Decoupling the Device and Identity in Cellular Networks with vSIM

TL;DR

This paper proposes a novel vSIM approach that decouples user identity from hardware in cellular networks, enhancing privacy, flexibility, and enabling new use cases like identity rotation and device independence.

Contribution

It introduces a new virtual SIM architecture that separates subscriber identity from device hardware, overcoming limitations of traditional eSIM and iSIM technologies.

Findings

Enables identity rotation and device independence in cellular connectivity.

Improves user privacy by decoupling identity from hardware.

Supports flexible use cases like temporary backup devices.

Abstract

Cellular networks are now fundamental infrastructure, powering not just smartphones for daily communication and commerce, but also enabling the expansion of IoT and edge computing through last-mile connectivity. At the core of this infrastructure is the SIM card, which provides essential network authentication and subscriber identification through subscriber cryptographic key and profile information. More recently, the SIM card has evolved from a separate pluggable card, to a card integrated into the board (i.e., soldered onto the board with the same electrical interface) (eSIM), to one that is integrated into the System on Chip (iSIM). However, a fundamental limitation persists across SIM evolution: subscriber identity remains coupled to hardware. eSIM and iSIM technologies, despite enabling remote provisioning, still bind digital identities to specific hardware elements. This makes it complex to support emerging use cases like moving a phone number to a cloud AI service or transferring credentials between different devices while maintaining cellular connectivity. Furthermore, although eSIM and iSIM support multiple profiles (multiple phone numbers or carrier profiles on a single device), all profiles still link back to the same hardware identity. For users seeking to maintain privacy through identity rotation or separation (like having different numbers for different purposes), they are limited by the hardware-bound nature of the security architecture. In this paper, we seek to decouple identity from the device, enhancing privacy and flexibility compared to various SIM designs. By breaking this coupling, we enable scenarios like real identity rotation, integration with virtual assistants, or temporary use of backup phones while maintaining consistent cellular connectivity.