3 select Axalto's 128 USIM card

July 15, 2004

Axalto announced it has commenced volume deliveries of its Usimera 128 Java SIM/USIM card to operator 3 UK to provide the best platform for new value-added services. Axalto commenced delivery of the cards to 3 in July. This new generation of USIM card means 3's customers can store up to double the amount of information as compared to existing SIM/USIM cards in the market. With Usimera 128, Axalto enables 3 to maximize over-the-air card management and increase the portfolio of applications and services that 3UK can provide to its customers.

David Cooper, Chief Technical Officer, 3 UK said: "3 is setting the agenda with video mobile services and offering customers great value price plans. The launch of these advanced 128k USIM card incorporating the latest 3GPP and Java interoperability standards demonstrates that 3 is leading this market."

3 is the first UK mobile network to adopt the latest USIM (128 kilo Bytes). These cards offer a significantly enhanced phonebook, a "database" allowing storage and management of multiple entries that can be associated to additional numbers, e-mail addresses or nicknames. This leaves a significant amount of memory still available on the card for over-the-air updates and SIM-based value-added services after the phonebook has been loaded.

"The deployment of Usimera 128 cards with 3 UK confirms the demand for high-end and large-memory cards from mobile operators" says Philippe Vrignaud, Axalto Mobile Communications Director.