SINGAPORE (July 14): Singtel, along with Chinese state-owned China Unicom, and global mobile alliance network Bridge Alliance, announced a collaboration to enable customers from Singtel and China Unicom to change networks in either China or Singapore easily on Tuesday.
The collaboration, which leverages on Bridge Alliance’s Internet of Things (IoT) partnership with China Unicom, paves the way for Singtel to play a key role in facilitating cross-border IoT connectivity across both countries.
Under the collaboration, devices which are equipped with China Unicom eSIMs will automatically switch their profiles to Singtel’s when they are brought into Singapore.
Bridge Alliance is a global mobile alliance network spanning across 34 countries in Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa. The collaboration is the first between two Bridge Alliance members. It follows a successful eSIM swap trial in early April 2020.
The devices’ embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) will also download and activate Singtel’s profiles through a GSMA-compliant subscription manager platform.
“We are excited that under the new collaboration, mobile customers can extend their reach with the premier member operators across the Asia Pacific region while being enabled with multi-domestic connectivity, economies of scale and logistical efficiency," says Ong Geok Chwee, CEO of Bridge Alliance.
"Together, we can help Chinese companies accelerate Internet of Things (IoT) deployment in Southeast Asia, simplify business negotiations through Bridge Alliance’s framework agreement, to bring market advantages so Chinese companies can land across the region," she adds.
“IoT deployments are rapidly growing across industries and markets as enterprises digitalise processes to become more agile and efficient. This collaboration with Bridge Alliance will help drive more seamless connectivity and broader IoT adoption, and augment Singtel’s IoT ecosystem of partners, enhancing our ability to support China Unicom's and other Chinese enterprises' rollout of IoT devices in Singapore and the region," says Dennis Wong, vice president of enterprise mobility product and platform of Singtel Group Enterprise.
"By leveraging our extensive, secure IoT connectivity services, enterprises can have greater control over mission-critical operations in real-time and increase business productivity,” he adds.
A study by Markets and Markets reported that the global eSIM market is estimated to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 31% between 2018 and 2023, to reach 1.168 billion units valued at US$978 million ($1.36 billion).
As at 10.55am, shares in Singtel are changing hands 1 cent higher, or 0.4% up, at $2.51.
