Soracom expands partners for iSIM Commercial IoT growth

Having completed a joint iSIM proof of concept in collaboration with leading cellular internet of things (IoT) chipset provider Sony Semiconductor Israel and Kigen, a global leader in secure authentication for cellular IoT devices, advanced internet of things IoT connectivity provider Soracom has expanded its collaboration to include new integrated subscriber identity module (iSIM)-compatible modules from Quectel and Murata to support commercial deployment of next-generation iSIM products.

iSIM technology is said to offer significant advantages over existing SIM and eSIM technology, including reduced physical size, simplified circuitry, minimal board footprint, improved processing capacity, greater energy savings, higher security, lower cost and simplified commercial distribution. The iSIM standard integrates communication modules, SIM and eSIM functions into a single system-on-chip (SoC) device and offers a hardware-secured area in the chip for optimal data integrity.

“We are pleased to make iSIM technology available commercially and appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with global technology leaders to help accelerate this development,” said Soracom CEO and co-founder Ken Tamagawa.

“iSIM technology matches perfectly with Soracom’s Subscription Containers feature, which lets users download new profiles over the air as needed. iSIM represents the future of SIM technology, and this collaboration puts our customers at the leading edge of IoT development.”

The partners say customer interest in iSIM-compatible products has increased steadily since 2021, and module vendors have expanded related product offerings. This partnership will allow interested Soracom customers to secure the Quectel BG773 and Murata Type 1SC iSIM-compatible modules for use in IoT deployments.

“iSIM technology is a game changer for anyone who wants to secure data originating from connected devices, whether it’s for delivering unique customer experiences or for AI [artificial intelligence] solutions,” said Vincent Korstanje, CEO of Kigen.

“The commercial availability of iSIM on Soracom’s network is the result of extensive collaborative testing of the Kigen iSIM OS using the market-leading modules and chipsets.”

Dima Feldman, vice-president of product management and marketing at Sony Semiconductor Israel, said: “We have been at the forefront of the development of iSIM technology, which will greatly contribute to the evolution of cellular IoT devices. The combination of Soracom’s LPWA modules and iSIM technology accelerates implementation efforts for customers, allowing them to develop advantages in cost, size, security and power consumption.”

Akira Sasaki, general manager of communication module division Murata Manufacturing, said: “Together with leading companies in the cellular IoT industry, we have developed a solution that will let our customers bring a new generation of IoT products to market.

“This product is a compact, power-saving, low-cost cellular LPWA module that can be used in a variety of IoT applications.”

Michael Wallon, senior vice-president of sales for APAC and ANZ at Quectel Wireless Solutions, said: “We are very pleased to offer Soracom customers the BG773, an LPWA module with ultra-low power consumption and robust security that supports LTE Cat M1/Cat NB1/NB2.

“By combining our iSIM-enabled communication modules with the Soracom connectivity platform, customers can easily implement integrated, cost-effective, sustainable and secure IoT solutions at scale, while streamlining their global IoT deployment and paving the way to a smarter world,” he said.