UICC (Universal Integrated Circuit Card)
Updated
The UICC is the smart card platform underneath every modern SIM: the chip, its operating system and its file system. It hosts applications such as the USIM, and its physical and electrical characteristics are defined by ETSI TS 102 221.
In practice
SIM, UICC and USIM are often used as synonyms. The distinction matters for industrial projects, where the card itself (temperature range, memory endurance, form factor) is chosen separately from the subscription.
Reference
Related terms
- USIM (Universal Subscriber Identity Module)
- eUICC (embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card)
- SIM form factors (2FF, 3FF, 4FF)
- MFF2 (Machine Form Factor 2)