SGP.32 eSIM is ready - are you?
eSIM promises a world of opportunity: global IoT connectivity, lower operational costs and simpler device management. Yet for many businesses, the reality can feel daunting. Ownership is complex, requiring investment in infrastructure, systems and expertise.
Both the challenge and the potential are real - but the difference comes down to execution. Enterprises that partner with the right IoT service provider can turn SGP.32’s promise into tangible value, while those that go it alone risk getting bogged down in cost and complexity.
Table of contents
The real cost of eSIM ownership
The appeal of eSIM is undeniable: global IoT connectivity without the logistical burden of physical SIM cards. Yet even with SGP.32, scaling eSIM is far from trivial. Success demands capabilities that go well beyond embedding a chip:
- Integration with device manufacturing
- Secure remote provisioning infrastructure
- Carrier agreements across multiple markets
- Ongoing lifecycle management.
Attempting to manage these in-house requires significant investment in systems, expertise and infrastructure - and failure can be costly. Forward-looking organisations avoid these pitfalls by partnering with an IoT service provider that simplifies complexity, manages carrier relationships and delivers a platform that makes eSIM adoption practical rather than painful.
The benefits of SGP.32: Why now is the time to adopt and deploy eSIM
SGP.32 isn’t just an incremental improvement - it has the potential to redefine how IoT devices are deployed and managed. By addressing the shortcomings of earlier standards, it reduces both technical and commercial risk while lowering total cost of ownership. The benefits are tangible and immediate:
- Remote SIM provisioning: Update network profiles at scale without touching devices
- Global reach: Deploy IoT devices anywhere with a single SKU
- Longer lifecycle: Stay resilient against regulatory or carrier-driven changes
- Lower operational cost: Minimise manual SIM swaps and costly site visits
- Security built-in: GSMA standards provide trusted protection for data and device identities.
Enterprises that hesitate risk higher costs, slower deployment and missed market opportunities. The time to embrace eSIM is now - and SGP.32, combined with the right IoT service provider, is the lever that turns its promise into reality.
What is SGP.32 eSIM?
SGP.32 is the GSMA’s latest remote SIM provisioning specification, designed to be inclusive of IoT deployments where embedded, headless devices are the norm.
It defines a modular architecture that removes the main shortcomings of older standards - SGP.02 and SGP.22 - and makes it easier for providers to manage eSIM profiles across fleets of IoT devices.
The key system modules are:
- eIM (eSIM IoT Remote Manager): Manages profile interactions (download, enable, disable) on devices
- SM-DP+: Secure backend system for profile provisioning and remote management, typically hosted by your IoT service provider or other operators/carriers
- IPA (IoT Profile Assistant): An optional agent on the device to interface with eSIM functions
- eSO (eSIM Orchestrator): is essentially a fleet manager and is key to making SGP.32 work efficiently for businesses. It includes profile stock management and rules engine functionality for automating Enterprise deployment policies.
How SGP.32 eSIM works
The animation below shows the main SGP.32 architectural components (ePA, eIM and SMDP+) and how they interact with other essential fleet management systems which your IoT Service Provider will provide.
Wireless Logic provides all of these functions as a fully managed service including the sourcing, deployment and lifecycle management of virtual eSIM profiles. We offer a large stock of eSIM profiles and our systems have already performed millions of over-the-air eSIM transactions.
