Optimizing SIM lifecycle management across a Pan-European MVNO Group
Our client, a dynamic and rapidly growing Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), serves nearly four million subscribers across five European markets. Focused exclusively on flexible mobile service offerings, the client offers a wide range of SIM and eSIM-based plans tailored to consumer needs, including bundles, international and travel passes and data add-ons. Rather than bundling devices with service plans, the MVNO emphasizes agility and affordability.
Operating through various Mobile Network Operator (MNO) partnerships — which may differ by country — the client regularly evaluates network quality and commercial terms to optimize market competitiveness. As demand and complexity have grown, the need for a more agile, centralized SIM lifecycle management solution became critical.
The Challenge
Transforming SIM operations for agility, scalability and independence
By 2022, the client recognized that its internally developed SIM lifecycle tool had become outdated. The platform lacked scalability, was difficult to maintain and couldn’t support emerging use cases like OTA (Over-The-Air) updates and eSIM activation.
The client also relied heavily on third-party OTA services, limiting their ability to manage SIM updates independently and scale operations efficiently across markets. They sought a strategic shift to an advanced, robust, scalable and future-ready solution, capable of handling current requirements, reducing external dependencies and supporting future expansion into eSIM capabilities.
The Objective
Implement a future-proof, centralized platform with built-in extensibility
The client engaged with our team to assess and recommend a replacement for their legacy system. They selected HCLTech’s Dynamic SIM Provisioning (DSP) platform – a scalable, multi-tenant solution designed to support diverse SIM lifecycle use cases, including OTA update campaigns and advanced eSIM profile management.
With a strong roadmap, proven performance in the telecoms sector and extensive support capabilities, HCLTech DSP offered the ideal balance of product maturity, flexibility and domain expertise.
Key goals included:
- Replacing the legacy internal tool with a streamlined, scalable solution
- Centralizing SIM lifecycle management across all five markets
- Enabling self-managed OTA updates for greater flexibility and cost efficiency
- Extending capabilities to include eSIM profile provisioning
The Solution
End-to-end SIM lifecycle enablement hosted on the client’s preferred cloud environment
We deployed our DSP solution on the client’s cloud infrastructure, delivering a powerful, configurable and integrated platform, to manage SIM lifecycle processes across regions. Initial deployments began with a single market and rapidly expanded to encompass all operational countries.
Key use cases delivered included:
- Premium number allocation: Segmentation of MSISDN pools to identify and monetize premium-number patterns at activation
- SIM ordering automation: Streamlined ordering via file-based integration with external SIM and eSIM suppliers
- Multi-IMSI roaming management: Activation of secondary IMSIs for seamless roaming, leveraging partnerships with global MVNOs
- SIM fulfillment integration: Automation of packaging and logistics data flow to suppliers for accurate and timely order fulfillment
Additionally, we integrated our OTA SIM Updater component, empowering the client to independently schedule and execute OTA campaigns, such as mass SIM updates across entire national fleets — nearly one million SIMs updated in a few weeks.
The implementation included full lifecycle services, combined with professional services for platform deployment, integration, configuration and ongoing operational support.
The Impact
Greater agility, reduced costs and enhanced operational agility and autonomy
With the HCLTech DSP solution in place, the client has significantly improved its operational resilience, flexibility and time-to-market. They achieved measurable improvements across multiple dimensions and the business benefits included:
- Accelerated time-to-market: Faster rollout of SIM lifecycle enhancements across all five countries
- Operational independence: Internal control over OTA updates, eliminating reliance on third-party providers
- Scalability: Ability to support millions of SIMs and eSIM profiles through a centralized, multi-tenant architecture
- Cost efficiency: Reduced fees and greater flexibility through internal ownership of SIM provisioning and update processes
- Strategic focus: Freed internal resources to focus on customer experience and market innovation, while relying on our solution for platform evolution and support
- Future-ready platform: Access to a continuously evolving product roadmap, backed by our telecom expertise and development capacity
Looking Ahead
A continued journey of value creation
We continue to expand our partnership with this MVNO by rolling out advanced capabilities across additional markets and aligning on long-term strategies for innovation and growth. Guided by a shared vision for agile, customer-centric telecom services, we remain committed to supporting the client’s digital transformation journey.
Together, we turned vision into a digital telecom revolution, equipping our client to deliver agile, customer-centric experiences at scale.
