The present document defines the Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) application. This application resides on the UICC, an IC card specified in TS 31.101. In particular, TS 31.101 specifies the application independent properties of the UICC/terminal interface such as the physical characteristics and the logical structure. TS 31.101 is one of the core documents for this specification and is therefore referenced in many places in the present document.

The present document defines the USIM application for 3GPP telecom network operation. The present document specifies:

• specific command parameters;
• file structures;
• contents of EFs (Elementary Files);
• security functions;
• application protocol to be used on the interface between UICC (USIM) and ME.

This is to ensure interoperability between a USIM and an ME independently of the respective manufacturer, card issuer or operator. The present document does not define any aspects related to the administrative management phase of the USIM. Any internal technical realisation of either the USIM or the ME is only specified where these are reflected over the interface. The present document does not specify any of the security algorithms which may be used.

The following documents contain provisions which, through reference in this text, constitute provisions of the present document.

• References are either specific (identified by date of publication, edition number, version number, etc.) or non-specific.
• For a specific reference, subsequent revisions do not apply.
• For a non-specific reference, the latest version applies. In the case of a reference to a 3GPP document (including a GSM document), a non-specific reference implicitly refers to the latest version of that document in the same Release as the present document.