Tag: IoT sim card

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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.

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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.

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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.

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“Disposable” IoT SIM Cards Now Available for Data Pooling

There are some circumstances when IoT/M2M devices are only needed for a short period of time and then they need to be shut off and discarded. We come across this need most often in the Asset Tracking sector, especially for Cargo containers. There has always been the opportunity to have these disposable SIMs on PAYG accounts, but now we developed a disposable SIM plan for Pooled accounts.

As you know, our Pooled data plans are highly customized for each client. The disposable SIMs are no different. If you need the IoT SIM active for 5 days or 55 days, or 555 days, we can accommodate… just let us know your requirement and we will set the SIM to automatically expire in that timeframe. What’s more, if you need to have some SIMs that have a longer duration and some with a shorter duration, on the same data pool, you can set up the duration in the OSCAR Portal for each SIM.

If you have a project that requires disposable IoT SIM cards, let’s talk about it and let our IoT experts come up with the perfect solution for you.

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OneSimCard’s IoT Service in the USA Now Combines all 3 Major Carriers: AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile to Provide the Best Overall Coverage

OneSimCard IoT SIM USA Coverage
Combining AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile on a Single SIM Ensures the Greatest Coverage & Unsurpassed Redundancy in the USA

OneSimCard IoT, a Global leader in IoT connectivity, is excited to announce the launch of a new SIM card connectivity solution for the United States market which combines all three major carriers in the USA: AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile for data and SMS access on a single SIM card solution. This solution gives customers, who have connectivity requirements in the USA, full redundancy on the country’s 3 largest networks.

Having this access on a single SIM is critical because there is no need for a dual SIM device or guessing which SIM is best for a particular area. OneSimCard IoT also doesn’t “steer” traffic to a particular network. When the no steering SIM card is inserted and activated, the customer’s device is allowed to determine the best network to use at that time and location. Because this single SIM card solution includes AT&T, Verizon, & T-Mobile, the coverage options are tremendously expanded. 

This OneSimCard IoT SIM card connectivity solution also offers data and SMS service in over 160 countries worldwide with many countries offering redundant networks. This global SIM operates on a single APN and on OneSimCard IoT’s powerful OSCAR SIM Management platform, making multi-country deployments simple.

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OneSimCard OSCAR Prepaid Account Overview Video Now Available

OneSimCard IoT Connectivity pricing plans fall into 2 general categories: Pay-as-you-go (Prepaid) & Pooled with offer rates as low as $0.01/MB in both categories.

Prepaid accounts are perfect for those who are uncertain of their data consumption needs, or where individual IoT devices consume a vastly different amount of data per month.

With prepaid accounts, each SIM is funded from an existing balance on the account. The SIM billing can be set-up in 2 ways: Pay-As-You-Go per MB or with a discount plan starting at 5MB per SIM. Each SIM can have a different plan giving you a tremendous amount of flexibility in your deployment.

In this video:

Dashboard 00:00​
SIM Cards Settings 1:33
SIM Card Alarms 5:10​
SIM Card Activation Templates 5:39​
Billing 6:07​
Reports 7:14 ​
VPN 7:40
Admins 8:10​
Profile 8:32
Rates 8:41
Help / Support 8:52

Learn more about Global IoT SIM Card connectivity solutions including Pooled and Pay-As-You-Go account, APN, VPN, Static IP’s and IMEI Lock at iot.onesimcard.com

Learn more about OneSimCard OSCAR IoT SIM Platform here.

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OneSimCard OSCAR Pooled Account Overview Video Now Available

OneSimCard IoT Connectivity pricing plans fall into 2 general categories: Pay-as-you-go (Prepaid) & Pooled with offer rates as low as $0.01/MB in both categories.

IoT connectivity clients choose Pooled accounts when they have a general idea about their data usage and their IoT devices require a similar amount of cellular data traffic. Data in this category of plans pools across all active devices on the account.

Each active SIM contributes an equal amount of data into the pool. Plan sizes can range from 50KB to 50TB per SIM– simply tell us what you need, and we will design a custom plan for your particular project.

