The SGP.32 standard is drawing attention within the IOT industry for the impact it will have on remote SIM provisioning which enables SIM profiles to be switched by reprogramming eSIMs.
The Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) which represents the interests of mobile network operators (MNOs) globally is responsible for setting standards to ensure interoperability across devices. It introduced the new technical standard in May 2023, reflecting an evolution in the standards and a recognition of the challenges for IoT devices that are network-constrained or face issues related to unreliable connectivity.
SGP.32 specifies remote SIM provisioning and focuses on IoT applications. It allows for remote management of eSIMs which allows operators to switch between MNOs over the air. This proves particularly beneficial for IoT devices deployed in difficult to reach locations where swapping out a physical SIM card is impractical and previously, physical access was necessary.
This has been welcomed by the IoT industry for the significant advantages it brings. Remote management of eSIMs allows for flexibility, as devices can be switched across networks seamlessly to ensure consistent connectivity and reduce the risk of outages; scalability of IoT deployment for enterprises, particularly those working across regions; cost efficiency by reducing the associated logistical challenges and costs of managing physical SIM cards; and enhancing security through the establishment of protocols for eSIM management which cover authentication, encryption and data integrity.
In recent news, semiconductor technology company STMicroelectronics announced the release of its ST4SIM-300 to be compliant with the standard. “Our embedded SIM for IoT solution, ST4SIM-300, enhances flexibility, eases network provider switching, and simplifies managing large numbers of connected devices,” explained Agostino Vanore, Edge Authentication and M2M Cellular Marketing Manager at STMicroelectronics at the time of the announcement.
A recent report published by Transforma Insights into the SGP.32 standard which was co-written and sponsored by Eseye, provided key findings including that the standard will be widely adopted for its capability in addressing technical limitations, however it expected “true SGP.32 capability” to be available from 2025, explaining that current SGP.32 solutions are not based on interoperable standards.
It also found that it does not resolve all challenges associated with deploying multi-country IoT connectivity as commercial contacts need to be negotiated with network operators and back-end processes and settings have to be reconfigured to reflect a change in a connectivity provider; the seamless switching between operators has not yet fully been realised.
“The SGP.32 standard has a lot to recommend it. It irons out many of the creases from the prior standards,” said Matt Hatton, author of the report. “ However, there is a very significant risk with SGP.32 that the real (and perceived) benefits will blind enterprises to the realities of the intricacies of managing the overall IoT solution deployment and the requirements for a migration path to get there.”
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