Verizon ramps up cross-border IoT strategy with eSIM platform

US telco Verizon has further extended the reach of its IoT services with a new global eSIM platform.

Called Verizon Global IoT Orchestration, it enables devices operating in multiple regions to connect to a local eSIM profile from one of Verizon’s operator partners, appearing for all the world like a network connection in that partner’s service footprint.

Operator partners are a crucial ingredient then, and on that score, Verizon has signed up Bell Canada and Telenor. This will give Verizon’s IoT customers the ability to provision and manage devices across the US, Canada, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Verizon said it plans to announce more operator partners later this year.

“The US is a key market for many of our global customers. Together with Verizon we can streamline our customer’s solutions and supply chains while enabling even more reliable access to the US market. This includes local network functionality, which is a catalyst for the next generation of 5G-enabled critical IoT services,” said Mats Lundquist, CEO of Telenor Connexion and head of Telenor IoT, in a statement on Wednesday.

“This offering delivers the best service experience for centrally managing cutting edge enterprise IoT applications,” added Michel Richer, SVP of enterprise solutions, data engineering and AI, at Bell Canada. “And, it enables secure access to critical operational data in real time, no matter where in the globe IoT devices may be operating.”

Verizon already offers cross-border IoT connectivity via a roaming IoT SIM card it launched in 2021. Available globally to US multinationals, it enables enterprises to manage their IoT devices using Verizon’s ThingSpace platform.

However, eSIM offers several advantages when it comes to cross-border IoT. For one thing, rather than relying on a roaming partner network – and all the fees that come with it – IoT devices can be remotely provisioned and connected as if they are a local subscriber.

Also, from a design point of view, not having to accommodate a physical SIM card into a connected device means there is no need to include a SIM card slot, or make allowances for taking a device apart to access and swap out the SIM. This enables smaller, more rugged and therefore longer-lasting form factors.

Global IoT Orchestration represents a natural evolution then of Verizon’s global IoT solutions, and judging by some recent stats, it could prove to be the right time to capitalise.

Transforma Insights earlier this month predicted that global IoT connections will reach 34.4 billion by 2032, with cellular-based connections accounting for 6.9 billion of them. By that same year, Transforma expects the number of cellular IoT connections that support remote eSIM provisioning to reach 2.4 billion.

“The move toward global IoT reflects the reality of doing business in the massive IoT era. The number of IoT devices is expanding rapidly and fleets are fanning outward, so our customers need flexible, reliable connectivity that moves across borders,” said Debika Bhattacharya, chief product officer, Verizon Business. “With our partners Bell Canada, Telenor, and more to come, Verizon Global IoT Orchestration will be able to provide that – a globe-spanning footprint with seamless eSIM IoT connectivity.”

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