AT&T and Thales Partner to Transform Global IoT Deployments With Advanced eSIM Solution
As the Internet of Things (IoT) continues to expand, the demand for secure, scalable, and easily managed connectivity has never been greater. According to GSMA Intelligence, more than 5.8 billion IoT cellular connections are expected worldwide by 2030—powering everything from smart meters and industrial sensors to connected vehicles and wearable health trackers.
To meet this growing need, AT&T, a leader in connectivity and IoT solutions, has joined forces with Thales, a global leader in advanced Cyber and Digital technologies, to introduce a powerful new eSIM solution that simplifies the way businesses deploy and manage IoT devices on a global scale.
This innovative eSIM solution, powered by Thales Adaptive Connect (TAC), is a key part of AT&T’s global IoT offering—AT&T Virtual Profile Management for IoT. Designed to serve a wide range of industries including automotive, smart cities, healthcare, and utilities, the solution enables enterprises to remotely activate, manage, and optimize connectivity for devices anywhere in the world.
Simplifying Global IoT Connectivity
One of the biggest challenges in global IoT deployment is managing connectivity across different regions, carriers, and regulatory environments. Traditionally, devices had to be equipped with local SIM cards, making global logistics and activation processes complex and time-consuming.
The new AT&T and Thales eSIM solution changes that. Fully compliant with the GSMA SGP.32 standard—the latest specification for remote SIM provisioning in IoT—the solution enables manufacturers and enterprises to ship connected devices globally with a single, pre-integrated eSIM from Thales.
Once the device reaches its destination, the correct local connectivity profile can be remotely and securely activated—without any need for physical SIM replacement or manual configuration. This significantly reduces deployment time, operational costs, and logistical complexity for organizations managing large-scale IoT fleets.
Automation and Flexibility at Scale
In addition to simplifying logistics, the joint eSIM solution brings advanced automation to IoT fleet management. It automates complex processes such as subscription switching, policy updates, and diagnostics across thousands—or even millions—of devices.
With this capability, enterprises can dynamically manage connectivity based on network performance, regional regulations, or cost considerations. For example, a global logistics company could automatically switch its fleet’s connectivity provider when entering a new market, ensuring consistent service quality and cost efficiency—all without manual intervention.
The Thales Adaptive Connect technology also allows enterprises to localize within AT&T’s extensive network of partners or modify device subscriptions over time, delivering greater flexibility to adapt to business and market needs. This level of agility helps optimize coverage, performance, and supply chains while supporting sustainability goals by reducing the need for hardware swaps and physical maintenance.
Unified, Secure, and Scalable Management
The AT&T and Thales collaboration centers on security, scalability, and simplicity. Through a single, unified, and industry-certified interface, businesses can manage their entire IoT device fleet—from activation and provisioning to monitoring and updates—entirely over the air.
This secure remote management framework gives enterprises full visibility and control over their IoT deployments, ensuring consistent data protection and regulatory compliance across borders. For industries such as healthcare, automotive, and utilities—where reliability and security are paramount—this represents a major step forward in IoT enablement.
The new service is now commercially available worldwide, supporting AT&T customers with global connectivity needs.
Leaders Speak on the Collaboration
“At AT&T, we deliver intelligent IoT solutions you can trust—highly secure, end-to-end, and built to scale,” said Cameron Coursey, Vice President of AT&T Connected Solutions. “Our state-of-the-art approach, paired with Thales’ innovative solution, helps customers reduce friction and gain full control over managing their devices with reliable global connectivity.”
Eva Rudin, Executive Vice President of Mobile Connectivity Solutions at Thales, added: “We are entering a new era for remote eSIM provisioning—one that will power billions of IoT devices. We’re proud to collaborate with AT&T to deliver smarter, safer, and more flexible IoT connectivity worldwide. With Thales Adaptive Connect, every connected device benefits from strong security, reliable performance, and simplified management—from the first connection and throughout its entire lifecycle.”
About Thales
Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies across Defence, Aerospace, and Cyber & Digital sectors. The company’s innovative solutions address some of the world’s most pressing challenges—sovereignty, security, sustainability, and inclusion.
Thales invests over €4 billion annually in Research & Development, focusing on critical technologies such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, quantum computing, and cloud infrastructure. With more than 83,000 employees in 68 countries, Thales generated €20.6 billion in sales in 2024.
Thales in the United States has a long-standing presence of over 130 years, with 40 locations and nearly 5,000 employees. Through local research, manufacturing, and partnerships, Thales continues to support complex projects across key industries and operational environments.
About AT&T
AT&T helps more than 100 million U.S. consumers and 2.5 million businesses stay connected to greater possibilities. From the first telephone call over 140 years ago to today’s 5G wireless and multi-gig internet offerings, AT&T continues to innovate and deliver next-generation connectivity solutions.
the AT&T and Thales partnership marks a major milestone in the evolution of IoT connectivity. By combining AT&T’s global network expertise with Thales’ secure and adaptive eSIM technology, businesses worldwide can deploy connected devices faster, manage them more efficiently, and ensure reliable connectivity across every market—all while maintaining the highest standards of security and scalability.
