eUICC Fall-back Policy for Subscription Event Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Cards (eUICC) in Machine-to-Machine (M2M) devices face challenges in maintaining network connectivity during subscription management operations, as they may lose connectivity permanently due to enable/disable/activate/pause/deactivate/terminate events, especially when there is no active secondary subscription to fall back to.
Innovation Solution
A method and system where a connectivity service platform stores and communicates a fall-back policy to eUICC-enabled radio devices, allowing them to detect events that imply lost connectivity and automatically switch to a secondary subscription, ensuring continuous network connectivity by synchronizing the fall-back mechanism between the platform and the device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the eUICC performs fall-back mechanism by disabling current Profile and enabling Profile with fall-back attribute, then network connectivity can be recovered, but the device cannot contact wireless network to set up subscription since it has lost network connectivity
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by having the connectivity service platform detect subscription management events (enable/disable/activate/pause/deactivate/terminate) before the eUICC actually loses connectivity. The platform proactively initiates the fall-back mechanism by instructing the eUICC to switch to the fall-back profile before the current profile becomes completely unusable, ensuring the device can maintain or quickly restore connectivity without needing to contact the network during the actual fall-back execution.
Solution Approach 2:
The connectivity service platform acts as an intermediary between the network operator and the eUICC device. It monitors subscription management operations and coordinates the fall-back mechanism, sending instructions to the eUICC to switch profiles. This intermediary approach allows the system to manage connectivity transitions without requiring the eUICC to independently detect and respond to all network conditions, resolving the contradiction by enabling fall-back through coordinated platform intervention rather than device-only autonomous operation.
2Reliability
If the eUICC loses network connectivity during subscription management operations, then connectivity may be lost permanently, but switching to secondary subscription requires network contact which is unavailable
Solution Approach 1:
The system prepares for potential connectivity loss by having the connectivity service platform monitor subscription management events in advance. When events such as disable, deactivate, or terminate are detected, the platform proactively instructs the eUICC to switch to the fall-back profile before the current subscription becomes completely non-functional. This preliminary action ensures continuous connectivity without requiring the device to adapt to network conditions during the critical fall-back moment.
Solution Approach 2:
The connectivity service platform implements a feedback mechanism by monitoring subscription management operations and responding with fall-back instructions when necessary. The platform receives feedback about subscription state changes (enable/disable/activate/pause/deactivate/terminate events) and automatically triggers the appropriate fall-back response, enabling the eUICC to switch subscriptions seamlessly without needing to independently assess network availability or adaptability conditions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual UICC card switching is used in traditional devices, then connectivity can be changed between operators, but eUICC cannot be accessed by human intervention during device life cycle
Solution Approach 1:
The eUICC system performs self-service by automatically executing fall-back profile switching without human intervention. The embedded eUICC, under coordination with the connectivity service platform, autonomously monitors for subscription management events and executes profile changes based on pre-configured fall-back policies. This self-service capability maintains adaptability for subscription switching while eliminating the need for manual physical card access, perfectly resolving the contradiction between automated operation and switching versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The connectivity service platform serves as an intermediary that enables subscription switching for eUICC without human intervention. It receives and processes subscription management events, determines when fall-back is necessary, and instructs the eUICC to switch profiles accordingly. This intermediary layer provides the adaptability and control that would otherwise require manual UICC card access in traditional systems, while fully automating the process for embedded eUICC devices throughout their lifecycle.
Data Source
AI summary
A radio device in a communication network comprises an embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card. The radio device stores a device fall-back policy based on a fall-back policy message received from a connectivity service platform that is separate from the radio device and in the communication network. The radio device receives, from the connectivity service platform, an event message indicating disablement, deactivation, or termination of a subscription of the radio device with a network operator. The event message is received from the connectivity service platform via a wireless network connection of the subscription. Responsive to determining that the radio device will lose the wireless network connection of the subscription due to the disablement, deactivation, or termination, the radio device obtains a different wireless network connection for the radio device using a different subscription by falling back in accordance with the stored fall-back policy.