eSIM: The New Standard for Smart Meter Connectivity Telcos Must Lead

Smart metering is entering a period of rapid expansion, driven by grid modernisation, the rise of distributed energy resources, and the shift to AMI 2.0. Yet delivering secure, long-life, globally consistent connectivity remains one of the biggest challenges for utilities. For telcos, this represents a major opportunity to become the connectivity backbone of the energy transition.

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A new report from Kigen reveals how eSIM and SGP.32-ready connectivity are transforming smart meter deployments and why telcos are positioned to lead this next wave of growth.

Key insights include:

• Smart meter deployments will reach 3 billion globally by 2030, with strong growth across electricity, gas and water sectors.
  Utilities now need scalable, interoperable connectivity that works anywhere.
• AMI 2.0 requires real-time, two-way communication, edge intelligence, and reliable IoT connectivity to support EV charging, renewables, battery storage and grid automation. Telcos can play a central role.
• Why eSIM is becoming the default for smart meters – enabling out-of-the-box global connectivity, reduced deployment complexity, and secure lifecycle management.
  It removes the need for multiple SKUs and simplifies logistics at scale.
• How SGP.32 IoT eSIM enables automated profile switching, even on power- and memory-constrained devices, supporting long-life smart meters designed to last 10–20 years in the field.
• How utilities like Evergy and LCRA are automating failover, strengthening network resilience and unifying public + private LTE networks using eSIM-based solutions.
  These case studies show what telco-utility collaboration now looks like in practice.
• Why AI-enabled metering will require secure, continuous data flows.
  eSIM ensures meters can support predictive maintenance, anomaly detection and self-healing grid operations without connectivity gaps.

For telcos, the message is clear:

Utilities are modernising fast. Those who offer scalable, secure, eSIM-powered connectivity will win the next decade of utility partnerships.

Download the full report to understand how telcos can lead the future of smart metering and AMI 2.0.

Jim Morrish, the founding partner at Transforma Insights, speaks with Loic Bonvarlet, the senior vice president of Product and Marketing at Kigen, to discuss some of the latest developments with eSIM in the context of utilities, touching on private networks, in-factory profile provisioning, artificial intelligence and new contract wins with leading utilities.

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