In this video:

Dashboard 00:00
SIM Cards Settings 1:03
SIM Card Alarms 3:23
SIM Card Activation Templates 3:38
Billing 4:04
Reports 4:38
VPN 5:05
Admins 5:35
Profile 6:04
Rates 6:10
Help / Support 6:37

Learn more about Global IoT SIM Card connectivity solutions including Pooled and Pay-As-You-Go account, APN, VPN, Static IP’s and IMEI Lock at iot.onesimcard.com

Learn more about OneSimCard OSCAR IoT SIM Platform here.

 

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Data Pooling Now Available – Customized to Your Unique Needs.

You asked, we listened! We are very excited to announce data pooling plans are now available for M2M/IoT accounts. These plans will allow you to share your data across all of your SIMs so the SIMs that consume more data can be offset with those which don’t use as much – this cuts down on potentially paying for data that you aren’t using.

If you are interested in learning more, please reach out to your account representative, or sales@onesimcard.com.

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What is an IoT SIM card?

It may sound very futuristic, but we are being monitored by a wide range of technologies controlled by the IoT SIM card. Yes, this may sound strange or scary to you because IoT refers to a future where every device, from ice-cream makers to car computers are connected via the internet. We are quickly approaching a time when IoT incorporates your whole home, office, manufacturing plants, farms & virtually every aspect of life.

What is IoT?

Today, the world revolves around a network of connected things. IoT is entrenching itself more and more into our life, and we are continually being monitored a number of technologies that are run by IoT SIM cards. By allowing the devices to connect and communicate, we can automate processes that would previously require human intervention. We recently wrote about AGTECH and how the farming industry is changing and relying on IoT devices to reduce cost and labor.

 What is an IoT SIM card?

SIM is and acronym for Subscriber Identity Module. An IoT SIM card is designed to store the user’s information and provides the information necessary to access & connect devices to cellular networks. The rapid development, deployment and requirements of IoT devices, are bolstering the improvement of the IoT SIM Cards. IoT devices must work with machines with little or no human interaction. Unlike SIM cards which you may find in your smartphone, IoT device deployments often incorporate thousands or even millions of devices, and they need stable, flexible, & secure networks to which they can reliably connect, especially in harsh environments. IoT SIM Cards are designed with these requirements, which are not only beneficial, but necessary for commercial use.

IoT SIM cards, also known as M2M SIM cards, give the connectivity and robustness required to automate processes. In any business organization, when we need to connect two devices to communicate, they must use a data connection to start communication. In some cases, it wouldn’t be wise to use a standard cellular mobile SIM, to form a relationship in two devices, as the consumer-grade SIM cards aren’t designed with this use case in mind. It’s a risk to use Regular SIM card connections in an IoT application. IoT SIM cards provide critical functionalities including security measures. We have compiled up a list of Functionalities that IoT SIM cards give you. IoT SIM cards are beneficial for businesses.

Global IoT SIM Cards vs. Native IoT SIM Cards

 Global IoT SIM Card

Global IoT SIM cards, also called Roaming SIM cards, include eUICC capabilities. With a Global IoT SIM card, you can access a cell network, and in many cases multiple networks, built for M2M data that works worldwide with a simple activation, a single APN, transparent pricing, and developer-friendly tools. Global IoT SIM cards are also “no steering” cards. No steering cards do not put a preference to any particular network in a given country; they allow the device to decide with which network to connect.

Native IoT SIM cards

Native SIM IoT SIM cards are those provided directly from the Mobile Network Operator (MNO) in a given country. While they can potentially roam in other countries (depending on their roaming agreements), the MNO will likely limit the amount of time the card can roam, or restrict the percentage of cards on your account that can operate out of the home network. Native IoT SIM cards also steer your traffic to their network because the MNO only wants the SIM to operate on their network. If these SIMs roam, there is a financial impact to the MNO. In most cases the native SIM provider will not “charge” you for roaming, and that is why the MNO limits the amount of roaming allowed. Steering your traffic can cause serious problems because the MNO of the native IoT SIM will force your device to use their network, even in very poor coverage areas, and they only allow roaming when the coverage goes down to zero. This causes delays in connecting, speed degradation, and potential loss or corruption of data.

