# SIMalliance Members Report Shipments of 4.9 Billion SIMs in 2017, while Estimated Total Available SIM Market in 2017 Increases 2.75% to 5.6 Billion Units    Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2018-04-20 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: Global SIM Market Growth Report 2017 Meta Description: Discover the latest data on the booming SIM market, including growth in M2M deployments and high demand for advanced products in key regions. URL: https://financedigest.com/simalliance-members-report-shipments-of-4-9-billion-sims-in-2017-while-estimated-total-available-sim-market-in-2017-increases-2-75-to-5-6-billion-unitshtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/fd200418-1-1-1736842825741-compressed.jpg) _Expansion in the Americas and Asia, driven by dem_ _and for high-end SIM products;_ _Adverse impact of ID verification regulation offset against market growth;_ _[Growth in M2M deployments creates new demand](https://www.financedigest.com/growth-of-mineral-processing-and-mining-industrie-is-creating-demand-for-rotary-trommel-market.html "Growth Of Mineral Processing And Mining Industrie Is Creating Demand For Rotary Trommel Market") in China, Europe and North America._ Data reported by SIMalliance shows that the collective SIM shipments of its members in 2017, which represented approximately 88% of the [global SIM market](https://www.financedigest.com/anti-microbial-nanocoatings-market-global-industry-analysis-size-share-growth-trends-and-forecast-2025.html "Anti-Microbial Nanocoatings Market Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends And Forecast 2025"), equalled 4.9 billion units. SIMalliance confirms that over the same period, the estimated [total available global market](https://www.financedigest.com/global-grass-fed-beef-market-value-is-forecast-to-total-us-17-9-bn-by-2031.html "Global Grass Fed Beef Market value is forecast to total US$ 17.9 Bn by 2031") for SIM cards has grown by 2.75%, with units rising from 5.45 billion to 5.6 billion. The strongest annual shipment\* advances were seen in the Americas, where units increased by 4% to 813 million. The move back to [positive growth](https://www.financedigest.com/agriculture-container-and-tank-cleaning-equipment-market-witness-positive-growth-outlook-during-forecast-2028.html "Agriculture Container And Tank Cleaning Equipment Market Witness Positive Growth Outlook During Forecast 2028") in the region follows a period of stability between 2015-16 and was largely driven by demand for technically advanced, high-end SIM products and continued LTE migration. In 2017, annual shipments within [North America](https://www.financedigest.com/north-america-wound-debridement-products-market-2021-global-leading-companies-analysis-revenue-trends-and-forecasts-2024.html "North America Wound Debridement Products Market 2021 Global Leading Companies Analysis, Revenue, Trends and Forecasts 2024") rose by 7% driven by the ramp up of machine-to-machine (M2M) deployments in the region. Growth was also evident in South America (including Brazil), with an increase in units shipped of 2.5%. A 2% overall gain in [Asia strengthened the global](https://www.financedigest.com/asia-pacific-region-to-lead-the-global-static-shielding-bags-market-fact-mr-report.html "Asia Pacific Region to Lead the Global Static Shielding Bags Market: Fact.MR Report") picture in 2017, with 2.58 billion units shipped. This is the [highest level ever reported](https://www.financedigest.com/greenhouse-kit-market-estimated-to-record-highest-cagr-during-2021-2031-fact-mr-report.html "Greenhouse Kit Market Estimated to Record Highest CAGR during 2021-2031: Fact.MR Report") in the region. As with the Americas, increases in Asia are attributed to advanced [technology trends](https://www.financedigest.com/technology-trends-heat-up-for-financial-firms.html "Technology trends heat up for financial firms"), such as growth in M2M deployments in China and continued regional LTE expansion. [China rebounded](https://www.financedigest.com/burberry-shares-drop-as-weak-us-demand-overshadows-china-rebound.html "Burberry shares drop as weak US demand overshadows China rebound") from the adverse impact of regulation and an uncertain economic climate to report significant growth of 25.5%. [Market expansion was also reported](https://www.financedigest.com/active-pharmaceutical-ingredient-market-report.html "Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Market Report") across Japan / Korea and Indonesia. Throughout 2017, stabilisation was observed in India, as the [market returns](https://www.financedigest.com/swiss-bank-ubp-returns-to-chinese-markets.html "Swiss bank UBP returns to Chinese markets") to normal demand following exceptionally high levels of shipments in 2016 created by a number of LTE launches by multiple mobile network operators (MNOs). The impact of regulation requiring ID verification for new MNO subscriptions continued to be felt in 2017, particularly in specific European, Middle Eastern and Asian countries. While regulation may continue to affect volumes in some domestic markets throughout 2018, the recovery in recent years of [key](https://www.financedigest.com/alanine-market-key-players-swot-analysis-key-indicators-and-forecast-to-2029.html "Alanine Market Key Players, SWOT Analysis, Key Indicators and Forecast to 2029") markets following regulation-induced contractions – such as China and India – evidences the capability for market corrections and growth following such periods. Volumes [across Europe](https://www.financedigest.com/demand-for-energy-efficient-and-advanced-fairway-mowers-to-be-witnessed-across-europe.html "Demand for Energy-efficient and Advanced Fairway Mowers to Be Witnessed across Europe") remained static in 2017 at 417 million units. [Stability in such a mature market](https://www.financedigest.com/innovation-based-stability-to-keep-the-fresh-yeast-market-going.html "Innovation-Based Stability To Keep The Fresh Yeast Market Going"), with high levels of smartphone penetration and subscriber acquisition, is expected. Significant demand for Triple SIM [products continued](https://www.financedigest.com/impact-com-continues-momentum-in-the-first-quarter-fueled-by-client-growth-new-products-and-partnership-events.html "impact.com Continues Momentum in the First Quarter, Fueled by Client Growth, New Products and Partnership Events") in 2017, with volumes now representing over three quarters of all global shipments. The considerable [supply chain](https://www.financedigest.com/amazon-introduces-seller-storage-service-to-tackle-supply-chain-woes.html "Amazon introduces seller storage service to tackle supply chain woes") efficiencies and flexibility delivered by this form factor, which can be used in many device types and remains OEM agnostic, suggest that the Triple SIM will continue to account for an increasing proportion of total shipments in 2018. [Global shipments of cards that can be used in LTE networks rose by 21.5% to 1.7 billion units as migration to 4G networks continued throughout](https://www.financedigest.com/the-global-digital-label-printing-market-will-grow-at-a-significant-cagr-throughout-2020-2030.html "The Global Digital Label Printing Market Will Grow At A Significant CAGR Throughout 2020-2030") 2017\. While all regions [reported growth](https://www.financedigest.com/cable-cars-and-ropeways-market-report-size-growth-demand-scope-opportunities-and-forecast-2016-2026-fmi.html "Cable Cars and Ropeways Market Report | Size, Growth, Demand, Scope, Opportunities and Forecast 2016-2026: FMI"), there was no change from 2016 in the rank order of the four largest markets. Greater China remained the largest LTE SIM [card market](https://www.financedigest.com/the-plastic-cards-market-to-grasp-through-the-fine-courses-of-novelty.html "The Plastic Cards Market To Grasp Through The Fine Courses Of Novelty") in 2017 with 395 million units. India retained its position as the second largest [market with 390 million units](https://www.financedigest.com/vapour-recovery-units-market-is-expected-to-register-a-decent-cagr-of-more-than-5-during-the-forecast-period-of-2019-2029.html "Vapour Recovery Units Market is expected to register a decent CAGR of more than 5% during the forecast period of 2019-2029"). South America, including Brazil, was again the third [largest market](https://www.financedigest.com/north-america-to-emerge-as-largest-market-for-softball-equipment-through-2026.html "North America to Emerge as Largest Market for Softball Equipment Through 2026") (286 million units), followed by North America (149 million units).