Workz Group, the first manufacturer of 5G SIMs in the Middle East and Africa, has announced a long-term partnership with a manufacturer of mobile IoT modules to produce close to 50 million embedded SIMs (eSIMs) by 2024.
This deal will enable Workz Group to provide secure data generation, management and personalisation for eSIM chips to be deployed globally by the mobile module manufacturer for use in M2M devices.
The mobile and IoT products provider (Workz), offers eSIM technology and cloud management platforms to device manufacturers, network operators, technology enablers and governments, was recognised in an industry report by BIS Research earlier this year as a key player in the eSIM market.
It is currently the sole GSMA-certified manufacturer of eSIM technology (EUM) in the Middle East and Africa; a certification which guarantees the secure management of data both physically and virtually during production and personalisation of eSIMs.
Personalisation refers to the upload of the SIM’s unique information to its smart chip.
Globally, Workz is one of only six providers to carry such accreditation and possesses two certified facilities located in Dubai and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
M2M eSIMs are a key component in the Internet of Things (IoT) and support the cost-efficient management, automation and remote communication of connected devices. A report by telecom analysts, Ovum forecasts that the global M2M market will grow to $93 billion by 2022.
CEO, Workz Group, Stephane Fund, said, “With two GSMA-certified facilities spread across two continents, we offer not only highly-secure eSIM production and data management within short delivery times but a scalable global solution that allows our clients to grow exponentially in accordance with future demand. This partnership will support the emerging need for secure connectivity across smart cities, automotive, energy, health and other sectors.”
Over 40 countries in the world are currently experimenting with 5G: it is expected that by 2024, 1.5 billion connections will have been made.
“Our aim is to deliver ready-to-use, forward-looking technology to enable our customers to realise their IoT visions. With manufacturing facilities in Europe and Dubai, we can quickly provide 5G SIMs to support mobile network operators, device manufacturers and service providers for both proof-of-concept testing and commercial market-launch,” Tor Malmros, co-CEO, Workz.
In comparison with 4G, downloads on 5G networks are expected to be 20 times faster with 100 times more capacity to serve over one million IoT devices per square kilometre.
Related article: Guess it’s time to look up to eSIM
This will enable several new connected applications and capabilities to manage life-critical situations such as emergency services and autonomous driving as well as mission-critical instances such as smart manufacturing, energy and agriculture.
The company, which was recognized by the Nilson Report as one of the world’s top ten SIM providers, has begun testing with mobile network operators in Africa and the Middle East, and is soon to conduct trials in Europe and Asia.
