Sequans (NYSE: SQNS), leader in cellular IoT chip technology, and Thales, leader in digital security, are partnering to bring to market a new integrated SIM (iSIM) solution supporting the latest GSMA SGP.31/.32 eSIM IoT specifications on Sequans LTE-M/NB-IoT Monarch 2 chip. The new version of the GSMA standard leverages industry experience with GSMA’s M2M and consumer eSIM architectures to bring a more advanced remote SIM provisioning architecture that is fully suitable for any IoT device. This gives service providers and OEMs/ODMs more flexibility to manage manufacturing, deployment, and operations of massive fleets of IoT devices without heavy investment.
By porting the Thales secured OS with Remote SIM Provisioning functionality into Sequans Monarch 2 chip with its ultra-high level EAL5+ certified secure enclave, Thales and Sequans are bringing to the market an optimized iSIM technology for IoT devices that simplifies connectivity plan provisioning and management. The joint solution will be eSA1 certified to deliver the same high standards of cyber-protection and flexible anytime anywhere connectivity offered by the latest generation of embedded SIMs (eSIMs).
“Combining Thales’ industry-leading Remote SIM Provisioning technology with Sequans’ highly secure iSIM hardware, integrated on both our Monarch 2 LTE-M/NB-IoT and Calliope 2 Cat 1 chips, is one of the most important new technologies to be made available to IoT businesses since the advent of IoT,” said Georges Karam, Sequans CEO. “It gives IoT service providers and device makers the power to download and change network operator profiles over-the-air at will, with no need to swap physical SIM cards or manage many device variants. This has been the vision of IoT for a long time, and now that the vision is becoming reality, we are going to see massive IoT explode.”
“Our partnership with Sequans enables the first integrated eSIM solution supporting SGP.31 and SGP.32 GSMA standards for consumer IoT, and it follows the release of Thales Adaptive Connect, the first commercial solution based on these standards, said Guillaume Lafaix, Vice President at Thales Mobile Connectivity Solutions. “Thales stays at the forefront of innovation in remote SIM provisioning, fully supporting the deployment of massive fleets of IoT devices that will leverage the existing eSIM infrastructure.”
The GSMA consumer IoT eSIM specifications enable remote SIM provisioning on all types of devices. It simplifies logistics, device installation, and connectivity cost. It improves the resilience of IoT connectivity and facilitates mobility applications. Finally, it provides crucially important business continuity for the entire life cycle of IoT devices, reducing risk when cellular networks change. With their new iSIM solution, Thales and Sequans aim to bring all these advantages to the cellular IoT market.
“This solution can be used to deliver additional secure services such as IoT Safe,” said Guillaume Lafaix. “With it, we provide scalable security by design to IoT service providers and device makers.”
Sequans and Thales are currently working with alpha customers, including a leading energy company, and the full commercial solution will be available in 2024.
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