM and USIM. As the
Engineering Instruction on SIM Card is already exists (EI No: EI/SIM/10-11/48. dtd
04/11/2010) so it is logically sensible to discuss only those point on which USIM differs.

1.1GRofUSIM

The latest TEC GR (Generic Requirement) available for the USIM is GR/WS/SIM-
003/02.J AN.2010.

2.0 Introduction :

This Engineering instruction describes briefly that basic advantage of Universal
Subscriber Identity Modules (USIM) card over normal GSM SIM Card.




SIM CARD USIM CARD








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The basic Advantages of USIM are

The one that most can observe is the availability of higher memory. For example,
the USIM that BSNL provides for its 3G services has 128K / 256K memory. Most
2G SIM cards will have a memory of 32K, with some latest 2G SIM having 64 K
memories.

Apart from just Memory expansion, there are several security features available in
USIM, that are absent in SIM card.

SIM cards (Subscriber Identity Module) are used to communicate on GSM
networks. With the introduction of UMTS or 3G, it's highly recommended to use
a USIM card to access UMTS network. Although it's possible to access it with a
normal 32K GSM SIM card provided service provider permits this.

A USIM is a tiny computer which is able to handle several mini applications, for
instance a e-purse for the subway, a local service portal giving you access to your
phone bill, etc.

Regarding security, a new algorithm is integrated (it's derived from recent
researches in cryptology). It allows protecting subscriber from cloning of the
USIM cards and thereby preventing from fraudulent calls on their bill.

The phonebook capacity is much bigger on the USIM, allowing thousands of
contacts (instead of a maximum of 255 in a SIM). Each USIM contact is also
richer, for instance it can contain email addresses, a second or third phone number
i.e. public phone book facility is provided.


3.0 BSNL Requirements for USIM Card:

BSNL provides 128K and 256K USIM card having following features.

RAM: RAM microcontroller chip used in USIM card should be adequate to
support the processor of USIM card for performing advance functions like
ciphering of data, calculation of algorithm parameters etc. RAM provides
temporary storage of data while processor is busy in doing calculation with some
other data which is fetched earlier from RAM. Hence it is clear that RAM should
be large enough to support complex calculation. For 128K USIM card it should be
minimum 5KB and for 256K USIM card it should be minimum 8KB.

Public Phone Book Capacity: For 128K USIM it should be minimum of 500 and
for 256K USIM it should be minimum of 1000.

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Digital Signature Co-processor: It is optional it may be provided or may not be
provided. The Co-processor shall support 1024 bit keys. The main function of this
will be discussed later in this document

4.0 SIM to GSM and USIM to UMTS:

SIM card is a key which is used to open the door for subscriber to latch on network.
The normal GSM SIM card is used to authenticate on 2G GSM network. Similarly the USIM
card is recommended to authenticate/Latch on UMTS 3G networks. However UMTS network
does not restrict subscriber with 2G SIM to latch on network card provided service provider
permits this.

5.0 Few words on UMTS network

The Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) is the third generation
mobile telecommunications system which started its services in Europe around the year 2000. It
provides a range of telecommunications services to mobile and stationary users in a variety of
application areas and operating environments. When thinking about USIM one should know
following points about UMTS network.

The UMTS standard does not restrict the functionality of the User Equipment in
any way.

The frequency band (above 2100 MHz) of UMTS (3G) network is higher than
that of GSM (2G) band.

UMTS offers teleservices (like speech or SMS) and bearer services (Data), at
higher data rates which provide the capability for information transfer between
access points.

The security algorithm used for authentication of subscriber on UMTS (3G)
network is Milenage algorithm unlike GSM (2G) which uses GSM A3 and A8
algorithm (Comp 128 /3).

6.0 The Crypto Co-processor:

The digital Co-Processor / Crypto Processor / Digital Signature Co-Processor in
USIM is used for cryptography. Cryptography is nothing but encryption and decryption of data
using particular keys for sending the data securely. This secure data may be a bank transaction or
any other secure message etc. The most popular algorithm for cryptography is RSA algorithm.





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6.1 The RSA Algorithm

The RSA algorithm involves three steps: key generation, encryption and decryption.

In this Algorithm the one who wishes to receive or who is going to receive the
message i.e. Receiver will generate two keys a Public Key and a Private key using
RSA algorithm
The receiver will transmit its public key to sender and keeps his private key
secret with himself only.
Now sender will encrypt the message using public key by using method specified
in RSA algorithm.
The encrypted message received by Receiver will then be decrypted by using
private key.
The RSA algorithm generates public key and private in such a way that a message
which is encrypted by public key can only be decrypted by private key

6.2 But why a Separate co-processor.

The encryption decryption and key generation is advance mathematical process which
needs a special Cryptographic Engine which should support 1024 bit key.
1024 bit key in binary is a very big length. To generate this much big length key is not
difficult because its one time job for one whole transaction, but to encrypt every
message and to decrypt the message with 1024 bit length key in run time needs a very
fast processor so separate processor with its separate data register(RAM) for temporary
storage is used. The Generation of keys and encryption and decryption of message will
be done inside the USIM card and not by Mobile handset to ensure security. But during
this whole process the main processor of USIM, the user and the network all will be
busy in doing their work so to avoid delay and slackness in communication a special &
fast co-processor with its separate data register is employed in USIM card which is
called the Cryptographic Engine


7.0 Conclusions:

UMTS network is 3
rd
generation network which is responsible for providing high
data rate luxury to customer, the video call facility and other special facilities along with
security. The user who is on 3G network and is not having USIM card will only be using
facilities of 3G but he is not using Security features of 3G. USIM card is mainly responsible
for using security features of UMTS network. However the subscriber can avail all other
facilities of UMTS (3G) network using normal 32K GSM card.





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8.0 Abbreviation:

UMTS - Universal Mobile Telecommunications System
3G - 3
rd
generation mobile communication
GSM - Global system of mobile communication
USIM - Universal Subscriber Identity Module
SIM - Subscriber Identity Module
KB - Kilo Bit
GR - Generic Requirement
RAM - Random Access Memory
ME - Mobile Equipment
HSPDA - High Speed Data Packet Access



9.0 FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions):

Q: what is USIM?

A: USIM is Universal Subscriber Identity Module

Q: Does USIM works on 2G handset?

A: Yes USIM works on 2G mobile handset, as a matter of fact USIM should be
backward compatible with 2G handset

Q: Does 2G works on 3G Network?

A: Yes USIM or 2G SIM inserted in 2G or 3G mobile handset works on 2G or 3G
network, as a matter of fact 3G network should be backward compatible with 2G handset
and 2G SIM.

Q: Why 3G services are accessible on 3G ME with 2G SIM?

A: Some of the features of 3
rd
generation mobile network are independent from the type
of SIM card used in ME, so those services are accessible like HSDPA, Video calling
etc.

Q: Does SIM or USIM card get virus infected?

A: No SIM or USIM cards are secured with different types of keys. So virus installation
is impossible on SIM cards.



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10.0 References:

GR No: GR/WS/SIM-003/02.J AN.2010

GR No: GR/WS/SIM-001/03.J AN.2010

SIM QUALITY MANUAL: QM 355

www.3gpp.org

www.gemalto.com

www.wikipedia.org



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