eSIM Weekly Briefing

April 7–14, 2026

Amazon's $11.57B Globalstar Bet Reshapes Satellite Connectivity, EU Clears Orange's Spanish Mega-Deal, IoT eSIM Gains SGP.32 Momentum

Published by esim.report — Independent eSIM Industry Intelligence

TL;DR: Amazon agrees to acquire satellite operator Globalstar for approximately $11.57 billion, gaining Globalstar's satellite constellation, spectrum assets, and a direct-to-device (D2D) roadmap that will compete with SpaceX's Starlink—while simultaneously renewing Apple's satellite services agreement for iPhone and Apple Watch. The European Commission clears Orange's €4.25 billion buyout of MasOrange, advancing telecom consolidation in Spain. In IoT eSIM, KORE partners with Kigen on SGP.32-compliant enterprise connectivity, and Barcelona-based Sateliot opens a €100 million Series C to deploy 16 5G NB-IoT satellites. Dell'Oro Group's April 2 report forecasts a 2% decline in global telecom capex for 2026 as operators recalibrate investment priorities.

Satellite & Connectivity

Amazon Acquires Globalstar for $11.57 Billion, Expands Satellite D2D

Amazon announced on April 14 a definitive agreement to acquire Globalstar for approximately $11.57 billion ($90 per share in cash or Amazon stock, a 23% premium to the last unaffected closing price). The deal brings Globalstar's satellite constellation, radio frequency spectrum, and operational expertise into Amazon's Leo satellite network, enabling the addition of direct-to-device (D2D) services to future generations of its low Earth orbit system. Globalstar also has 48 new satellites on order from MDA Space. The complete Amazon Leo network will include thousands of satellites with capacity for hundreds of millions of endpoints worldwide.

Critically, Amazon and Apple simultaneously signed an agreement for Amazon Leo to power satellite services for iPhone and Apple Watch, covering emergency SOS texting, messaging, roadside assistance, and location sharing. Globalstar currently provides this service for iPhone 14 and later models. The FCC's Chairman Brendan Carr told CNBC the agency is "very open-minded" to the acquisition, noting its potential to create a competitor to SpaceX in direct-to-cell services. The deal is expected to close in 2027.

eSIM relevance: D2D satellite connectivity is a growing use case for eSIM-enabled devices. As Amazon scales its satellite network, eSIM/iSIM technology will be essential for managing connectivity profiles across terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks. The handoff between cellular and satellite coverage, managed through embedded SIM profiles, is what makes D2D practical for mainstream consumer devices.

Source: Amazon

Sateliot Opens €100M Series C for 5G IoT Satellite Constellation

Barcelona-based Sateliot launched a €100 million Series C on April 8 to fund deployment of 16 5G NB-IoT satellites and demonstrate 5G New Radio capabilities including voice, video, and data from space. The company, which has already launched six LEO satellites and plans five more in 2026, claims €270 million in pre-contracts from 400+ clients across 60 countries, with partnerships including Telefónica and Deutsche Telekom.

The round is structured primarily as equity with potential debt components, and Sateliot expects up to 50% public co-financing through match funding. The company differentiates through 3GPP-standard compliance, allowing unmodified commercial NB-IoT devices to connect directly from space, a critical advantage over proprietary satellite IoT systems. CEO Jaume Sanpera called it "the largest round we have opened to date."

Source: IoT Business News

European Telecom Consolidation

EU Clears Orange's €4.25B MasOrange Buyout

The European Commission cleared Orange's acquisition of the remaining 50% stake in Spanish operator MasOrange on April 13 under a simplified merger review, finding no competition concerns. The €4.25 billion all-cash deal with the Lorca consortium (KKR, Cinven, Providence Equity Partners) is expected to close before July 2026, giving the French telecom group full ownership of Spain's largest operator by customer base.

MasOrange was formed through the 2024 merger of Orange España and MásMóvil in an €18.6 billion deal. Orange views full ownership as an accelerator for its growth strategy in Spain, its second-largest European market. The approval reinforces the consolidation trend in Europe's telecom sector, where scale is increasingly viewed as essential for network investment and competitiveness.

eSIM relevance: European telecom consolidation simplifies the eSIM market for consumers and MVNOs. Fewer, larger operators can invest more in provisioning infrastructure, speed up multi-brand eSIM activation, and push the transition from physical SIM at scale.

