GSMA Intelligence and Juniper Research are forecasting that 5G and Embedded SIMs (eSIM) will play a significant role in the Industrial IoT space. eSIMS were initially adopted for connected cars and wearables, however eSIMs are now making an impact in the industrial and manufacturing industries, especially so for large IIoT deployments. With the ability to deploy thousands of IoT devices, securely onboard them, and provision cellular credentials, eSIMs become an excellent technology option for adoption of IIoT apps. The article that follows takes a deep dive into the research and offers some key insights on the tech itself.
Despite some initial slowdown in adoption during this year’s healthcare crisis, the number of connected IoT devices keeps growing. The latest figures released by Juniper Research indicate that in just five years, industrial IoT connections will more than double, going from 17.7 billion in 2020 to 36.8 billion in 2025.
This year’s pandemic has sped up the desire to automate more industrial processes further, as factories need to prepare for more restrictions and potential lockdowns. Additionally, many of the current processes requiring a machine operator’s presence could be automated or remotely controlled, allowing some factory workers to work from home or in a more protected environment.
Additionally, two new cellular technologies can further penetrate the industrial IoT market: the fifth generation of cellular networks (5G) and embedded subscriber identity module (eSIM).
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