The eSIM Hardware Landscape in 2026
Most eSIM-capable routers, gateways and modules on the market today implement SGP.22, not SGP.32. SGP.32 certified hardware is actively entering the market in 2025-2026 but the installed base is predominantly SGP.22. Understanding exactly what each manufacturer has built – and how they have bridged the gap to SGP.32-like operation – is essential when specifying hardware for a deployment.
Teltonika Networks – SGP.22 with RMS Remote Management
Teltonika is the most prominent manufacturer of eSIM-capable industrial IoT routers in the European market. Their eSIM implementation uses SGP.22 – the consumer eSIM standard – not SGP.32. This is an important distinction that is sometimes obscured in product marketing.
Important: Teltonika routers use SGP.22. They are not SGP.32 devices. Their Remote Management System (RMS) adds server-initiated profile management capabilities on top of SGP.22, which delivers comparable operational outcomes for router deployments – but the underlying standard is different and the architectural limitations are real.
What Teltonika Actually Built
When Teltonika integrated eSIM into the RUT241 and RUTX series, SGP.32 certified chipsets were not commercially available at scale. SGP.22 infrastructure was widely deployed, well-tested, and supported by a broad carrier ecosystem. The pragmatic decision was to build on SGP.22 and add the missing remote management capability through RMS.
RMS sits above the SGP.22 eSIM architecture and adds server-initiated profile switching. An administrator can push profile changes to individual devices or entire fleets without any user at the device location. Teltonika describe this as delivering the wide compatibility of SGP.22 with remote management power similar to SGP.32.
Key Teltonika eSIM Products
- RUT241 – Compact 4G LTE router. SGP.22 eSIM with up to 7 stored profiles plus a physical SIM slot. Profile switching via WebUI or RMS.
- RUTX50 – 5G capable router with SGP.22 eSIM. Dual-SIM capability alongside eSIM allows multi-network redundancy configurations.
Where Teltonika RMS Falls Short of True SGP.32
The Teltonika approach works well for always-on routers and gateways running HTTPS over reliable connections. It cannot replicate native SGP.32 capabilities because:
- No CoAP transport – profile operations require HTTPS, which is too data-intensive for NB-IoT
- No asynchronous operation – devices must be online to receive profile commands; deep sleep is not supported
- No eIM architecture – the RMS approach is a proprietary management layer, not the GSMA-standardised eIM model
- No eIM portability – because this is not SGP.32, moving to a different management platform is not a standards-defined migration path
For the router and gateway use case, these limitations rarely matter. For constrained NB-IoT sensors, they are fundamental blockers. The approaches are complementary rather than competing – SGP.22 plus RMS for routers, native SGP.32 for constrained IoT.
Robustel – Kigen eSIM (SGP.22 Now, SGP.32 on Roadmap)
Robustel announced a strategic partnership with Kigen (ARM-backed eSIM and iSIM specialist) in October 2025, integrating Kigen eSIM technology across their 4G/5G router and edge gateway portfolio. This is one of the most significant developments in the industrial IoT eSIM hardware market in 2025.
The Kigen Plastic SIM – A Clever Retrofit Approach
The standout feature of the Robustel/Kigen implementation is the use of the Kigen plastic eSIM form factor – an eSIM chip in the standard plastic SIM card shape. This means Robustel can retrofit eSIM capability into existing router models that already have a standard SIM slot, without any changes to the PCB or bill of materials. A device that was designed for a physical SIM can now use a full eUICC-based eSIM simply by inserting the Kigen plastic eSIM in place of the old SIM card.
Why the Plastic SIM Matters
Most eSIM discussions focus on the MFF2 soldered chip. The Kigen plastic eSIM approach is different – it delivers full eUICC capability (multiple profiles, remote provisioning) in a plastic SIM form factor. This removes the need for a hardware redesign, reduces integration risk, and makes SGP.22 eSIM accessible to any device with a standard SIM slot. For Robustel customers with existing hardware, this is a practical path to eSIM without device replacement.
Current Standard: SGP.22
The current Robustel implementation runs SGP.22, with Robustel own LPAd (Local Profile Assistant – device) integrated into RobustOS. This follows the same SGP.22 pattern as Teltonika, with profile management via the operator SM-DP+ and managed through Robustel RCMS (Remote Configuration and Management System).
SGP.32 Roadmap
Unlike Teltonika, Robustel has published an explicit SGP.32 migration roadmap. Their architecture documentation describes a future state where Robustel routers use an SGP.32-compliant Kigen eUICC alongside a Robustel IPAd integrated into RobustOS, working with an external eIM. Kigen provides both the eUICC OS and the eIM tools in this architecture, meaning the entire eSIM stack from chip to management server comes from a single source.
This is a significant differentiator. Kigen is one of the few companies providing both a certified SGP.32-capable eUICC OS and a functional eIM implementation. For Robustel, this means a cleaner upgrade path to native SGP.32 than manufacturers who sourced their eSIM chip from one vendor and their management infrastructure from another.
Both Form Factors Available
Robustel now offers two eUICC form factors for different deployment needs:
- Plastic Kigen eSIM – for retrofit into existing single and dual-SIM router models. Looks and installs like a normal SIM but delivers full eUICC capability with multiple profiles and remote provisioning under SGP.22.
- Soldered MFF2 eUICC – for new hardware designs. Industrial-grade, tamper-resistant, no SIM tray vulnerability. Provides the clean path toward SGP.32 IoT eSIM and future iSIM support that Robustel roadmap points toward.
Milesight
Milesight produce industrial IoT routers and gateways for enterprise and smart city applications. Their eSIM-capable models use SGP.22 architecture, managed through the DeviceHub cloud platform. Milesight focus is on reducing physical SIM logistics for deployment rather than large-scale fleet switching.
Cradlepoint (Ericsson)
Cradlepoint, now part of Ericsson, produces enterprise-grade cellular routers and branch networking equipment. Their eSIM implementations target enterprise customers needing global deployment without physical SIM logistics, managed through their NetCloud platform. Typically SGP.22 based with Ericsson backing providing a credible SGP.32 migration path.
Module Manufacturers
Quectel
The world largest cellular IoT module manufacturer by volume. Their EC21 and BG95 families include SGP.22 eSIM variants, with SGP.32 support progressing through chipset certification. Quectel module availability is a key gating factor for how quickly the broader market moves to native SGP.32.
Thales (Cinterion)
One of the largest eSIM and eUICC specialists globally. Thales is actively developing SGP.32-certified eUICC components alongside their eIM platform. Their scale and operator relationships make them a key enabler of the commercial SGP.32 ecosystem rollout.
Kigen (ARM)
Kigen provides the eSIM OS, eIM, and developer tools. As demonstrated by the Robustel partnership, Kigen is one of the few vendors offering an integrated stack from eUICC chip through to eIM management platform. Their C-SDK significantly reduces integration complexity for hardware manufacturers. Backed by ARM, SoftBank Vision Fund 2, and SBI Group.
The Transition Timeline
The hardware gap will close progressively through 2025-2028. For new IoT hardware designs starting in 2025 or later, specifying SGP.32-capable modules is increasingly feasible. The Robustel/Kigen roadmap gives a useful benchmark for the transition pace – a manufacturer who made the SGP.22 decision in 2024 now has a published SGP.32 architecture and expects native SGP.32 hardware in production within 12-18 months.
For guidance on the networks that deliver profiles to this hardware, see MNO, MVNO and eSIM Resellers. For the end user perspective, see eSIM End User Benefits. For what eSIM switching platforms will enable on top of this hardware, see What is eSIM Switching?