IoT for Businesses

Maximize Productivity

IoT allows the businesses to automate processes and build-in more efficiencies. For example, Fintech IoT utilize computing devices which are many times faster and are more accurate in providing the correct results rather than humans. There are very few human errors found when using IoT in your business. In case the IoT device goes wrong at some point, the machine can quickly inform the engineer. This way, you can easily identify where the problem occurred.  IoT is a time saver.

Expanding Uptime

Businesses can also increase their uptime. Working in remote areas with multi-network IoT SIM cards can maximize uptime. Using Global IoT SIM no steering cards with multi-network capabilities devices or machines can limit the chance of losing connectivity. The no steering roaming capacities of a Global IoT SIM card enables multi-network connectivity and, therefore provides redundancy. If the primary network isn’t available, the device will automatically connect to another available network. Global IoT SIM Cards minimize the risk of losing the signal. That is why Global IoT SIM Cards are found to be useful for businesses using remote devices and tracking.

Interested in learning more? Please reach out to our experts anytime to discuss your IoT project. Contact our team at sales@OneSimCard.com to have a no-obligation conversation about your requirements, and we can mutually determine if there is an opportunity to partner.

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The Growth, Benefits, and Future of IoT in AGTECH (Agriculture Tech)

Agriculture Technology

Agricultural Technology has become the most revolutionary and impactful area of modern technology, because of the fundamental need to produce enough nutritional food to nourish a growing global population. With advancements in technology and IoT, modern farms and agricultural operations work incredibility different from past practices. Sensor devices, automated machines, and information technology have taken over the agriculture sector.  

The global population will reach over 10 billion by 2050. To fulfill the need of 10 billion people, we need to work hard and smart. We need to double the amount of food we now produce. The latest Agriculture Technology covers almost every aspect from powered machinery (formerly performed by people and animals), to enhanced seed production and planting techniques to agrochemicals, which supports crop growth and protects the plants from destructive weeds and insects.

Today’s agriculture regularly uses different technologies, like robots, moisture sensors, aerial images, and GPS technology. With the evolution of Technology and robotic devices, the agriculture industry is becoming more user friendly. Agriculture technology and its robotic systems allow many businesses to increase profits, become efficient, safer, and more environmentally friendly. This advancement in Technology, which connects agriculture with Technology, increases productivity, and reduces human workload.

Climate change is a big challenge. With the development of Technology and to save our natural resources, Agriculture Tech adoption is essential. AGTECH allows farmers to better utilize resources like water and nutrients effectively. Another primary purpose is the enrichment of soil through precision agronomic systems and enhanced seeds, which will produce crops that will be beneficial for human health as well as for the animal husbandry. This will increase the output of meat and produce higher quality products full of proteins like milk and eggs. In short, Agriculture Tech is the new game-changer for the production of more food with less natural resources.  

Use of Technology in Agriculture

There are many usages of Technology in Agriculture. Below we have mentioned some uses of Technology in agriculture.

  • Farm machines

Farm machines lower the cost of labor, harvest in time, plant early, and makes certain that the yield is stored within the right time frame. The use of Technology in agriculture makes sure that the food is grown, harvested and stored within the shortest time possible.  

  • GPS tracking for machines

GPS technology also plays an essential role in the development of autopilot sprayers, & tractors that do not require any driver. Trackers are enabled with the help of IoT Sim Cards. GPS trackers and tracking systems eliminate human errors and save fuel and equipment. Security of the tracking devices can be accomplished with Private IP addresses, coupled with VPN and even private APNs.

  • Crop sensors

What quantities to give to the plant, what fertilizers work best for different plants, when to apply. These are significant challenges faced in agriculture. Crops sensors make it easier for the farmers to adequately supply the fertilizers and pesticides the crops need in the correct quantity. Such technologies give you an overview and sense of how your plants are feeling.  

  • Use of GPS in field documentation

With the help of GPS, it is becoming easier to determine and document the yields from a given farm and record the application rates. The use of GPS is done with the help of an IoT sim card. 

