The latest in sim technology is IoT sim cards. The internet of things, or IoT as it is commonly called, means millions of physical devices that are interrelated worldwide and share and connect data. Traditional sims and IoT sim cards have the same function: ensuring all internet-enabled devices are internet-connected.
But the similarity ends here. Traditional sim cards are made for mobile phones, which allow sending and receiving of data wirelessly. On the other hand, IoT devices are based on a different requirement than pocket smartphones.
These requirements include lower data levels, strict security bulk, remote management capabilities, and strong network connectivity. Therefore IoT sim cards are thus made to meet the above requirements.
Next, let’s look at the benefits of IoT sim cards over traditional sim cards.
● IoT Subscription Management
IoT sim cards are made to help manage your IoT subscriptions comprehensively and from a single location. With a custom-made IoT SIM card, you could also make customised data plans that would meet your data and coverage needs.
You will also be able to keep track of your M2M communication effectively and easily. Additionally, you would be able to pool together unused data volume and pass it to your other devices.
Whenever there is a system malfunction, the personnel will be notified automatically. Additionally, the location and problem nature will be specified, thus saving you money and time.
● Security
Sim card development made it hard to clone cell phones. This added extra security to the cellular network. However, IoT sim cards are embedded with additional protection, ensuring it becomes hard to tamper or access for ill-suited use.
● Removes Switching Costs
In the current era of remote provisioning technology, companies can now switch their network without needing a physical sim card replacement. This, in turn, saves them money and time. However, in industrial use, the sim card location might be hard to access, separated by geography, and the company might have numerous machines.
Therefore, buying and physically changing these sim cards due to network changes might take time and be expensive. IoT sim card providers have aggregated data packages that are enterprise-focused, and you can also save your money by avoiding some data charges.
● Worldwide Coverage Range
A unique quality of IoT cellular connectivity, as against other of its benefits, is its coverage range. Using IoT sim cards ensures that your devices can send and receive data from any location with cellular coverage (which in our present time is virtually everywhere). A cellular IoT network also ensures that you can scale up your IoT globally and internationally.
So if you wish to scale up your IoT distribution, it might be more cost-effective to use IoT sim cards from the beginning.
● Advanced Functionality
Cell phone traditional sim cards might look similar to IoT sim cards. However, they have different functionality. Regular smartphones are made to enhance user experience and fast load time. On the other hand, industry or company-oriented IoT sim cards are optimized for reliability, efficiency, and hardware longevity.
IoT sim cards, also called machine-to-machine (M2M) sim cards, can give the proper connectivity needed for industrial automation. This thus makes it possible for a company to use fewer employee work hours and work continually.
For this reason, automation increases company production and lowers payroll costs.
● Needs Low Initial Investment
Using cellular connectivity ensures that you don’t build your infrastructure. Instead, you would rent the cellular network. Additionally, upfront investments are pretty affordable than building your personal Wi-Fi network. When you invest in IoT sim cards, you invest in IoT deployment beyond network infrastructure limitations.
Additionally, if you wish to scale up your network, you don’t need to build a cellular tower. Instead, you need to get a data plan having coverage in the new location. Cellular IoT connectivity ensures it is easier to scale up your IoT deployment.
● Durability
Traditional sim cards used in consumer devices like smartphones are made to function in moderate weather conditions and temperatures. On the other hand, IoT sim cards can tolerate extreme cold, heat, and harsh environments.
IoT sim cards are now used in research laboratories located in the arctic, under oil rigs, and mine shafts, and can also withstand factory equipment vibrations.
Concluding thoughts…
To ensure your business is scalable and efficient, you must understand the importance of company-oriented sim cards. The good news is that IoT cards offer additional capabilities and functionality that traditional sim cards don’t provide.
These added capabilities help you in management consolidation and cost reduction, data transmission reliability, security maintenance, and global reach.
