Connected Devices Alex Fefer - PowerPoint Presentation

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Connected Devices

Alex Fefer

Windows and Devices Group

Strategy and Ecosystem

Introduction to the

Always Connected PC

The Cellular Disruption

Cellular costs

declining rapidly

Cost per GB down 13% in North America last year; unlimited plans rolling out worldwide

Coverage and capacity

continuing to expand

LTE at over 80% population coverage in all developed markets; many over 90% and still improving

Cellular speeds

exceeding Wi-Fi

Gigabit LTE deploymentsaccelerating with 41 MOs in plan and growing

$/GB

The Always Connected PC

Stay confident and connected.

Secure and Familiar Windows 10

Always On -

Beyond all-day battery

Always Connected -

3-5x faster than

Wi-Fi

Thin, Cool and Quiet designs

The Always Connected Vision

New Device Categories

Strengthen the ecosystem 

Product Innovation

New Experiences

5

Increasing Customer Satisfaction

Always Connected PCs on x86 & Snapdragon

New exciting form factors featuring Gigabit LTE and All-day battery

Getting online has never been easier

How a PC Gets Connected

Physical SIM

Embedded UICC

Activation scenario:

SIM bundled with device or inserted at point of sale; activation takes place in channel

Typical channels:

Retail with in-store activation; mobile operator

When:

Supported today

Activation scenario:

End user attaches device to their MO’s data plan in Windows and eSIM profile downloaded from cloud (consumer)

or

MDM provisioned (commercial)

Typical channels:

Retail without in-store activation; online channel

When:

Supported in next release of Windows 10

Note: scenarios may vary by operator, channel and geography

Connectivity Investments in Windows

GOAL:

Enable friction free connectivity on all Windows devices at all times for consumer and commercial customers, in all geographies and channels

IMPACT

Increase satisfaction for users who need to be productive anywhere

Increase customer engagement

General Connectivity Investments

(Legacy and eSIM)

Smart Connection Management

Windows allows for multiple connectivity methods (e.g. cellular, Wi-Fi and Ethernet) to coexist on the device and be simultaneously connected to the Internet

When multiple paths to the Internet are available, Windows will automatically select the best connection based on network availability, signal quality, cable presence, and metered vs. non-metered connections

*https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/mobilebroadband/understanding-and-configuring-windows-connection-manager

Seamless Cellular Provisioning (COSA)

COSA stands for

C

ountry and

Operator Settings Asset, it is a database of operator profiles as a provisioning package, replacing legacy Windows PC APNDatabase.xml and Windows Phone settings database

Upon SIM card insertion or hot swap, Windows will use the COSA database to automatically provision APN connection settings and connect the device to the InternetCOSA can be extended with an OEM-generated provisioning package during factory imaging, overriding or extending existing operator profilesCOSA and legacy APN database system share the same submission procedure. MSDN documentation available today*

*https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hardware/commercialize/customize/desktop/customize-cosa

Consumer eSIM

Consumer eSIM Activation

Starting from the next release of Windows 10, consumer users will have the ability to easily attach their device to a mobile operator’s plan in Windows (post-OOBE)*

Activation takes place through the Mobile Plans app – mobile operator provides their customized experience through embedded web interface

Devices should be manufactured with an embedded UICC (

eUICC

) to take full advantage of this activation scenario with optimal end user experienceAlso possible with non-embedded UICC, but not recommended due to potential fragmentation in the end user experienceExisting eSIM-enabled devices will gain this capability upon in-market upgrade to the next release of Windows 10

* Capability requires mobile operator support in addition to hardware and software features; specific launch timing will vary based on operator support timelines.

Enterprise eSIM

Enterprise IT will have the ability to bulk purchase subscriptions from MO and use MDM to automatically provision connectivity

For DSSA scenarios, IT pros will have the ability to:

Query SIM slot configuration on a per-device basis

Specify which slot to enable

Dictate policies for SIM slot enablement (i.e. when roaming)

Issue admin commands to force SIM slot selection

The user is always notified about remote IT actions

Enterprise scenarios will also rely on embedded UICC in the device for optimal end user and IT management experience

Enterprise eSIM Features (MDM)*

* Pilot in next release of Windows 10

Hardware Design Considerations

Hybrid SIM configuration with embedded UICC

and

removable SIM slot (DSSA – Dual SIM, Single Active)

Industry is in a transition period from physical SIM to eSIMHybrid config supports all channels, operators and activation scenarios

Prevents scenario fragmentation and end user confusion associated with removable UICCs

Hybrid SIM

1

Gbps

Gigabit LTE

Design for Gigabit LTE: 4x4 MIMO, 256-QAM and Carrier Aggregation

Major operators are on “speed race” to Gigabit LTE support; 41 MOs worldwide have Gigabit LTE in plan

Gigabit LTE is key differentiator for next generation of Always Connected PCs

In Closing…

Cellular connectivity is a major area of investment in Windows as a critical piece of the Always Connected PC story

eSIM is a major aspect of the consumer and enterprise activation scenarios

Ensure these design requirements are met for the optimal Always Connected experience:

Hybrid SIM configuration: Physical SIM slot + Embedded UICC

DSSA capability

Gigabit LTE (4x4 MIMO + 256-QAM + CA)

In Closing…