Sönke Schröder, Director of Global Go-To-Market Connectivity & IoT Innovation, Giesecke+Devrient shares the “compelling advantages” of the SGP.32 standard
With over 34 billion connected devices expected to be in operation worldwide by 2028, industries across the globe are facing mounting pressure to adopt streamlined, scalable connectivity strategies. The accelerating expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT) brings immense opportunity, but also significant logistical and technical complexity.
That being said, the Global System for Mobile Communications Association’s (GSMA) new SGP.32 standard represents an exciting advancement in remote SIM provisioning (RSP), redefining how IoT devices are deployed and managed globally and paving the way for the next era of connected innovation.
Modernising remote SIM provisioning with SGP.32
SGP.32 marks a significant upgrade from its predecessor, SGP.02, shifting from SMS-based communication to IP-based protocols. This change not only brings faster and more secure provisioning but also delivers increased efficiency in device management across large-scale deployments. Furthermore, SGP.32 structurally aligns with the consumer-facing SGP.22 standard, offering a more unified and streamlined architecture across different device types. This alignment supports industry efforts to reduce fragmentation in connectivity solutions, enabling greater consistency across IoT ecosystems.
Industry readiness for this new standard is already evident, as the first embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) products compliant with SGP.32 have been certified under the GSMA’s eUICC Security Assurance (eSA) scheme and eSIM compliance programme. This milestone follows the release of SGP.32 version 1.2 and its corresponding compliance and security specifications earlier this year.
These specifications were meticulously developed to ensure that eSIM IoT products are secure, interoperable, and suitable for deployment across diverse mobile networks worldwide. The GSMA’s enhanced compliance process has played a critical role in accelerating certification timelines, with some solutions achieving approval in under two months. This rapid certification capability is instrumental in helping organisations bring compliant IoT solutions to market more quickly.
Key value propositions of SGP.32 for global IoT
The benefits of adopting SGP.32 for global IoT deployments are numerous and far-reaching. One of the most immediate advantages lies in supply chain efficiency. Traditionally, deploying connected devices globally has required country-specific SIMs to be integrated during production—a process that introduces logistical challenges and inflates inventory complexity. With SGP.32, devices can automatically localise upon deployment, eliminating the need to pre-install region-specific SIMs. This capability reduces the number of stock-keeping units (SKUs) needed for different markets, simplifies inventory management, and can lower production costs by streamlining the bill of materials.
Additionally, SGP.32 helps organisations remain compliant with evolving regulatory requirements, particularly those involving permanent roaming restrictions. By enabling remote switching to local network profiles, businesses can maintain seamless device connectivity while adhering to regional regulations. This dynamic switching also enhances network resilience. As mobile network operators phase out legacy technologies like 2G and 3G, the ability to switch networks remotely ensures devices can maintain service continuity in the face of network sunsets or unexpected outages.
Cost control is another compelling advantage. Dynamic profile switching allows businesses to select network profiles that offer the best coverage and pricing, optimising connectivity costs based on regional market conditions. This flexibility contributes to a lower total cost of ownership and provides enterprises with greater control over their IoT budgets.
Moreover, SGP.32 introduces significant improvements in device management. Organisations can remotely provision and oversee millions of devices over the air, reducing the need for physical interaction and conserving operational resources. While switching profiles does consume energy—a consideration for battery-powered IoT devices—the SGP.32 standard was designed with power efficiency in mind. It incorporates protocols tailored to minimise the battery impact, enabling its use in energy-sensitive deployments without compromising device longevity.
The standard’s emphasis on interoperability and scalability positions it as a future-ready solution. SGP.32 promotes a high degree of compatibility across networks and vendors by using globally aligned protocols and components. This design enables enterprises to switch service providers or network operators without needing to replace existing hardware. The result is a flexible, vendor-agnostic connectivity model that empowers businesses to adapt to new requirements or market opportunities without incurring disruptive costs.
The industry impact
The relevance of SGP.32 is underscored when examined through the lens of specific industries. In the automotive sector, for instance, the ability to ensure seamless cross-border connectivity for telematics, emergency call systems, and infotainment platforms is increasingly critical. SGP.32 supports continuous service as vehicles travel across regions, enhancing the driver experience and safety. In healthcare, where remote patient monitoring and connected medical devices play a vital role in delivering care beyond traditional clinical settings, the standard facilitates secure and reliable device connectivity, which is essential for the growth of telehealth services.
Utilities and smart metering applications also stand to benefit. SGP.32 allows companies to deploy millions of smart meters with the ability to receive updates and reconfiguration commands remotely. This over-the-air functionality reduces the need for technician visits and ensures devices remain current and operational. In transportation and logistics, the standard supports improved asset tracking and real-time shipment monitoring, which in turn enhances fleet management and reduces the risk of loss or delay.
Industrial IoT use cases, such as automated production lines and real-time monitoring of equipment, also gain from the increased reliability and control enabled by SGP.32, helping to ensure optimal uptime and performance in mission-critical environments.
Preparing for SGP.32 implementation
To successfully implement SGP.32, organisations must understand and prepare the necessary technical components. These include the eUICC, which stores and switches connectivity profiles; the Subscription Manager Data Preparation Plus (SM-DP+), responsible for securely delivering profiles to the device; and the Subscription Manager Discovery Server (SM-DS), which helps devices locate the appropriate SM-DP+. Bridging these elements are the IP Addressing components (IPAe and IPAd), which facilitate secure communications between the eUICC and external infrastructure. The IoT Remote Manager (eIM) oversees the full lifecycle of device connectivity, from provisioning through to retirement.
Global interoperability remains a key consideration for any IoT deployment. SGP.32 supports integration with over 600 mobile networks in more than 185 countries, ensuring that connected devices can operate reliably in virtually any region. This global reach, combined with the technical robustness and flexibility of the standard, positions SGP.32 as a key enabler for the next phase of IoT evolution.
As the number of connected devices continues to rise, the ability to efficiently and securely manage these connections at scale becomes increasingly important. With its focus on flexibility, interoperability, and cost efficiency, SGP.32 empowers enterprises to navigate complex connectivity environments with greater confidence.
Sönke Schröder is the Director of Global Go-To-Market Connectivity & IoT Innovation at Giesecke+Devrient (G+D), a global security tech company that recently became the first company to have IoT eUICC products certified as part of the GSMA’s eUICC security assurance (eSA) scheme and achieve GSMA eSIM Compliance.
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