SGP.32 architecture explained – Wireless Logic shows how to adopt and integrate it into your business processes
Step-by-step flow of how SGP.32 eSIM provisioning works
| Step |
Interactions |
What happens? |
| Pre-deployment |
Device Provisioning |
Select and install SGP.32 compliant eSIMs containing an IPA and bootstrap and/or operational profiles in your devices. |
| Pre-deployment |
Profile Selection and Stock |
Enterprise buyers/users select eSIM profiles required to support geographic and regulatory deployment needs. This includes definition of deployment policies (or rules) such as ‘use this profile in that country’. |
| 1 |
IPA to eIM |
When the device boots up it and connects to the network, the IPA will poll the eIM to check if there are profile updates for it. The IPA will continue to do this periodically based on a polling frequency set by the eIM. |
| 2 |
IPA to eIM |
During the polling process the IPA shares credentials with the eIM. |
| 3 |
eIM to eSO |
The eSIM/Device identifiers and location information is shared with the eSO which identifies if any new transactions should be performed for that eSIM/Device. e.g. a new profile download. |
| 4 |
eSO to eIM |
The eSO informs the eIM of any eSIM transactions to perform. For profile downloads, this includes a ‘download code’ containing the address of the SMDP+, the profile and the download method (direct or indirect). |
| 5 |
eIM to IPA |
The eIM informs the IPA to execute the required actions. In the case of a profile download, this includes the ‘download code’ and the download method. |
| 6a |
Indirect Profile Download |
IPA downloads the new profile from the SMDP+ via the eIM which in this mode, is serving as a proxy for the SMDP+. The download can be performed using a range of different protocols including CoAP, LwM2M, MQTT, HTTPS. |
| 6b |
Direct Profile Download |
IPA pulls profile from SMDP+ directly over HTTPS. Only devices capable of HTTPS communication can pull profiles from the SMDP+ directly. |
Why SGP.32 is better than previous standards
Earlier eSIM standards like SGP.02 and SGP.22 were designed for automotive (M2M) and consumer devices. They worked, but were never ideal for IoT at scale - especially constrained devices with limited memory, low power or massive deployment numbers.
SGP.32 is different:
- It supports the full spectrum of IoT connectivity use-cases from Automotive, Consumer to lightweight, low-power sensor devices
- Designed for scalability, from thousands to billions of devices
- Simplifies how OEMs, enterprises and service providers interact.
In short, SGP.32 eSIM makes remote SIM provisioning practical for real-world IoT deployments.
How OEMs can get started with SGP.32
The eSIM lifecycle for an OEM begins at the production line and includes end-of-line testing, staging and then market launch. Provisioning must account for these pre-launch stages:
- Select SGP.32-compatible modules and chipsets
- Work with an IoT service provider early to integrate eSIM into devices (hardware & firmware) and operational processes
- Test and provision at scale: validate connectivity across multiple networks during design and perform end-of-line testing at the production stage
- Plan for lifecycle management: whether you go to market direct to consumers/users (B2C) or via solution providers and enterprises (B2B), it pays to build a deployment plan early - including coverage, regulations and commercial requirements. Year 1 is important but build a 5 year plan as well.
How solution providers & enterprises can get started with SGP.32
Sourcing SGP.32-ready devices is only the first step. Equally important is ensuring interoperability between the device (cellular module) and the remote SIM provisioning services that will keep it connected. Partnering with an IoT service provider ensures interoperability and reliability:
- Audit existing IoT connectivity costs and risks. Identify where legacy devices/SIMs or older eSIM models add overhead
- Engage with an IoT service provider to test and validate your device choices. They will provide the secure backend RSP infrastructure (like eSO, eIM and SM-DP+) so you don’t need to build it yourself
- Future-proof deployments. Build a 5 year plan which includes migration paths in your roadmap as you add different device types and expand your deployment footprint
- Leverage multi-carrier flexibility. Optimise for coverage, cost, or performance and don’t be locked into a single network.
Ready to accelerate your SGP.32 eSIM journey? Get in touch to see how we can help you design, test and scale with confidence.
Final thoughts
SGP.32 eSIM is a major milestone in the evolution of IoT connectivity. It finally makes remote SIM provisioning and global scalability truly achievable. While the technology is powerful, successful adoption requires expertise, infrastructure, and ecosystem partnerships. Businesses that go it alone face steep costs and technical hurdles. By partnering with an experienced IoT service provider like Wireless Logic, you can unlock the full potential of SGP.32 - without the hidden headaches of sourcing, deployment, and large-scale management of eSIM profiles.
Author
Iain Davidson – Senior Product Marketing Manager
Iain has worked in a range of technology roles from design, system development, sales to marketing. Currently he is Senior Product Marketer at Wireless Logic and working to help drive good technology choices for successful IoT products and deployments. In this blog, he dives into some of the details of SGP.32 but previously he’s urged OEMs, Solution Providers and Enterprise users of the eSIM technology to stay focussed on the business problems it solves and let Wireless Logic manage the tech.
