u-blox’s announces first cellular module featuring an embedded SIM (eSIM)

u-blox, a global provider of positioning and wireless communication technologies and services, has announced the SARA-R500E, its first cellular module with an embedded SIM chip (eSIM). Offering LTE-M connectivity, SARA-R500E is designed for size-constrained applications with high requirements in terms of robustness and security, such as connected healthcare and asset trackers. The first variant of the module will offer out-of- the-box connectivity on a North American LTE-M cellular network. eSIMs are increasingly gaining a foothold in devices offering cellular connectivity. Today, most such devices, including the vast majority of smartphones, still feature a plastic SIM card that contains all the attributes and features required to connect the device to the cellular network. Like the plastic SIMs they are designed to replace, eSIMs are provisioned with a profile that allows devices to connect to a specific mobile network operator. www.u-blox.com