SaaS is entering a new era, one where software no longer stops at the screen. As AI-native applications, mobile-first platforms, and autonomous devices multiply, software must increasingly interact in the physical world. And that shift is pushing SaaS toward a new model: Connected SaaS.
In this model, connectivity is a foundational layer, just like compute, storage, payments, or communications were once upon a time. The same abstractions that turned AWS, Stripe, and Twilio into infrastructure giants are now happening in connectivity.
As Twilio CEO Jeff Lawson puts it:
“The third era is about building software, not just buying it—because how companies differentiate today is digitally. Those companies that build will win. The third-era software companies are those providing the building blocks—AWS, Twilio, Stripe, New Relic, Google Maps, etc. These are the raw ingredients in every app you use every day.”
These raw ingredients became programmable, on-demand services.
Connectivity is now undergoing the same transformation. And at the center of it is eSIM.
To unlock the next decade of innovation, SaaS needs global, reliable, programmable connectivity baked directly into products. Not traditional telecom. Not legacy roaming agreements. A new infrastructure layer.
The New Data Demands of Next-Gen Technology
Most new technologies, particularly AI systems or IoT devices, are incredibly data-intensive, some uploading gigabytes of data every day. Whether they’re analyzing surroundings, processing sensor inputs, or accessing cloud-based models, they need a reliable, high-speed connection to function properly.
This trend will only grow. The more advanced technology becomes, the more data it creates and requires, and the more critical connectivity becomes.
Traditional platforms like word processors or internet browsers can rely on users to manage connectivity, switching between Wi-Fi and mobile networks when necessary, or going without when connection is unavailable. But most next-generation technologies don’t work like that:
- A driverless car can’t pause mid-journey to reconnect to Wi-Fi
- A wearable medical sensor can’t ask for a password when it loses connection
- A field robotics platform can’t operate with dead zones
Devices and AI systems need connectivity that behaves like software: autonomous and always-on. This means connectivity must be embedded directly into the product.
Why SaaS Needs Embedded Connectivity
Modern SaaS products increasingly include hardware extensions, mobile components, distributed agents, or real-time data streams. These systems must work anywhere across borders, carriers, and environments. Without embedded connectivity, companies face the same fragmentation that previously plagued payments and communications.
We’ve seen this pattern before. Payments used to be a maze of bank integrations, local rules, and manual processes, until Stripe turned a fragmented global system into a clean developer interface. In John Collison’s words:
“With Stripe, the idea is that by providing better infrastructure, by linking the Internet economically, by making it easier for these online businesses to exist, it’ll make the web better.” — John Collison, Co-founder & President, Stripe
Similarly, with connectivity, developers shouldn’t have to negotiate carrier contracts, manage SIM logistics, or build networking expertise.
Embedded connectivity changes the game. It enables:
- Differentiated product features (e.g., autonomous sync, real-time diagnostics, location-aware intelligence)
- New business models (global deployments, subscription add-ons, usage-based sensors)
- Faster onboarding (no local SIMs, no configuration, no reliance on end users)
- Frictionless global scale
The shift is the same one that took payments from “call your bank” to “add a Stripe API”. Connectivity is becoming programmable.
Efficiency Delivered:
The Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) Model for Connectivity
Building cell towers, applying for spectrum licenses, and signing roaming agreements is a sizeable investment of both time and money. Most businesses developing next-gen software need constant connectivity without shouldering those expenses – that’s where connectivity infrastructure-as-a-service comes in.
The infrastructure model is radical in its simplicity, offering a clear win-win value proposition. For providers, specializing in connectivity infrastructure has meant more room to focus on innovation, research and development, and maintaining the infrastructure that keeps the world running. For users, outsourcing infrastructural management provides businesses from start-ups to powerhouses with access to state-of-the-art technology at a price point and scale that makes sense.
Just as AWS abstracted compute, connectivity IaaS abstracts mobile networks and turns them into a software layer that SaaS builders can consume on demand. Consider how smart wearables now ship with built-in connectivity, or how connected vehicles maintain constant data streams across continents. Industrial IoT deployments can scale to thousands of sensors without negotiating individual carrier contracts. This is connectivity as code, not connectivity as traditional telecoms. MVNOs, MNOs, and CSPs are in a prime position to take advantage of a revolution in networking: it’s just a matter of offering the right product.
eSIM: The Technology that Makes Connected SaaS Possible
At the heart of next-gen connectivity for next-gen technology lies embedded SIM (eSIM). Embedded pieces of hardware that allow connectivity management over the air, eSIM are easy to provision for IaaS businesses and endlessly useful for their clients.
Here’s what it unlocks:
- Always-on global connectivity: eSIM allows a device to connect to local networks automatically, no matter where it is. This ensures uninterrupted data flow across regions, carriers, and borders.
- Remote network provisioning: Network profiles can be updated instantly and remotely, eliminating the need for physical SIM swaps or on-site maintenance.
- Scalability and simplicity: A single device model can be deployed globally, reducing manufacturing complexity and accelerating time to market.
- Flexibility: The virtual nature of eSIM plans allows businesses to hyper-personalize their offering for clients.
- Security and reliability: eSIM technology supports secure authentication and encryption, protecting sensitive data transmissions.
In essence, eSIM has the potential to transform connectivity from a logistical challenge into an effortless experience: an invisible part of the user experience.
Why This Matters Now
We are in the middle of the largest technology surge since the early 2000s. McKinsey estimates that AI workloads alone will require nearly $7 trillion in infrastructure investment by 2030. But compute and storage aren’t enough.
The systems of tomorrow will only be as powerful as the networks that connect them.
SaaS companies that integrate connectivity now will launch faster, scale globally, create more intelligent products, capture new revenue streams, and deliver seamless user experiences. This is a competitive opportunity today.
The Connected SaaS Future
SaaS is becoming Connected SaaS. Devices are becoming intelligent endpoints. And connectivity is becoming infrastructure.
eSIM-led connectivity IaaS is the foundation that enables this transition: scalable, software-driven, and built for global innovation.
The future of SaaS runs on connectivity. And connectivity runs on infrastructure built for developers.
With carrier-agnostic eSIM technology, global provisioning, and an API-first platform, Telna enables SaaS companies to embed secure, autonomous connectivity into any device, anywhere.
Whether you're building AI-native mobile platforms, global hardware-enabled SaaS, or any product that needs to stay connected across borders, Telna provides the infrastructure layer that keeps everything online, all the time.
Ready to embed connectivity into your SaaS platform? Get in touch to learn how Telna's eSIM infrastructure can power your next-generation products.
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