Win with eSIM: 5 Ways Travel eSIMs Are Taking Flight

Travel eSIM is no longer a side hustle to roaming—it’s becoming the default way people connect on the move. In the last quarter alone, analysts report a sharp upswing in travel eSIM spend and a broader eSIM device base spanning phones, wearables, and even CPE/routers. Juniper Research expects travel-eSIM package revenues to reach $1.8B in 2025 (up ~85% YoY), while overall eSIM connections are on track to more than triple by 2030 as China’s Tier-1 operators embrace eSIM, expanding the addressable market overnight.

Two shifts explain why this matters now.

First, supply: MNOs are finally launching their own travel eSIM offers, and eSIM-only/first devices keep coming—smartwatch shipments grew +9% YoY in Q3 2025, and vendors are adding global coverage and satellite features that rely on embedded connectivity.

Second, experience: devices like GLi.Net’s eSIM enabled routers offer a plethora of different utility and pack security features for greater privacy and security on the move. These are increasingly a requirement for hybrid working or for more cyber smart personal usage. A recent and repeat CES Innovation Honoree, GLi.Net’s devices set a benchmark in features that build further utility into added-value. Similarly, NETGEAR’s new Nighthawk M7 ship with a built-in eSIM marketplace, letting travellers buy local plans in 140+ countries in a few taps.

Independent market views line up.

GSMA Intelligence’s Industry Checkpoint highlights a clear uptick in operator-branded travel eSIM, along with new eSIM use cases (FWA, kids’ wearables, on-demand temporary connectivity).

IDC points to SGP.32 as a catalyst for large-scale IoT/eSIM management—highly relevant for eSIM-capable hotspots, routers and wearables that need resilient multi-network service without truck-rolls.

Further, Kaleido Intelligence finds travel demand is shifting toward digital-first purchasing; its July survey across 20 markets suggests nearly 1 in 3 travellers could use travel eSIM by 2030. Zooming in on travel eSIM specifically, the immediate TAM looks healthy: DataM Intelligence pegs the market at $1.46B in 2024 with steady growth ahead—evidence that retail travel eSIM is moving from niche to norm as travellers want instant activation, transparent pricing and app-native control.

What to build next (five focused moves) to capture the travel eSIM demand?

Modern wireless pocket 4G WiFi modem.

1. Design “eSIM-first” activation

Make the eSIM flow the primary path (QR, deep-link, in-app entitlement) and treat plastic SIM as fallback. This aligns with the rise of eSIM-only/first devices and operator-backed travel eSIM offers now in market.

Take an example from our innovative customers already in this space.

“Kigen’s consumer eSIM provided the perfect launchpad for global connectivity. Its proven performance on the most popular eSIM LPWAN and 4G/5G LTE networks, coupled with support for a wide range of hardware, was vital for our entry into overseas markets. Kigen’s eSIM solution was also the key for GL.iNet to expand our product range, improve user experiences and enhance the competitiveness at the global market.” Dr. Alfie Zhao, CTO of GL.iNet

2. Design your eSIM activation model

eSIM Activation Models Design activation to match channel, scale, and device capability. Support single-use QR codes for direct-to-consumer flows where simplicity and user control matter. Add generic QR codes to enable scalable retail, packaging, and partner distribution without embedding profile-specific data.

For eSIM-first devices, integrate SM-DS–based discovery to enable zero-touch provisioning and marketplace-led activation without exposing SM-DP+ complexity. Where devices are managed, leverage an eIM to orchestrate remote profile download, enablement, suspension, and swap rather than user-driven actions.

For routers, wearables, and CPE, consider in-factory provisioning to enable out-of-box or first-boot connectivity, typically anchored by a bootstrap profile and complemented by later field activation.

Worthwhile, Profile Preparation & Retrieval: Plan profile preparation as a fulfilment and operational capability. Use single-profile preparation and retrieval for low-volume retail and app-driven journeys, where profiles or activation artefacts are generated and delivered individually via portal or API. For scale, support batch profile and QR preparation and retrieval to serve travel retail and enterprise channels efficiently.

3. Offer local plans at the edge (marketplaces)

Integrate an on-device catalog for regional data packs and instant provisioning—either your own offers or partner APIs. Devices that surface plan choice natively (like the M7) convert better because purchase and activation live in one UX.

4. Engineer for multi-network resilience

Implement profile strategy (bootstrap/operational/fallback), telemetry for switch decisions, and SGP.32-ready remote lifecycle ops (download/enable/swap/suspend). This cuts support cost and meets user expectations for “it just works” coverage.

5. Treat wearables & CPE as primary channels

Prioritize SKUs and bundles where attach is growing—smartwatches and hotspots/routers—because these categories are adding “always-on” and global coverage features that depend on embedded connectivity.

A quick guide for the biggest product decisions and considerations that pay dividends when designing travel eSIM and eSIM-first experiences:

Hardware & Form Factor
Choose eUICC package early: MFF4 (~2×2 mm) for ultra-compact designs; MFF2 (6×5 mm) for wider vendor choice & thermal margin. Validate SIM I/F, power rails, ESD, secure storage. Consider ready eSIM-ready modules if speed of development is more important than building from scratch for BoM optimization.

eUICC OS & Profile Strategy
Use GSMA-compliant eUICC (SGP.22/SGP.32). Plan bootstrap + operational + fallback profiles, Dynamic rescue and recovery logic, PLMN priorities, regional compliance (roaming, local IMSIs or multi-profiles) and features such as ability to add applets for end-to-end security such as IoTSAFE.

On-Device eSIM Software (IPA/LPA) and eSIM Management
Select IPAe/IPAd placement (modem, host MCU, or SE). Choose a IPAd or IPAe that suits your device utility. Integrate a SAS-certified eIM (IoT) that maximizes interoperability for profile lifecycle, policy, and Open 3.0 APIs. Require audit logs, role-based access, webhooks, and the ability to meet new EU Cybersecurity Resiliency Act, NIST, and EO 14028.

Global Profile Supply and Provisioning Model
Secure access to MNO/MVNO catalogs across regions (coverage, tariffs, compliance). An ecosystem with hundreds of profiles reduces commercial and technical friction. Define factory vs. activation code vs. first-boot field activation. Budget for radio time, battery impact, and back-off on poor RF.

Looking Ahead

Travel eSIM is now a mainstream expectation, and the good news is that you won’t need to build every layer from scratch – it is possible to assemble the right, interoperable building blocks and ship fast. You can start from a path that fits your design:

• turn-key, multi-vendor, tested modules or pre-integrated EVKs for rapid validation
• standards-first stacks (SGP.22/SGP.32) for long-term flexibility
• orchestration that plugs into your device management for a single pane of glass across factory and first-boot field provisioning.

In short: focus on the product experience, and work with a partner that brings an ecosystem, global profile access, and proven interoperability to de-risk launch and scale confidently.