Posted on

What Shakespeare says about OneSimCard’s IoT SIM Card

 

Oh, fair audience, lend me your ears, for I shall speak of OneSimCard IoT and its wondrous IoT SIM card. In this age of technological marvels, where devices converge and speak in unison, OneSimCard IoT doth shine bright as a beacon of connectivity and enlightenment.

Behold, the IoT SIM cards, the conduits of digital communication, through which devices may interconnect and exchange information. Like tiny messengers traversing a vast electronic realm, they carry data with unparalleled speed and precision.

With OneSimCard IoT SIM cards, the world of the internet of things unfolds before our very eyes. Devices, once mere inanimate objects, awaken to a symphony of interwoven data. Machines, sensors, and contrivances speak in a language of their own, sharing knowledge and insight without the need for human intervention.

Imagine, dear friends, the possibilities that these IoT SIM cards unfold. In factories, they monitor the rhythm of production, ensuring efficiency and quality. In cities, they orchestrate the symphony of traffic and energy, harmonizing the flow of life. And in homes, they bring forth a realm of smart living, where convenience and sustainability intertwine.

But ’tis not just the capabilities of these SIM cards that doth astound, for their reliability is as steadfast as a mountain’s foundation. In the harshest environments, from scorching deserts to icy tundra, these SIM cards endure, connecting devices without falter. They are the steadfast companions in this ever-changing landscape of technology.

And let us not forget the support and guidance that OneSimCard doth provide. Their team of experts, wise as sages, stand ready to assist those embarking on the journey of IoT. With their knowledge and expertise, they illuminate the path, ensuring success and prosperity for all who venture forth.

So, let us embrace this wondrous world of OneSimCard IoT and its IoT SIM cards. Let us marvel at the interconnectivity of devices and the boundless potential that lies before us. For in this realm, the union of art and technology doth flourish, creating a tapestry of innovation and enlightenment.

If you are interested in learning more about OneSimCard IoT and the capabilities of our IoT SIM Card connectivity fill out our contact form and one of our experts will schedule a time for a discussion.

(This is obviously us having fun with AI and not the actual words of Shakespeare!)

Posted on

Using IoT SIM Cards in Alarm Systems

IoT Sim Cards in Alarms

The Internet of Things (IoT) has revolutionized the way we live, work, and interact with our surroundings. One of the most important applications of IoT technology is in the field of security and safety, where it is used to create smart alarms that can detect and respond to various threats. IoT SIM cards are a key component of these smart alarms, allowing them to communicate with other devices and systems over cellular networks. In this article, we will explore the use of IoT SIM cards for alarms and provide five examples of how they are used.

What are IoT SIM cards?

An IoT SIM card is a special type of SIM card that is designed for use in IoT devices. These devices are typically low-power and low-data-rate, and they require a specialized SIM card that can handle their specific communication needs. IoT SIM cards are designed to work with cellular networks and are capable of communicating with other IoT devices and systems over the internet.

Using IoT SIM cards for alarms

IoT SIM cards are an essential component of smart alarms, which are alarms that are capable of detecting and responding to various threats. These alarms use a variety of sensors, such as motion sensors, temperature sensors, and smoke detectors, to monitor the environment and detect potential threats. When a threat is detected, the alarm sends a notification to the user or a central monitoring system, which can then take appropriate action. Here are five examples of how IoT SIM cards are used in smart alarms:

  1. Home security systems

SIM cards are commonly used in home security systems, which are designed to protect homes and families from burglary and other threats. These systems typically include a variety of sensors, such as door and window sensors, motion sensors, and cameras, that monitor the home and detect potential threats. When a threat is detected, the system sends a notification to the user or a central monitoring system over the cellular network.

  1. Fire alarms

SIM cards are also used in fire alarms, which are designed to detect and respond to fires. These alarms use a variety of sensors, such as smoke detectors and heat detectors, to monitor the environment and detect potential fires. When a fire is detected, the alarm sends a notification to the user or a central monitoring system over the cellular network.

  1. Flood alarms

Flood alarms are another example of smart alarms that use SIM cards. These alarms use sensors to detect water levels and other indicators of flooding, such as humidity and temperature. When a flood is detected, the alarm sends a notification to the user or a central monitoring system over the cellular network.

