Oasis Smart Sim, a global leader in SIM and eSIM technologies, and Tata Communications Limited, the world’s 5th largest wholesale Internet provider were invited by Mobile World Live to shed light on the future of eSIM.
In 2017, Tata Communications launched MOVE™, a mobility and IoT platform before acquiring Oasis Smart Sim four years later, in 2021. Both companies were close partners to build a powerful eSIM-ready MOVE™ Platform for global enterprise mobility needs. The investment is the extension of that working partnership to drive and accelerate eSIM-related product roadmap R&D between the two partners.
The ways in which eSIM has transformed the Mobile Consumer experience
Olivier Leroux, CEO of Oasis Smart SIM:
"Let's not forget that eSIM was designed and created to improve the design of the smartphone and to
improve its security with a background of environmental prospectives. We cannot continue to produce plastic cards. We will see today that eSIM for consumer is transforming the ecosystem and the way we attract customers to mobile networks. But it already directly impacts our lives. This summer, some people lost their card and were suddenly able to replace their SIM card through eSIM, in a fraction of seconds. We're also starting to see some traveling business, thanks to the eSIM. In the near future, we will see really attractive offers for family usage to get onto companion devices. So, yes. eSIM for consumer will transform our life and is already doing so."
The biggest transformations to expect once eSIM gets readily adopted
Avneesh Prakash, the vice president of Mobility and IoT at Tata Communications MOVE™:
"I think the biggest transformation is going to be in an area of how mobility services are consumed in the future. For the consumer, this will unleash an unprecedented freedom of choice. A choice of the service provider, a choice of the companion device, as people move around within the cycle of smart devices. So from a consumer perspective, that's very promising. On the other hand, service providers and mobile operators will need to change their customer engagement morals. How they structure their offers, how they engage with their customers, how they manage the customer life cycle etc. All this will produce a different consumer experience. It will be a next generation consumer experience and will change the consumption pattern entirely."
The other challenges of eSIM adoption
Olivier Leroux, CEO of Oasis Smart SIM:
"We've been facing a lot of challenges since eSIM for consumer were designed and standardized by the GSMA. The challenges were in two main areas. The first was the onset of availability. eSIM was supported by 1 or 2 brands. It was considered like a luxury offer. It was something for privileged users.
The second challenge was that many MNOs were reluctant about eSIM for consumer. The ownership was at stake: will it increase the churn? Will it facilitate new entrants to the market? I think we have passed through those challenges. Most brands have announced they are supporting or will be supporting the eSIM. I would say that MNOs have
settled nicely with eSIM now. So we are entering into the real challenge. How to bring eSIM into the customer journey? It will remain hybrid. There will still be SIM and eSIM. Therefore, as Avneesh was saying, you need to redesign your customer journey. We believe that this is a massive opportunity to acquire customers. It's not the main challenge, but the main opportunity that eSIM will bring will bring to the market in the years to come. Some may be wondering about the relationship."
How and why Oasis and Tata Communications work together to make eSIM a reality
Avneesh Prakash, the vice president of Mobility and IoT at Tata Communications MOVE™
"Tata Communications acquired majority stake in Oasis end of December last year. The acquisition brought together the complementary offers the two organizations have. Not just complementary offers, but also complementary technologies and our core R&D strengths. If you look at what Tata Communications brings to the world through our mobility and connectivity offers, the MOVE™ platform provides connectivity to enterprises across the world as they enable the provision and connect the lifecycle to manage IoT and consumer devices. Oasis' eSIM platform and capabilities are a fundamental ingredient to that. Together, we are bringing a zero-touch connectivity and mobility management offer to our customers in various segments, whether it's connected cars, media or logistics of IoT.
In Oasis, we see a very agile, Cloud-first, digitally native organizations. The two organizations have synchronized their R&Ds to provide this capability. We continue to innovate on MOVE™ and eSIM capabilities. What this means for our end customers is that as they scale up their operations and IoT funds, they can leave the complexity to us. In turn, we allow them to grow. For example, in the consumer world, together we are co-designing a transformative way of on-boarding a customer and activating a SIM and lifecycle managing a SIM. Our eKYC eSIM offer is going to enable mobile operators to offer a different consumer experience while also broadening their own reach digitally in their constituency at a low cost. That's an example that brings together the synergy of both organizations."
