By Gregory Gundelfinger, Founder & CEO of Telna
As we close out 2024, I’ve been reflecting on the journey that brought us to the forefront of the eSIM revolution. When I founded Telna, I had a clear vision: to build a network that would break through the barriers imposed by traditional incumbents and usher in a new era of mobile connectivity—one defined by flexibility, scalability, and global reach. Today, I’m proud to say that we’ve not only succeeded in our mission, we’ve exceeded even our own expectations.
From Plastic to Programmable: A Radical Rethink of the SIM
Back when we began, physical SIM cards were the gold standard of mobile connectivity. Everything hinged on distributing tiny pieces of plastic to establish network identities. It was inefficient, expensive, and resistant to innovation. When we approached established vendors with our idea for a “soft SIM” (well before the concept of eSIM was mainstream), we were met with skepticism and resistance. They wouldn’t build the software solution we needed. This was the turning point: we realized that to truly revolutionize connectivity, we had to own the core network infrastructure ourselves.
Owning the network meant we could generate our own keys, securely provision SIM identities, and eventually transform them into entirely software-based eSIMs. But with this decision came a host of new challenges. The traditional vendors who controlled the infrastructure demanded astronomical upfront costs. As a startup, these were costs we simply couldn’t accept. We had to think differently.
Redesigning the Network for Multi-Network Access
Conventional mobile networks were never designed with multi-network identities in mind. Each subscriber had a single IMSI—one number, one network identity, one way of doing business. But the world was shifting, and we knew connectivity had to become borderless, device-agnostic, and infinitely scalable. A device couldn’t just belong to a single network; it needed to roam seamlessly across numerous carriers, regions, and use cases.
We set out to architect a truly multi-network environment—one that could handle multiple IMSIs per subscriber. At the time, no vendor could supply such a solution. The concept of a fully programmatic, cloud-native core was virtually unheard of. But Telna embraced this blank canvas and built our own stack from scratch, fully in the cloud, granting us unprecedented agility and scalability.
As part of this journey, we became a full member of the GSMA to gain recognition as a bona fide mobile network. This allowed us to work closely with carriers to integrate their IMSIs onto our platform. Today, we have over 30 IMSIs on a single platform, enabling every SIM card to carry multiple IMSIs mapped to one identity. Integrating with these massive incumbent networks wasn’t easy—it can take anywhere from 12 months to 8 years—but the end result is a dynamic, global ecosystem that our partners can tap into with unparalleled ease.
Roaming as a Technology, Not a Product
Roaming has traditionally been seen as a complicated, bolt-on product. We view it differently. At Telna, roaming is a technology—one that can be seamlessly integrated, scaled, and personalized according to the needs of our partners. Whether you’re an MVNO striving to go global or an MNO looking to add new services overnight, our platform offers full programmability, automated provisioning, and a frictionless path to expansion.
By treating roaming as a technology rather than a static product, we’ve managed to reduce complexities and empower our customers to unlock new business models. With our platform, scaling from a handful of eSIMs to millions is not a pipe dream—it’s a reality we deliver every day.
Building Our Own Online Charging Platform
To maintain complete control over the customer experience and to maximize monetization opportunities, we built our own online charging platform. This platform enables us to always have real-time charging data at our fingertips. We can dynamically price and package offers within a matter of clicks through simple API integrations. Our straightforward pricing model—charging per megabyte—allows our customers to create highly targeted packages, driving the highest ARPU and ensuring profitability.
Resilience, Virtualization, and Infinite Possibility
Building a fully programmatic, multi-network platform wasn’t easy. We faced countless challenges, from ensuring geo-redundancy to handling unforeseen outages at the worst possible times. But each trial helped us refine our infrastructure and reinforce the resilience of our network. Today, we have one of the world’s most advanced global mobile networks, with multiple points of presence, ensuring optimal connectivity no matter where our customers or their devices might be.
It’s all about low latency data: We have created this global network not only for geo-redundancy but also for optimal data performance. We can dynamically route data to our closest points of presence, enforcing rules and policies such as zero-rating and IP whitelisting, ensuring the highest quality of experience for our customers.
Our eSIMs can be remotely provisioned, updated, and managed at a scale that was once unimaginable. We can dynamically route traffic, spin up capacity on-demand, and integrate new services—like global voice and messaging—across 39 countries. This agility makes it possible for customers to go from a pilot project with a few devices to a global deployment of millions almost overnight.
The Cloud-Native Future of Mobile Connectivity
At Telna, we don’t just rely on the cloud; we’ve embraced it wholeheartedly. Being cloud-native means we can scale faster, innovate more rapidly, and customize solutions across countless industries. As the world evolves—be it in travel, automotive, IoT security, or beyond—we are ready to deliver instant connectivity, enabling new possibilities for everyone.
An Overnight Decade-Long Success Story
I often jest that Telna’s “overnight success” took a decade to realize. It took years of pioneering virtualization, creating multi-IMSI solutions, and patiently integrating with legacy networks. The lengthy timelines, drawn-out negotiations, and the sheer scale of incumbent partnerships made the journey long and challenging. But we persevered, staying true to our vision and continually pushing the boundaries of what was thought possible.
Looking Ahead: The eSIM Era Has Only Just Begun
As I look to the future, I’m more excited than ever about what’s possible. We’ve shown that the eSIM is more than just a replacement for the plastic SIM—it’s a gateway to a fully programmable, globally accessible network environment. With Telna at the helm of this transformation, we’re setting the standard for what multi-network connectivity can achieve.
We’ve proven that a technology-first mindset, relentless innovation, and complete ownership of the network stack can move an industry forward. With the power of eSIM, we’re reshaping roaming and making the kind of connectivity once reserved for the few available to everyone. This is just the beginning, and I can’t wait to see what 2025 will bring.
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