  1. Industrial alarms

SIM cards are also used in industrial alarms, which are designed to detect and respond to various threats in industrial settings. These alarms use a variety of sensors, such as pressure sensors and temperature sensors, to monitor industrial equipment and detect potential problems. When a problem is detected, the alarm sends a notification to the user or a central monitoring system over the cellular network.

  1. Medical alarms

SIM cards are also used in medical alarms, which are designed to monitor patients and detect potential medical emergencies. These alarms use a variety of sensors, such as heart rate monitors and blood pressure monitors, to monitor the patient’s vital signs and detect potential problems. When a problem is detected, the alarm sends a notification to the user or a central monitoring system over the cellular network.

Conclusion

IoT SIM cards are a key component of smart alarms, which are alarms that are capable of detecting and responding to various threats. These alarms use a variety of sensors to monitor the environment and detect potential threats, and they use IoT SIM cards to communicate with other devices and systems over cellular networks. IoT SIM cards are used in a variety of applications, including home security systems, fire alarms, flood alarms, industrial alarms, and medical alarms.

OneSimCard IoT is a global leader in IoT SIM Card Connectivity for deployments around the world. A division of Belmont Telecom, Inc., OneSimCard IoT helps customers in the remote alarm industry and many other industries connect their “things” using IoT SIM cards. Our IoT SIM cards are used internationally by companies of all sizes. If you are interested in learning more, please contact us by filling out our Contact Form.

Posted on

How Are IoT SIM Cards Used?

Image of typical IoT Sim Card Form Factors
Typical IoT SIM Card form Factors

What is an IoT SIM card?

IoT SIM cards are small, programmable chips that are used to provide a secure and reliable connection to the internet for various devices and machines. These SIM cards are designed to be used in devices that require remote monitoring, control, and data transmission capabilities. The main advantage of IoT SIM cards is that they allow devices to be connected to the internet and communicate with other devices or systems, regardless of their physical location. This makes them an essential component of IoT-enabled systems and devices.

One of the key benefits of IoT SIM cards is their versatility and flexibility. They can be used in a wide range of devices, including smart homes, security systems, energy management systems, industrial machines, and vehicles. For example, in the case of smart homes, IoT SIM cards can be used to connect various home appliances and devices, such as smart locks, security cameras, and smart thermostats, to the internet. This enables homeowners to remotely monitor and control their home appliances and devices from anywhere, at any time.

Another key benefit of IoT SIM cards is their ability to provide a secure and reliable connection to the internet. IoT devices and systems generate and transmit large amounts of data, and it is critical that this data be transmitted securely and without interruption. IoT SIM cards provide a secure connection to the internet by encrypting the data transmitted between the device and the network. Additionally, they can be programmed to automatically switch between different mobile networks to ensure that the connection remains stable and secure.

IoT SIM cards are also highly cost-effective, as they do not require a separate modem or router to connect to the internet. This reduces the overall cost of the device or system, making it more accessible to a wider range of users. Furthermore, many IoT SIM cards come with flexible data plans that allow users to pay only for the data they actually use, reducing the overall cost of ownership.

What industries use IoT SIM Cards?

The list is vast! We see new and creative uses for IoT SIM cards everyday in conversations with our clients. The only limitation to the use of IoT SIM cards is the imagination of the engineer and/or entrepreneur who are developing solutions to problems. Below is a list of just 5 industries we see the most use of IoT SIM cards:

  1. Healthcare: IoT SIM cards are used in a range of medical devices, such as remote patient monitoring systems, wearable devices, and telemedicine systems. These devices use the secure and reliable connection provided by IoT SIM cards to transmit patient data to healthcare providers, enabling them to monitor patient health and well-being from anywhere.
  2. Agriculture: We wrote a case study about the growth of IoT in Agtech (pun intended). IoT SIM cards are used in smart agriculture systems to monitor soil moisture levels, crop yields, and weather conditions. This enables farmers to make informed decisions about crop management and to optimize their operations for maximum efficiency.
  3. Energy Management: IoT SIM cards are used in smart energy management systems to monitor and control energy usage in buildings and industrial facilities. This enables building owners and managers to reduce energy costs and to ensure that their facilities are operating efficiently.
  4. Transportation: We also wrote an article and a case study about the use of IoT SIM cards in the transportation industry.  IoT SIM cards are used in vehicles to provide real-time monitoring and control of the vehicle’s systems, including engine performance, fuel consumption, and location. This enables fleet managers to optimize their operations, reduce fuel costs, and improve safety.
  5. Retail: IoT SIM cards are used in retail systems to monitor and control the temperature and humidity of refrigerated storage units. This ensures that perishable goods are stored at the correct temperature, reducing waste and improving food safety.