  • Biotechnology

Genetic engineering and the process of improving the health of the of the given crop at the genetic level continues to evolve. Biotechnology, referred to as genetic engineering, is carried out to increase the resistance to drought, pests and disease of crops worldwide. In short, with biotechnology, farmers can get the idea of whether or not they can plant on areas that were considered dry or deserts. They can also use less pesticides which saves money and is better for the environment. To achieve the goals, farmers must understand the concept of modern farming and the use of Agriculture technology. 

Agriculture Technology and Growth

In this tech era, where the Internet is becoming more and more ubiquitous, the Internet of Things (IoT) has disrupted many industries and the Agriculture Industry in the same regard. 

IoT technology has brought significant change with smart wearable’s, connected devices, automated machines, driverless cars, and much more. Some recent statistics revealed that the global population would reach over 10 billion by 2050. The agriculture industry needs to ramp up production to feed this massive population. In this case, the best way to fulfill this gap between the food and people is the adoption of IoT internet of things. To deal with climate changes, IoT is eradicating and helping us achieve the demand for more food. Amongst the toughest challenges – weather conditions and environmental impact, IoT must be adopted.

 IoT is enabling agriculture to increase agricultural production at a low cost. In the next few years, smart solutions powdered by IoT will improve the agriculture operations. Some recent reports have stated that the IoT device installation will realize a compound annual growth rate of 20% in the agriculture industry. And the number of connected devices (agricultural) will grow from 13 million in 2014 to 225 million by 2024. However, in the less developed regions, the IoT implementations will be a challenging task. Still, OneSimCard M2M for IoT is making it possible to introduce connectivity and using their global cellular networks.

 

Benefits of Agricultural Technology

Agricultural technology remains a great player in generating revenue and the source of food for people across the globe. In recent years, this sector has faced many changes, adopted many technologies in agriculture, and used different farming approaches.

Below are some of the benefits of Agriculture technologies. This is a glimpse of the importance of modern technology adoption in agriculture.  

  • Modern Technology and Tech machines can reduce the efforts of farmers
  • Less production time
  • Higher productivity of crops
  • Technology is used to supply water to the crops
  • Connected machines can easily sow the seeds without workforce
  • Chemical pest control
  • Less use of water can improve the fertility of the soil
  • Lower prices, along with significant efficiencies
  • Reduce the impact on the environment
  • Ecological impact
  • Safer foods with safer growing conditions 

Future of IoT in AGTECH

Robotic technologies and remote devices enable more reliable monitoring and management of resources. These technologies rely on using data connectivity. Remote devices consist of embedded SIM cards (eSIM) or traditional plastic SIM cards for IoT/M2M communication. Aside from robotic and remote technologies, management of natural resources plays a big part in saving natural resources such as air and better water quality. There are many growth issues in agriculture technology that are interconnected with security measures. These remote technologies give the farmers better control over plant and animal production, processing, distribution, and storage. 

AGtech Services and OneSimCard M2M and its roaming services are expanding to the Global level to meet people’s demands and deliver sensitive information about device activities or data sharing activities over networks. OneSimCard IoT has a wide portfolio of solutions to ensure reliable, and secure connectivity across the worldwide.  

Agricultural technologies continue to morph, expand and adopt new technology eUICC (Embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card) Is the next game-changer. Along with eUICC, ICCID (Integrated Circuit Card Identifier) is used in the development of Agriculture technology. With the help of IoT technologies, farmers can now quickly determine what is best for their crops, assess the condition of their plants, better understand impending weather interactions and impacts, and produce a right product at a fast pace. To say that IoT is making strides for the farmers to reach the highest of success is an understatement. One day if might be possible, with a single press of a button, to automate the entire farming process.

Share this article with your friends and family, let them know about the next revolution in the AGTECH.

For a quick start with OneSimCard IoT , check out the IoT SIM Starter Kit.

To a receive a free no-obligation quote for your application click here, or contact us directly via email sales@onesimcard.com or phone +1 617-313-8888.