Source: RCR Wireless

IoT & Enterprise eSIM

KORE and Kigen Partner on SGP.32 Enterprise eSIM Portfolio

KORE announced a new portfolio of connectivity solutions built on the GSMA's SGP.32 eSIM standard, developed in partnership with Kigen. Commercial availability is planned for later in 2026, targeting enterprises that require remote provisioning without being locked into first-generation IoT eSIM approaches. Kigen contributes its GSMA-certified SGP.32 eSIM and eIM technology as the architectural foundation.

KORE is positioning SGP.32 as a pathway to "programmable connectivity": operators can switch and optimize network profiles over a device's lifetime without physical intervention. The practical implication for IoT fleet managers is significant: when a deployment needs to adapt to a new network partner or coverage footprint, changes can be made remotely rather than through costly field operations. KORE explicitly positions this as a "unified eSIM-based platform" for global fleet management.

Source: IoT Business News

Device & Technology Updates

Samsung Galaxy S26 Series Joins eSIM Device Lists

Updated April 2026 device compatibility lists from multiple eSIM providers now include the Samsung Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra alongside the full Galaxy S25 series and the Galaxy Z Fold7. Google's Pixel 10 lineup (Pixel 10, 10 Pro, 10 Pro XL, and 10a) also appears across all updated lists with full eSIM support. Combined with Apple's expanding eSIM-only strategy—the iPhone Air is now globally eSIM-only including China, and the iPhone 17 series is eSIM-only in 11 markets—the device ecosystem continues its rapid migration away from physical SIM.

iPhone Air Marks Apple's First Globally eSIM-Only iPhone

Apple's iPhone Air continues to change how eSIM adoption works globally as the first iPhone to be eSIM-only worldwide—including China. In mainland China, the device (model A3518) works with all three carriers (China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom) through in-store eSIM activation with government ID verification. International models support up to 8 stored eSIM profiles, while China-purchased models support 2. The iPhone 17 series is also eSIM-only in the US, Canada, Japan, and 8 additional markets, though it retains a physical SIM tray in most other regions.

Source: Apple Support

Market Intelligence

Dell'Oro: Global Telecom Capex to Decline 2% in 2026

Dell'Oro Group reported on April 2 that worldwide telecom investments were flat in 2025, and forecasts a 2% decline in global telecom capital expenditure in 2026, followed by modest growth at a CAGR of approximately 1% through 2030. VP Stefan Pongratz told RCR Wireless that operators "remain optimistic about the long-term network vision, particularly as AI drives new demand, but in the short term they are taking a more cautious stance." The trend has implications for eSIM rollout timelines, particularly in markets where operators are deferring network modernization investments.

eSIM Device Shipments Accelerate: 633M+ Forecast for 2026

Industry estimates project eSIM-capable consumer device shipments will exceed 633 million units in 2026, up from 403 million in 2025 (ABI Research tracked the 2025 figure via TechCrunch). The acceleration is driven by Apple's expanding eSIM-only strategy, Samsung's mainstream eSIM adoption across the Galaxy S and Z series, Google's Pixel 10 lineup going eSIM-only in the US, and Chinese OEMs beginning to integrate eSIM in mid-tier devices following China's October 2025 regulatory approval.

Quick Hits

• FCC refreshed the record on Lower C-Band petitions for reconsideration (April 10) and sought comment on Qualcomm's petition for rulemaking on new spectrum access (April 7), both relevant to 5G capacity and device connectivity frameworks.
• Globalstar launched XCOM RAN private 5G for physical AI applications (April 8). The move showed the company's ambitions beyond D2D even before the Amazon acquisition announcement landed.
• Verizon launched an innovation lab for the NHL (April 7), exploring immersive 5G experiences in professional sports venues.
• Cape raised $100M Series C (announced March 19, $900M valuation) for its privacy-first mobile carrier, operating its own mobile core and SIMs with daily identifier rotation to disrupt tracking. It's a novel approach to eSIM/SIM security worth watching.