Summary

IoT SIM cards are an essential component of IoT-enabled systems and devices. They provide a secure and reliable connection to the internet, enabling devices and systems to communicate with each other and with remote monitoring systems. IoT SIM cards are versatile, flexible, and cost-effective, making them a popular choice for a wide range of industries, including healthcare, agriculture, energy management, transportation, and retail.

If you are interested in learning more about the role of IoT SIM cards please let us know. Our IoT experts are happy to have a conversation with you about your specific requirements and will be glad to schedule a 30-minute, no obligation discussion with you. Simply fill out our Contact Form and we will be in touch to find a time that suits you the best.

Posted on

Vehicle Telematics Client Goes Global: Case Study

Connected Vehicle with Connected Lines of Data
Vehicle telematics connect many systems in a vehicle

Introduction

Vehicle Telematics has been a continually growing field for many years and has become a very mature category for connectivity. In this article we discuss a Vehicle Telematics client who has been with us for over 7 years. They operated in North America and decided to expand their reach beyond North America. With over 20,000 connected vehicles on our platform, going worldwide will increase the addressable market by over 10X (based on their estimates). They not only track GPS location and speed of vehicles for their customers, but also have solutions that read and report data points like, hard acceleration and deceleration, engine diagnostics, cargo temperature, and moisture levels, accessory activation (think plow up/plow down for snow plowing equipment), and many, many more data points on which they report.

The Challenge

It’s one thing to do business in North America. When you want to expand your business to other continents and many other countries, all of your operational challenges grow exponentially. IoT SIM Card connectivity is one of these operational obstacles. There are several ways to overcome this problem though. Some organizations choose to get native IoT SIMs in each country . As you grow globally, this strategy is less and less efficient when adding more and more countries to your marketing plan. You must:

    • Source the IoT SIM cards from a local provider. Sourcing from new providers can take you back through an RFP process and hoping upon hope that you choose wisely;
    • Configure your devices correctly. Each new connectivity provider has its own settings (APN, etc.) which you will have to maintain new SKU’s for each country and had the devices setup either at the factory when ordering new shipments, or locally by your Operations team in country;
    • Learn new platforms. Many M2M SIM Card companies have their own software and when you start to use several providers, now you have to learn new platforms (and remember all those new passwords!!), setup new API’s, and remember which provider is for which country…nightmare!!
    • Deal with currency exchange rates. Yes, this is a consideration! Working in new countries means dealing with new currencies, and the frequency by which currencies vary can keep your Finance team up at night.

Go Global for Vehicle Telematics Connectivity

Another strategy to overcome the struggle with global expansion for Vehicle Telematics connectivity is to choose a provider with a global footprint. Global  IoT SIM card connectivity providers are not all the same, though, and there can be pitfalls when choosing the right one for you. We talked about the considerations for choosing the right provider in a previous post.  One of the things we talked about was coverage. Having service available in the countries you are going to market your Vehicle Telematics solution is obviously critical, but having multiple networks available is also very important for redundancy.  But how does a global IoT SIM card provider solve the issues mentioned above?:

    1. Sourcing SIM cards. Having a true global IoT SIM card provider eliminates having to search for a provider in each country you open for new marketing. You can rely on the same team you are used to working with and there is no need to go through a new purchasing process
    2. Configuring your devices. Your Vehicle Telematics devices can be setup the same way for any country you want the device in which it operates. Global IoT SIM card providers have a single APN setting and this eliminates the problem of multiple SKUs for each country to which you are sending devices.
    3. Learning new platforms. This goes without saying. Keeping the same provider means you only have one platform to learn. All of the API’s are also the same, so integration to your portal is simple.
    4. Currency fluctuations. Having one provider means that you are working with a single currency. The fluctuations in currencies aren’t going to have an impact.

