eSIM isn’t new. But for most channel resellers and IoT solution providers, it’s either been filed under “nice to have” — or ignored entirely.
Now that’s starting to change.
With the release of the SGP.32 specification and forecasts predicting profile downloads to soar from 2.89 million in 2025 to 194 million by 2029 (ABI Research), eSIM is shifting from niche to norm.
But it’s not just a change in SIM tech.
It’s a change in who controls the connection — and how services are delivered.
Handled right, eSIM can simplify operations, reduce time-to-deploy, and build long-term value.
Handled wrong, it can lock you out of your own service and profit potential.
This guide breaks down:
It’s not just a SIM embedded in a device. And it’s not just for phones.
At its core, eSIM is the ability to change network profiles remotely — without swapping the SIM.
At its most simple, there are two key components you need to know about:
eSIMs can come as:
What makes it an eSIM isn’t the shape — it’s the software.
Specifically, the eUICC: a secure element that stores one or more profiles and allows them to be switched remotely.
So a plastic SIM can be part of an eSIM deployment — as long as it supports eUICC and is managed by the right platform.
This unlocks remote SIM provisioning (RSP):
Instead of replacing a SIM to change networks, you push a new profile digitally — whether by QR code, over-the-air, or API.
The result?
A SIM that doesn’t tie you to one network, one SKU, or one deployment plan.
Not all eSIMs work the same way — and not all are built for IoT.
The GSMA defines three main specifications for eSIM provisioning. Here’s what you need to know:
The spec you use affects rollout speed, operational effort, and post-deployment control.
If you’re working with tablets, ePOS, or body-worn cameras, you’re probably using SGP.22.
If you’re deploying IoT at scale — like routers or sensors — you’ll want SGP.32.
The key is to match the spec to the deployment model, and make sure your provider gives you access to both.
The good news? At Pangea we deliver SGP.22 and SGP.32 options on one SIM — because what might be right now might not be right later.
Once a device has eUICC functionality, you still need a way to store, deliver, and manage the network profiles that go on it.
That’s where the SM-DP+ platform comes in.
Think of it like a secure app store — but for mobile network profiles:
This is where flexibility lives — or dies.
Even with SM-DP+ access, your flexibility is only as strong as your provider’s integrations.
Some providers only host their own profiles — so even if they say they support eSIM, you’re stuck within their ecosystem.
Others open it up: allowing switching between multiple MNOs, across countries, and in real time.
So if you’re evaluating eSIM options, don’t just ask:
“Do you support SM-DP+?”
Ask:
“Whose profiles can I access and how?”
Think of eSIM as a structural change — not just a technical one.
It challenges the old assumptions that have long underpinned reseller and solution provider models:
That SIM logistics equals control, that network choice happens at install, and that post-deployment changes are out of scope and therefore create sticky customers.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
With eSIM, the point of control moves from the physical SIM to the SM-DP+ platform that stores and pushes profiles.
That means OEMs can ship devices with profiles already loaded, bypassing you, and your choice in the process, entirely. Or you may still ship the SIM — but network choices are locked-in and limited by the MNO.
If you don’t have access to the platform — or work with a provider who does — you don’t control the connection. Full stop.
In the old model, whoever stocked and shipped the SIMs held the keys. Now? It’s about who can orchestrate connections remotely and the most effectively, not who can move plastic around.
Customers expect flexibility. The ability to adapt to network changes, regulatory shifts, or performance issues — without a truck roll — is becoming the baseline. If you can’t offer it, someone else will.
Done right, eSIM doesn’t just replace the SIM.
It replaces complexity.
Here’s what that unlocks for resellers and solution providers:
You don’t need to build or manage your own eSIM infrastructure.
But you do need to work with a provider that gives you the right level of profile access, switching capability, and tools to deliver services — not just data.
eSIM removes rollout bottlenecks:
You go from scaling based on how many SIMs you can ship, to how quickly you can provision new services.
Whether it’s a tablet, sensor, or router, eSIM means devices can:
That’s not just convenient — it’s a selling point.
For resellers, that’s the difference between selling connectivity and selling continuity.
For solution providers, it’s what turns your product into a platform.
eSIM promises control, but it can quietly take it away if you choose the wrong model.
Because eSIM in name isn’t the same as eSIM in practice.
If your provider doesn’t give you the right level of control — or only lets you switch within their own limited network estate — you’re locked in all over again.
You’re offering eSIM in name only, without the flexibility, scalability, or control it’s meant to deliver.
To unlock the real value of eSIM, the provisioning model needs to include you.
That means:
Does your SIM management portal support SGP.22 and SGP.32?
Can it handle both QR provisioning and remote profile switching?
Can you support, scale, and switch services without sending someone to site?
Are you set up for zero-touch deployment?
Are you selling SIMs — or lifecycle-ready, value-added connectivity?
Are your customers clear on the difference?
Here’s what that evolution looks like in practice.
You'll move from: SIM logistics and lock-in
To: Service orchestration and lifecycle value
You’re not a SIM supplier.
You’re a connectivity orchestrator.
Step 1: Clarify your role
Are you a logistics provider, a value-added integrator, or a service orchestrator? The further up the stack you go, the more defensible your business becomes.
Step 2: Re-examine your commercial models
Move from margin-per-SIM to value-per-service. Look at usage-based billing, platform fees, SLA-tiers.
Step 3: Control the customer relationship
Educate customers on how eSIM works. Be the one who simplifies a complex technology shift.
You'll move from: Connectivity as a bolt-on
To: Connectivity as a built-in resilience layer
Treat connectivity as a core enabler of your solution.
Step 1: Clarify your role
Are you simply bundling connectivity — or are you orchestrating performance, experience, and lifecycle across your solution?
Step 2: Re-examine your commercial models
Connectivity isn’t just a cost to pass through. It can be a driver of MRR, performance guarantees, tiered service plans.
Step 3: Control the customer relationship
Position your solution as eSIM-ready and future-proof. Don’t let connectivity uncertainty block customer adoption or scale.
We’re already helping resellers and solution providers adopt eSIM — without overhauling their whole operation.
Here’s how we can help:
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