\*\* A 106% annual increase in shipment volumes of  soldered SIMs designed specifically for M2M applications (M2M MFF2 including some remote subscription provisioning capable products) [reflects an acceleration in the growth rate of the global M2M market](https://www.financedigest.com/e-commerce-fulfillment-services-market-to-reflect-impressive-growth-rate-to-during-forecast-period-observes-tmr.html "E-commerce Fulfillment Services Market to Reflect Impressive Growth Rate to During Forecast Period, Observes TMR"). The future opportunities here are significant; of particular note in the [coming year](https://www.financedigest.com/refrigerated-trailer-market-to-exhibit-increased-demand-in-the-coming-years.html "Refrigerated Trailer Market to Exhibit Increased Demand in the Coming Years") and beyond is the trend towards connected cars and the role that embedded SIM (eSIM)\*\*\* technology will play in enabling the evolution of the automotive industry. In Europe, for example, all new cars are mandated to be equipped with eSIMs from April 2018, to enable delivery of the eCall initiative. To date, while eSIM technology is predominantly used in connected M2M deployments, it has also been deployed in a number of high profile consumer [devices such as smart](https://www.financedigest.com/smart-home-devices-market-is-expected-to-grow-at-a-healthy-cagr-of-over-18-during-the-study-forecast-period-2021-2031.html "Smart Home Devices Market is expected to grow at a healthy CAGR of over 18% during the study forecast period 2021-2031") watches and tablets, where miniaturisation of the SIM and remote subscription management capabilities are required. The expected growth of connected consumer devices in the [years ahead](https://www.financedigest.com/global-stocks-to-grind-higher-lacklustre-year-ahead-reuters-poll.html "Global stocks to grind higher, lacklustre year ahead: Reuters poll") offers further potential for market expansion. “The [continued growth of the total available SIM market](https://www.financedigest.com/the-bone-and-joint-health-supplements-market-growth-is-to-be-defined-by-innovation-continuously.html "The Bone And Joint Health Supplements Market Growth Is To Be Defined By Innovation Continuously"), despite continued regulation challenges, is welcome news,” comments Remy Cricco, SIMalliance Chairman. “These are [transformational years for the global SIM industry](https://www.financedigest.com/signal-transformer-market-one-the-most-booming-industry-in-upcoming-years-due-to-global-demand-in-industry-by-2027.html "Signal Transformer Market| One the Most Booming Industry in Upcoming Years Due to Global Demand in Industry by 2027") as our technology and ecosystem evolve rapidly to serve an increasingly connected digital world, with unprecedented security requirements.” Remy continues: “Technology [advances and continued LTE migration continue to be the key growth](https://www.financedigest.com/lte-and-lte-advance-market-potential-growth-share-demand-and-analysis-of-key-players-forecasts-to-2025.html "LTE And LTE Advance Market Potential Growth, Share, Demand and Analysis of Key Players – Forecasts to 2025") drivers globally, contributing to the largest total available SIM market ever reported last year. We can also see that an increasing number of M2M deployments is generating new [demand in some key markets](https://www.financedigest.com/sodium-tetraborate-market-key-players-end-user-demand-and-consumption-by-2030.html "Sodium Tetraborate Market Key Players, End User, Demand and Consumption by 2030"), such as China and North America. A healthy traditional SIM [market offers a solid foundation for further expansion in line with the vast opportunities across new use cases which present the industry with significant growth potential in years](https://www.financedigest.com/u-s-labor-market-powers-ahead-as-weekly-jobless-claims-fall-layoffs-hit-24-year-low.html "U.S. labor market powers ahead as weekly jobless claims fall, layoffs hit 24-year low") ahead.” To view a webinar presentation on SIMalliance’s 2017 SIM shipment report, please visit the SIMalliance website. More [detailed figures](https://www.financedigest.com/poly-cotton-fabric-market-detailed-analysis-of-current-and-future-industry-figures-till-2020-2030.html "Poly Cotton Fabric Market Detailed Analysis of Current and Future Industry Figures till 2020-2030") are available on a quarterly basis through an annual subscription. ![info](http://www.financedigest.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/image001-450x2044.jpg) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---