The Solution 

Our customer looked at the different options outlined above. They decided the wise choice was to use OneSimCard IoT as their provider for their global expansion. This was a simple decision though. They know us and our platform very well, and have integrated their portal with ours through APIs. They understood we were able to provide service in all of the countries to which they were looking to expand, while keeping service costs low. There were several countries where the cost of service was significantly higher. For these countries we created a parent/child account structure. With this structure they could isolate these higher cost countries from the lower cost countries.

We also worked with the client to simplify logistics. We are sending the IoT SIM cards directly to their factory. By doing this, the factory can test the units before they leave the facility. We provide them with free data for this testing. Sending the SIM cards to a single facility had another benefit because they saved on shipping costs.

How Can We Help Connect Your Vehicle Telematics Solution?

If you would like to learn more about OneSimCard IoT and how we can help you, please reach out! One of our IoT experts will be happy to speak with you. We can be reached by email at sales at onesimcard.com. You can also fill our our Contact Form. On this form you can provide a little information about your requirements and one of our team members will be in touch for a quick initial call.

Posted on

IoT SIM Card Deployments in Global AgTech: A Case Study

IoT Sim cardfor AgTech
AgTech IoT SIM card Connectivity

Introduction

As Agricultural Technology grows (pun intended) in popularity around the world, connecting all of these “things” is increasingly more difficult. International implementations face many obstacles. We focus on the issues with IoT SIM card use in worldwide operations. Some of the same complications occur in single country use as well. Streamlining these deployments saves time, money & headaches. This article focuses on one such case.  We will discuss a soil moisture sensor company struggling with their multi-national deployments. We will cover their solution, their initial problem, the steps they took to remedy the situation, and the solution they chose.

The Customer’s Description

As a Start-Up, this company needed to grow fast and were sending their moisture sensors all over the world, and they had pilots currently running in 27 different countries. Their solution includes a mesh network of wireless sensors spread over the fields of a grower and all of the data aggregated in a gateway device that sends all of the data back to a server for analysis and reporting on their UI. The gateway device is a standard rugged router. It uses a 3FF global IoT SIM card powering the connection to the back end through cellular networks. The gateway required bi-directional proactive communication because they needed to reach the gateway from time to time on demand.  Their sensors test the soil every 3 hours. The total amount of data per gateway averages 72MB per month.

The Problem

They struggled with how they would put together a solution for all of these disparate countries, though. It takes time and resources to find an IoT SIM card provider in each country. Using these various providers further complicates matters because they had to manage multiple SIM management portals, multiple APNs, SKUs for each IoT SIM card provider, and several languages to deal with (English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, and German to name a few).

All of this takes time and resources. As a small company, their time really does mean money, because navigating all of the vendors, and programming their routers based on where the devices were being sent took time away from marketing and selling their solution. They estimated it took 47% of their time finding local cellular providers. Also setting up the new vendors’ APN’s and SKUs into their workflow, learning a new portal for SIM card management, etc., etc. That is all time when they could be building a strong sales funnel, meeting with new prospects, working on marketing  efforts, and so forth.  They estimated if they could focus 47% more time on these tasks, their annual revenue would grow over $1M.

What They Tried

Over the last 6 months they tried to standardize their connectivity providers to a smaller number. They thought this would solve the issues. What they discovered was that it did help, but the benefits were not sufficient. The CTO and COO still had to think about how devices needed to be configured for each country. They also had to manage multiple platforms which takes time to learn and implement different portals and the API’s each portal used (if they supported API’s). They also had different IP ranges to deal with, where a single IP range would be easier to manage because they could used a single VPN with a single IP range.

The OneSimCard IoT Sim Card Solution

OneSimCard IoT logoWe came to the table with our ears open. We heard their problems and developed a solution tailored to their particular needs. What we came up with was a single, Multi-IMSI, eUICC enabled  Global IoT SIM card. Our IoT SIM card  is used virtually anywhere in the world with a single APN. OneSimCard IoT covers 200+ countries and territories.  A single APN means they are able to set-up all of their devices the same, regardless of the device’s destination.

We also provided the client a single private static IP range large enough to support all of their IoT SIM card deployments for the foreseeable future. We recommended an OpenVPN solution for their bidirectional proactive communication to their cellular gateways. Because it only allows one concurrent user, OpenVPN is a low cost alternative to our IPSec VPN solution. It provides the communication this client needed, though.

