The SIMalliance believes, without a doubt, that LTE heralds the next major step in the development and delivery of a host of rich new multimedia services and applications. But more than this, by delivering a true broadband experience on the mobile, and through the integration of NFC, LTE will fundamentally change the way consumers communicate and transact, offering a seamless connection between the virtual and contextual worlds for the very first time. 

SIMalliance believes LTE offers opportunities for mobile operators to retain control of their subscribers (and revenues) against stiff opposition from over-the-top players, and to extend their influence outside of conventional mobile boundaries and into the wider online world.

But LTE is also a disruptive force; it will enable greater competition from non-mobile players and increase the commoditization of voice services. Also, by opening the core network to a potentially unsecure IP layer, security will become an increasing issue.

The UICC is a mandatory element in LTE as specified by 3GPP. However SIMalliance is recommending operators to adopt a UICC integrating specific features (See SIMalliance UICC Profile for LTE) to reduce the disruptive impact of LTE and to support the creation of a secure, open and interoperable environment where mobile services, and mobile operator revenues, thrive.