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Travel eSIM adoption projected to reach ~134M in 2026, threatening carrier roaming revenue

Techmeme 6 hours ago 73 min read ↗ Original

FDM CCS Insight projects travel eSIM usage will grow from 101.8M in 2025 to approximately 134M in 2026, as travelers increasingly choose cheaper eSIM alternatives over traditional carrier roaming charges.

WHY IT MATTERS

The projected growth signals a structural shift in mobile connectivity provisioning away from carrier roaming agreements. Engineers building mobile or travel applications should treat eSIM integration as an emerging user expectation rather than a niche feature.

Written by elseif from the cluster below · every claim links back to a source

The three things worth knowing

Travel eSIM usage is projected to grow from 101.8M in 2025 to approximately 134M in 2026.

Established carriers derive 3%-5% of their revenue from roaming, which eSIM adoption directly challenges.

Travelers are opting for eSIMs as cheaper alternatives to traditional data roaming charges.

THE CLUSTER

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Techmeme FDM CCS Insight: ~134M travel eSIMs will be used in 2026, up from 101.8M in 2025, challenging established carriers that generate 3%-5% of revenue from roaming (Kieran Smith/Financial Times) 6 hours Open ↗