The client also benefited from the use of our OSCAR SIM management Portal.  OSCAR is built in-house from the ground up. When a customer wants to make a change, we make that change quickly. This flexibility helps our clients by catering to their specific requirements without over-complicating the experience. OneSimCard IoT’s portal is cloud based and has mobile apps available on Google Play as well as Apple’s App Store. We also provide a full set of API’s to our Portal. This allowed the client to tie their portal to ours with only one set of API’s.

The Result

The benefit was immediate. Streamlining to a single provider gave the client back their valuable time. They now can concentrate more time and resources on revenue producing activities. In the first month since the change to OneSimCard IoT, they were able to implement 20% more solutions. They also were able to add 25% more new opportunities into their sales funnel. If 5% of these prospects close, this adds $1.5M in annual revenue.

If you have an AgTech solution, or any other IoT solution that needs connectivity, contact us. Our IoT experts will be happy to listen to your requirements and develop a solution just for you. The best way to reach is is by email sales@onesimcard.com. You can also fill out our contact form, and we will be in touch!

Posted on

New Features Added to M2M SIM Card OSCAR Platform

New SIM Search Filter Added for SIMs with IMEI Lock

An M2M Sim card client requested to search for all M2M SIM cards with the IMEI lock enabled. With this update, M2M SIM cards with the IMEI lock engaged are now quickly identified. Many devices can be changed because the M2M SIM cards with the lock can be unlocked. This was particularity important for this client moving IoT SIMs from older 3G devices to their new 4G devices. Once the SIMs that had the lock were identified there is now a new bulk operation to remove the IMEI lock.

imei lock filter.jpg
M2M SIM card filter list

 

New Bulk Operation Added to Remove IMEI Lock

In concert with the above IoT Sim card filter, we added a new bulk operation to remove IMEI locks on many SIMs at once. This additional functionality makes the process of SIM card IMEI locks much faster because the administrator no longer has to go in the the SIM settings for each SIM to remove the lock. If you have thousands of M2M SIM cards, this was very time consuming. An administrator can now perform this function to many M2M SIM cards at once.

Bulk operations for M2M SIM card

Contact Us!

We welcome feedback! If you have any feedback on our IoT SIM card OSCAR Platform, please send us a note. You can reach us at feeback@onesimcard.com.

If you would like to speak with one of our M2M SIM Card experts, please reach out to us at Sales@onesimcard.com. You can also submit a custom quote request on our site. We will develop a solution specific to your requirements.

Posted on

New API & New IoT Sim Card

New API Command Available for SIM Card Reset

We continue to listen to our IoT clients and their requests for improvements to our OSCAR IoT SIM Card Management Portal. There is now an API command for both Pooled and PAYG accounts, allowing a SIM reset. A SIM card reset takes the IoT SIM card off the network and allows it to re-register. Before now, this tool was only available on the Portal in the Service tab. There are many customers who prefer to manage most of the tools for their global IoT SIM Cards off the OSCAR management portal. This new API will help with initial troubleshooting of the IoT SIM.

New SIM Card Type Being Launched

For customers using the TCNS IoT SIM card type, you will start to see orders being filled with a new IoT SIM card named “TCNS – E”. This SIM will give you the same outstanding service you are used to, & will add some network operators. The most notable change is in Canada where we are adding Telus and Bell. Now all three major networks in Canada are available. There are also many other countries coming to this Multi-IMSI TCSN-E IoT SIM card. This is great news as we continue to grow our global IoT SIM card footprint and build more network redundancy!

If you have any questions about these enhancements to our IoT SIM card management portal, OSCAR, or any other suggestions or comments, please reach out to feedback@onesimcard.com.

Posted on

2 Updates to the OSCAR IoT SIM Management Portal

New API Command Available for Updating User Name and Device Fields

We added a new API command for both Pooled and PAYG accounts This command will allow you to update the User Name and Device fields for your IoT SIM Cards in the OSCAR portal. This is especially useful when you are using your own portal to activate IoT SIMs & include the User Name (nickname). The User Name & Device Type are now populated to our OSCAR portal automatically through API. Before now, these fields could only  be updated on the Portal in separate tabs. Automating this process is a great time-saver!

