What is the purpose of a UICC?

The purpose of a UICC, or Universal Integrated Circuit Card, is primarily to enable telecommunications. This smart card is commonly used in mobile devices and serves as a secure element that stores the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), which is crucial for connecting to mobile networks.

The UICC allows users to access various mobile services such as voice calls, SMS, and mobile internet, making it an integral part of how mobile telecommunications operate. Its design also supports multiple applications and can hold various profiles for different mobile network operators, allowing for flexibility and ease of switching networks.

While it is true that UICCs can store user credentials and other applications (which touches upon aspects of the second option), their fundamental role ties back to facilitating communication over mobile networks, making them essential for telecommunications.