Pelion Research Signals a Shift Toward Borderless Enterprise IoT Connectivity

As enterprise IoT deployments expand beyond national borders, organisations are finding that managing connectivity at scale has become a bigger challenge than obtaining network coverage, according to new research from Pelion and ABI Research.

For years, enterprise IoT projects have largely been designed around domestic connectivity. Devices were deployed within a single country, connected through one or two operators, and managed under relatively straightforward regulatory frameworks.

That model is beginning to change.

A global survey commissioned by IoT connectivity provider Pelion suggests enterprises are increasingly deploying connected assets internationally, forcing them to rethink how they manage connectivity, security and operations across multiple countries and mobile networks.

The study, based on responses from 676 IoT decision-makers, forecasts that internationally connected devices will account for 49% of enterprise IoT fleets by 2030, up from 29% today. Rather than simply adding more connected devices, organisations appear to be extending deployments across wider geographical footprints as supply chains, logistics networks and industrial operations become increasingly global.

Scaling internationally introduces new operational challenges

The report suggests that the industry’s priorities are evolving.

While network availability has traditionally dominated discussions around IoT connectivity, respondents now point to operational complexity as the more pressing issue. Nearly two-thirds of organisations surveyed identified managing deployments outside their primary coverage area as their biggest scaling challenge, significantly more than those citing network coverage limitations.

The findings also indicate that many enterprises continue to struggle with internal expertise. Six out of ten respondents said a shortage of IoT knowledge remains the single biggest obstacle preventing successful deployments, ahead of both budget constraints and connectivity itself.

Together, these results suggest that the next phase of enterprise IoT growth will depend less on expanding network infrastructure and more on simplifying the management of increasingly complex global deployments.

eSIM moves closer to mainstream IoT adoption

The research points to accelerating adoption of IoT-specific eSIM technology as organisations prepare for more geographically distributed deployments.

According to the report, SGP.32-compliant profile downloads, based on the first GSMA eSIM specification designed specifically for IoT, are expected to represent 45% of deployments by 2030, compared with just 7.6% today.

The transition reflects growing demand for technologies capable of simplifying operator management across multiple markets while reducing the operational overhead associated with large fleets of connected devices.

Security remains a barrier to wider deployment

Although enterprises are optimistic about expanding their IoT initiatives, security continues to present significant risks.

Nearly one quarter of organisations surveyed reported experiencing an IoT-related security incident during the past year. Among those affected, almost one third incurred losses exceeding $100,000, while a smaller proportion reported incidents costing more than $1 million.

As deployments become increasingly international, the report suggests that security architecture will become a more important purchasing criterion alongside connectivity performance and fleet management capabilities.

Demand grows for simplified connectivity management

Another notable trend emerging from the research is changing attitudes towards connectivity providers.

More than three quarters of respondents not currently using a mobile virtual network operator said they would consider one for future deployments, citing greater flexibility, simplified management and access to multiple carrier networks as key advantages.

According to Pelion CEO Dave Weidner, enterprise customers are increasingly looking for partners that can help reduce operational complexity rather than simply provide connectivity.

“Connectivity itself is no longer the difficult part of enterprise IoT. The challenge comes when enterprise customers take their fleets internationally, grow in scale, and operate across multiple networks, jurisdictions and regulatory environments.”

The report argues that if these operational, security and skills challenges can be addressed, the next wave of enterprise IoT growth could be characterised by globally managed, eSIM-enabled deployments that provide the foundation for increasingly AI-driven industrial and commercial applications.

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