New Feature in the OSCAR Portal Allows for Updating/Making Changes to up to 200 SIMs at a Time

Before this update, the maximum number of SIMs that can be displayed on the SIM card page was 100. You could select up to all 100 and perform a bulk operation on these SIMs.  Also, these SIMs had to be in certain logical order (sorted by SIM #, ICCID, Status, etc.). If you wanted to work on SIM cards that were not consecutive in this logical order, or only some of those SIMs but not all, you needed to select (or deselect) only those which you want to work on. Last month, we added functionality to upload a CSV file into the portal with the SIM card numbers on which you want to work. You will see this file upload option at the top of the SIM card page. This upload tool allows you to load a CSV file with up to 200 SIM cards at a time. Now you can work on more SIMs at once, and choose the SIMs you on which you want to work based on the file you uploaded (maybe it was a report you ran, etc.).

If you have any questions on these new functions or any other questions on the OSCAR IoT SIM card management portal, please reach out to our IoT experts at Sales@OneSimCard.com.

Posted on

Why IP Filtering Is Important for Security

When you put together an IoT solution the intention is always to route data traffic to where you want, but this isn’t always ensured. Devices and IoT SIM cards aren’t inherently secured and we have written numerous articles on ways to lock your IoT solution down. Today we want to discuss the best way to ensure that data can only go where you expect using IP Filtering on your IoT SIM card.

IP Filtering (or IP Whitelisting) is a method whereby you identify only those IP addresses where data can travel. This is critical because IoT SIM cards and devices tend to be open to send data anywhere and without filtering at the IoT SIM card level, devices can be hacked to send data to other IP addresses other than where you want the traffic to go. 

OneSimCard has the ability to filter the IP addresses where our IoT SIM cards are able to send data. This is accomplished by whitelisting the IP addresses where you want data traffic to end up. Our clients send us these trusted IP addresses and we set these rules up in our Network server to only allow he IoT SIM cards to send traffic to these addresses. If the IoT device attempts to send traffic to any other address, it will fail because we have blocked that IP address by rule.

Use cases for IP Filtering are numerous. Here are just a few examples:

  • IoT SIMs in Hotspots for employees to limit the IP addresses where the employee can navigate using the company asset (not exactly IoT, but the SIM doesn’t know that!);
  • SIMs in ATM’s and credit card processing where banking information is transmitted and must be secure and data traffic must be limited;
  • Alarms and security products like cameras because, especially with cameras, only you want to have this data, and leakage to other IP addresses can be expensive;
  • Any IoT solution which counts on very small data quantities because data leakage can lead to overage and higher costs.

If you would like to learn more about our IP Filtering solution for IoT SIM cards and if this is something that makes sense for your organization, please reach out to sales@onesimcard.com and one of our IOT experts will be glad to talk this through with you.

Posted on

Securing Your IoT Deployment by Replacing Public Static IP’s

Securing Your IoT Deployment
Securing Your IoT Deployment

Security is on top of mind for every stakeholder of IoT device deployments and discussions of the best way to secure data is ongoing and constantly evolving. We are regularly consulted on how to harden IoT device data specifically related to IoT SIM cards and data transfer. The goal of this article is to share best practices we have learned over the many years we have been dealing with this question particularly related to the risk of Public Static IP’s and how to mitigate this risk.

Most devices that are deployed with IoT SIM cards deliver data unidirectionally by sending data from the device to your server based on time interval or event triggers and no reply/response is required from the server back to the device, or bidirectionally sending data to and receiving data from the IoT device. This bidirectional communication is where we will concentrate.

Bidirectional data transfer without using Static IPs is typically accomplished using 2 distinct methods:

  1. Polling – this is accomplished by the IoT device initiating communication with your server using protocols like HTTP to request information from the server. Your server can then capture the IP address of the IoT SIM and send its response back to the device using this now known dynamic IP address. This works well for cases when the IoT device is able to initiate communication, or “poll,” typically based on time intervals or if a certain event triggers this communication.
  2. Socket based – where the device maintains an open connection with your server using protocols such as MQTT. The persistent, open connection allows both the IoT device and your server to communicate with each other independently from one another. Unlike polling, neither the device nor the server relies on the other to initiate communication.

