1GLOBAL is officially a Travel eSIM Champion

1GLOBAL is officially a Travel eSIM market leader, according to a new report from the telecommunications research group Kaleido Intelligence.

In its 2025 Travel eSIM Enabler report, Kaleido assessed the capabilities and services of 27 different companies in the travel eSIM sector to create an overview of the industry as a whole. Providers were ranked based on the performance and coverage of their eSIMs, as well as their broader innovations, services, and impact on the telecommunications industry.

Kaleido has previously lauded the work of 1GLOBAL, denoting our IoT connectivity department as IoT eSIM “High Flyers” in 2022.

Each brand was assigned an aggregate score and bracketed into a tiered list of eSIM providers. 1GLOBAL has achieved the highest possible rank of Kaleido Champion Vendor, a position reserved for a small minority of market leaders. These brands are “establishing benchmarks for quality, innovation, and technical prowess”.

The Kaleido report

The annual Kaleido Travel eSIM enabler benchmarking is the result of several months of exhaustive research into the travel eSIM landscape. After considering 185 different eSIM services from 75+ vendors, 27 brands were selected for further analysis. Each one was inspected on a wide range of factors, including “industry presence, product capabilities, and innovation roadmap”.

The full release is now available on the Kaleido website.

What is Kaleido Intelligence?

Kaleido Intelligence is a leading analytics and research company in the telecommunications sector. They compile market insights into the IoT, eSIM, travel, and mobile connectivity spaces to create state-of-the-market reports.

In 2025, Kaleido merged with business messaging intelligence company Mobilesquared to further broaden the scope of its market research. The 2025 Kaleido report on the travel eSIM market was their most in-depth yet, due to the increased interest in the sector from private consumers and companies, as well as the rising number of eSIM providers, resellers, and white-label telco providers – an upward trajectory that will only steepen in the coming years.

The travel eSIM market: a crowded field with boundless potential

Achieving the ranking of Kaleido eSIM Champion Vendor is more of an accomplishment in 2025 than before. The number of travel eSIM providers and resellers is climbing rapidly.

Travel eSIM services are also a desirable option for brands considering launching their own, longer-term Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) model. By trialling customer demand and the technical feasibility of a telecoms product through a travel eSIM service, brands can gain insights into the viability of a telecoms service without committing to the longer-term investment of MVNO-style domestic mobile plans. Companies like the digital banks Revolut and N26 have followed this template, introducing travel eSIMs services into their app before later becoming fully-fledged MVNOs.

This growing number of travel eSIM providers is driven by two key factors: increased adoption of eSIMs and eSIM-enabled devices, and the rise of embedded telco technology.

1. Global eSIM adoption

When the first eSIM-compatible mobile phone hit the shelves in 2017, eSIMs were a niche product, available only in a handful of countries. By 2030, they’re expected to account for more than 75% of global smartphone connections. Every year since has seen continuous increases in public eSIM awareness and adoption, bolstered by further releases of eSIM-only smartphone models and improved global remote eSIM distribution infrastructure.

September 2025 marked a turning point in eSIM usage when Apple unveiled the new generation of eSIM-only iPhones. Mainland China (partly in response to the iPhone launch) has relaxed its policies on eSIM usage, expanding opportunities for travel eSIM providers and MVNOs. Already, China is one of the world’s largest markets for travel eSIMs.

2. Embedded telco and MVNOs

Hand-in-hand with increased eSIM demand is the embedded telco field, also known as embedded connectivity. Essentially, embedded telco is a method whereby any company with a digital presence can incorporate eSIM services into its existing website or app. This is a form of connectivity-as-a-service model, where network operators enable other brands to enter the telecommunications market by managing the technical aspects of the operation for them.

While this used to be the sole preserve of specialist eSIM providers, embedded telco has seen a rapid uptake among brands with no prior telecommunications products, from banks to supermarkets.

The low prices and simple concept of travel eSIMs have made them a popular option for brands looking to expand into the connectivity-as-a-service space.

Yannick Decaux, Senior Vice President of Mobile Wholesale & Interconnection at Orange S.A., explained the booming demand for travel eSIMs: "For the consumer, eSIM is just another app".

