Platforms must adapt to IoT demand to support eSim growth

The embedded subscriber identity module (eSIM) market has gained momentum over the past two years or so.Now, two research studies from Juniper Research and CCS Insight have confirmed this trend, adding that the internet of things (IoT) arena is ripe for eSIM, especially in connected logistics, oil and gas, and smart street lighting in 2026.

Juniper Research’s eSIMs and iSIMs market 2025-2030 report predicted that the number of IoT devices using eSIMs will grow by 30% in 2026, rising from 1.2 billion in 2025.

Looking at drivers for the market, Juniper Research highlighted the GSMA’s eSIM IoT Architecture and Requirements SGP.32 specification, launched in 2025. This is the global mobile trade association’s eSIM standard for IoT that enables scalable, server‑driven remote SIM provisioning. It is designed to offer benefits such as bulk activation, reduced operational costs and greater flexibility to switch connectivity providers.

Juniper believes that as the standard gains traction across the IoT market, connected logistics, oil and gas, and smart street lighting will be the fastest-growing IoT eSIM sectors in 2026. In turn, the analyst believes that these industries will benefit the most from the standard in 2026, contributing a combined 75 million new eSIM connections.

Yet despite its optimism, Juniper noted several challenges for eSIM platforms, the biggest of which is pivoting away from pull models (in which the device pulls a single profile to it) to a push model where profiles are pushed to multiple devices at the same time. Juniper Research urges these platforms to develop their own push model to serve enterprise eSIM users as adoption among enterprise IoT users proliferates.

“Enterprise users demand a completely different set of requirements, most notably a server-driven approach that enables centralised orchestration of deployments,” said Ardit Ballhysa, senior research analyst at Juniper Research. “For enterprise IoT users, it is inefficient to use a pull model to provision so many devices, and eSIM platforms must adapt.”

Meanwhile, CCS Insight found that in the UK there has been a surge in eSIM awareness and users are increasingly deploying the technology to connect to a domestic or international provider.

Across the sample of more than 1,000 respondents, nearly three-quarters said they had heard of eSIM, up from just 27% in 2022. Among these, almost a third used the technology to sign up with a UK provider. iPhone customers were the top users, which CCS Insight said is a reflection said of Apple’s drive for adoption that included the launch of the eSIM-only iPhone Air in 2025.

Almost three-quarter of respondents in the survey are considering using a travel eSIM for their next international trip, including 86% of those who have used one before. The main reasons cited were convenience and saving money.

Assessing the trends revealed in the survey, Kester Mann, CCS Insight director of consumer and connectivity, said the results cemented the “indelible” role of eSIM in people’s journeys to get connected.

“We’ve seen a surge in awareness of eSIM, as well as encouraging intention to use the technology,” he added. “Combined with rising compatibility in smartphones and support from operators, it won’t be long before eSIM becomes the de facto way to sign up to a mobile service.”