While these examples of bidirectional communication are viable, they do have significant drawbacks:

  • Polling relies on the IoT device to initiate communication with the server and this, as previously mentioned, is based on time or event triggers which don’t allow for you to connect with the IoT device whenever you want; you have to wait for the device to initiate and this could be too long of a period of time.
  • Socket based communication relies on the persistent connection which for a number of reasons could get interrupted. If the connection is interrupted, then you must wait for the device to open another connection because the dynamic IP address of the IoT SIM card could have changed and there is no way of knowing the new IP address for the IoT SIM card.
  • Not all devices support these types of communication protocols and this limits your choices when choosing IoT devices for your project.

Because of these considerable drawbacks, enterprises use Static IPs on IoT SIM cards for much more reliable bidirectional communication. Static IPs allow you to communicate with the IoT device at any time because, by definition, you always know the IP address of the SIM card. There are two types of Static IPs, Public and Private. We are going to talk about replacing Public Static IPs with Private Static IPs because of the security and cost concerns with Public Static IPs.

First, it is important to understand a bit more about Public Static IPs.

 

Public Static IPs

IoT SIM cards with Public Static IPs have been used for IoT deployments for bidirectional communication between IoT devices and servers for many years. These static IPs allow you to proactively reach out to a remote IoT device in the field at any time using the known IP address. Because these are Public IP addresses, you can communicate with your devices from any machine which, on first blush, seems like a handy solution. This access raises an enormous security concern though. By definition, these IPs are addressable to any machine on the public internet, which forces organizations to implement ancillary security methods like rotating passwords, whitelisting incoming connections and turning off services which aren’t being used. This security concern also extends to the server to which the IoT device connects, because that server also needs to be publicly available. Here is a diagram of this design:

Public Static IPs
Security Flaws of Public Static IPs

As you can see, this design is inherently flawed from a security standpoint because the use of publicly accessible IPs exposes your deployment to intrusion by hackers from anywhere in the world.

Security isn’t the only concern when using IoT SIM cards with Public IPs, though. Cost is another consideration. Just like Real Estate, there is a finite number of Public IPs available. This drives the cost of Public Static IPs higher and it takes time to deploy these Public IPs from the network carriers. Cost and time are major hindrances to effective IoT device deployment.

 

IoT SIM cards with Private Static IPs – The Solution to Replace Public Static IPs

The other method to bidirectional communication is to deploy Private Static IPs on your IoT SIM cards. Just like Public Static IPs, Private Static IPs allow you to always know the address of your device and access the device at any time. However, IoT Sim cards with Private Static IPs do not allow public access to the IoT device because only devices or servers on the private network are allowed to communicate with the devices within the network. It is possible, if necessary, to send data from the IoT device to a place on the public internet (external site) but proactive communication to the IoT SIM card can only be initiated from within the private network. We create this private network in 2 ways.

  1. Peer to Peer communication. This method uses an IoT SIM card with Private Static IP in your IoT device and another IoT SIM card either in a router behind your firewall, or in another IoT device if the devices need to communicate with each other. Peer to Peer communication is typically used when small amounts of data is being used because you are essentially doubling your cellular data consumption because the IoT SIM card on your server is acting as the data connection rather than traditional ISPs. This can be expensive if large amounts of data are being transferred, and;
  2. VPN connection. VPN (IPsec or OpenVPN) is a much more common method to create the connection to the IoT SIM card with Private Static IP. The way this works is a VPN connection is made from your server to our server which, by rule, is connected to all of our IoT SIM cards. This tunnel communicates securely to your IoT devices because the traffic is encrypted end to end and all traffic is kept within this secure tunnel. This is by far the most secure and cost-effective way to maintain bidirectional communication with your IoT devices.

Below are diagrams demonstrating Peer to Peer and VPN connections with Private Static IPs:

Peer to Peer Connection:

Peer to Peer Connection

VPN Connection with Private Static IPs:

VPN Connection with Private Static IPs

Clearly, using Private Static IPs on IoT SIM cards is a much more elegant and secure way to communicate. This setup will allow reliable, cost-effective bidirectional communication between your servers and your IoT devices and it reduces the need for further hardening which is required when using Public Static IPs.

If you would like to speak with one of our IoT experts, please reach out to us anytime at sales@onesimcard.com.