SABESP, the water and sanitation company of the State of São Paulo, Brazil, announces the deployment of the world's largest Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity project for smart water management. The initiative is being implemented in partnership with Telefonica/Vivo, a key player in Brazil's technological transformation and one of the largest mobile operators in the continent, and IDEMIA Secure Transactions (IST), a global leader in payment and connectivity solutions, marking a significant milestone in the country's digital and environmental transformation.
SÃO PAULO, Aug. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A pioneering project in Brazil's digital transformation
Through this 14-year strategic partnership, 4.4 million smart water meters will be securely connected in São Paulo City and São José dos Campos. According to Sabesp's technical architecture and requirements, Vivo's connectivity expertise combined with IDEMIA Secure Transactions' secure and scalable eSIM IoT technology will help protect natural resources and enhance an essential public service by enabling SABESP to optimize its water distribution network and detect leaks. The initiative represents a historic milestone in Brazil's IoT sector.
By uniting Vivo's extensive connectivity expertise with IDEMIA Secure Transactions' secure and scalable eSIM IoT technology, the project ensures robust, energy-efficient, and resilient connectivity, even in remote areas. The connectivity relies on IST's eSIMs and eSIM IoT platform, fully compliant with the latest GSMA SGP.32 standard[1], embarking advanced cryptographic agility to ensure postquantum future-proof readiness.
The large-scale rollout demonstrates how IoT can be effectively deployed to modernize essential services, with security, reliability, and performance at its core.
"Smart metering allows SABESP and its customers greater visibility into hourly water consumption and the rapid identification of anomalies and leaks. And with more frequent and accurate water balances, there will be greater efficiency in the management of distribution networks, essential factors in a scenario where Brazil still registers very high rates of water loss. This transformation reinforces Sabesp's commitment to the conscious use of water and the modernization of basic sanitation services", says Denis MAIA, Executive Director of Customers and Technology at Sabesp.
Driving sustainability and customer relationship through technology
Beyond operational efficiency, the initiative underscores how digital innovation can address environmental challenges and customer relationships. Smarter water management and monitoring will help reduce waste, preserve resources, and strengthen São Paulo's sustainability agenda by directly contributing to better quality of life for millions of residents.
"This project reflects how Vivo's role goes far beyond connectivity. By combining network scale and reach with end-to-end integration capabilities. From data ingestion and IoT infrastructure to solution design and operational execution. We enable smarter, more sustainable essential services. Our contribution to more efficient utilities management is a direct expression of this: technology that generates real environmental impact and touches people's lives, delivered by a partner with the depth to make it work," explains Adriano PEREIRA, director of IoT and B2B Innovation at Vivo.
At its core, this project represents a concrete example of technology serving sustainability and customer empowerment. By enabling precise consumption monitoring and early detection of leaks, the connected infrastructure helps promoting conscious consumption of water. The digitalization of water metering services also improves transparency for consumers to take part in more responsible resource management, demonstrating how IoT innovation can create both environmental and social value.
"Our goal is to transform our customers into effective managers of their water consumption. It's a transformation in our relationship with customers that IoT technology brings, and one that will save billions of liters of water from post-meter leaks repaired more quickly," says Luiz RENATO FRAGA RIOS, Revenue Protection Director at Sabesp.
A partnership setting new standards for connected infrastructure
This collaboration illustrates the power of long-term partnerships between industry leaders. Building on years of joint work, IDEMIA Secure Transactions and Vivo are demonstrating how shared innovation and trust can accelerate progress toward more secure, sustainable, and connected ecosystems, not only in Brazil, but as a model for global utilities and cities aiming to modernize their infrastructure.
"We are proud to partner with SABESP and Vivo in Brazil on one of the most significant IoT initiatives ever launched in the world. This collaboration shows how innovation and sustainability can work hand in hand to create real impact and protect natural resources, while strengthening critical infrastructure for the future," said Diego CECCHINATO, SVP Connectivity Services LATAM at IDEMIA Secure Transactions.
[1] SGP.32 is the latest GSMA specification for remote SIM provisioning in IoT devices, designed to simplify large-scale deployments and enhance security.
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