Embedded telco takes this concept further - while consumers are now more aware of travel eSIMs, they no longer need a separate app or service to access them. Travel eSIMs can be purchased directly through apps they already use, be that a banking service, airline, supermarket, or even mobile provider. In this way, embedded telco works on two fronts: as a new product, and as a marketing channel that boosts customer engagement and reinforces a brand’s core offering.

3 real-life uses of 1GLOBAL travel eSIM services

1. Digital banks

The rise of digital-only banks mirrors that of eSIMs: both are digital services that have seen user numbers skyrocket in recent years, as the sophistication of smartphones and the availability of mobile internet continue to develop.

In recent years, the technologies have converged: embedded telco makes it possible for digital banks to offer account holders optional eSIM connectivity services, directly within their app.

The UK’s largest digital bank, Revolut, partnered with 1GLOBAL to offer connectivity plans to its 60+ million customers. Using 1GLOBAL’s embedded connectivity services, Revolut integrated eSIMs into their existing UX and platform – now users can purchase 1GLOBAL travel eSIM data from a familiar provider, and pay directly with their Revolut account.

For customers, this provides a simple, fast, and cost-effective way to get online while travelling. For Revolut, it's an efficient tool for diversifying revenue streams, building customer relationships, and standing out from the competition. Customers can either purchase individual data plans on demand or receive them as an included incentive when they upgrade to Revolut’s premium account type, Revolut Ultra.

2. Airlines

Travel eSIMs are one of the most popular uses of embedded telco, as their short-term usage, potential for repeat purchases, and low costs make them an attractive and easy-to-advertise product for customers and providers alike. A growing number of airlines are recognizing the value eSIMs provide to their customers and are integrating travel data plans into their own platforms.

The Kuwait-based airline Jazeera Airways integrated 1GLOBAL eSIM services into its website. In 2024, they became the first airline in the Middle East & North Africa region to offer its own travel eSIM service.

3. Mobile network operators (MNOs)

Today, the value of eSIMs has been recognized by traditional network operators. Most major mobile operators now provide eSIM and SIM-card-based plans, while a growing number are introducing short-term travel eSIM services as well.

The Netherlands’ largest mobile provider, Odido, joined forces with 1GLOBAL to develop a standalone short-term eSIM app for international visitors. SimWallet allows users to purchase one-off mobile data plans while travelling throughout the Netherlands, under Odido’s familiar branding. Not only does the service create an additional revenue stream for Odido, but it also advertises the strength of their network to potential new arrivals to the country and increases brand recognition among a worldwide audience.

An eSIM future

As S&P points out, the travel eSIM market faces two major challenges – the limited global availability of eSIM-enabled smartphones, and the ability to turn one-off, short-term travel eSIM purchases into recurring customer relationships.

The first issue is already being resolved by hardware manufacturers. No longer limited to flagship smartphone models, eSIMs are increasingly becoming a feature on budget and midrange devices, as well as the sole source of connectivity in wearable tech like smartwatches. The iPhone Air, released in September 2025, was Apple’s first-ever eSIM-only phone in all global markets (the eSIM-only iPhone 14 was only available in North America).

The second issue is directly addressed by embedded telco. By integrating travel eSIMs into familiar platforms like banking apps, travel eSIMs become a feature of a longer-term strategy and incentivize repeat purchases.

1GLOBAL connectivity as a service

1GLOBAL eSIMs are used by millions of customers across 190+ countries – since 2018, we’ve distributed over 60 million eSIMs, both under our own branding and through embedded telco partnerships.

A proprietary suite of API tools allows 1GLOBAL eSIMs to fit into nearly any existing digital platform, website, or app, while retaining a unified UX. For customers, this means access to a range of leading international eSIM plans within a familiar UI, creating an enhanced user experience. For partners, it simplifies access to the world of eSIM plans, while retaining control over pricing, coverage, UX, and branding.

Learn more about our partnerships, or contact our team directly to see how you can integrate 1GLOBAL eSIM services into your digital presence.