Best IoT SIM Cards in the UK

Eseye

IoT Hardware and Connectivity Specialists

LinkedIn

Specialist IoT connectivity providers deliver the most appropriate Subscriber Identity Modules (SIMs) for your business, enabling your Internet of Things (IoT) devices to send data to your application.

The right kind of connectivity is essential to the success of your IoT application and is tied closely to the use case. Because in most situations performing a physical update such as a SIM swap on the IoT device is undesirable or impossible, getting the IoT SIM choice right first time is critical.

In fact, even if your first choice of network provider falls short, or there is a need to switch to a different provider – such as a launch into a new market – a specialist IoT SIM should enable you to change providers across your entire estate without much trouble. Such are the benefits of going with a dedicated IoT SIM solution.

Choosing the right IoT SIM for your needs

Use cases for IoT applications are varied and growing every day. From connected cars and fleet management to tracking of shipping containers, livestock, machinery, and equipment. From smart cities and utilities to smart manufacturing, healthcare and education.

Reliable cellular connectivity is the key to unlocking this potential however, and this creates a challenge in the provisioning and management of the network connectivity profiles stored on the SIM. The IoT device itself could be on a utility meter deep underground, a shipping container roaming internationally, or a fast moving vehicle.

From this starting point, provisioning connectivity from the single biggest Mobile Network Operator (MNO) in the region might not be the best direction to go in.

Cellular networks were really designed with consumer usage in mind. The big brands that target these consumers do so with consumer applications in mind and the goal of being the single provider to that subscriber. Furthermore, the behavior of smartphones and mobile internet modems is very different to that of IoT and M2M devices. This is evident even in how connectivity subscriptions are charged for.

The same model does not work for IoT initiatives however, which may feature thousands, or tens of thousands of devices. IoT devices also spend long periods asleep, tend to send small amounts of data, and some of them spend large amounts of time roaming.

Not only does IoT require a different approach to connectivity pricing, it’s highly unlikely that a single network provider will be able to fulfil your needs. Network coverage, even in a well provisioned area, can still vary depending on niche specifics relevant to a single deployment. So an IoT device may need to connect to one operator in one location, and to a different operator elsewhere.

An IoT specific SIM will enable network redundancy and enable the easy provisioning of connectivity to a different network in the event that the designated connection fails or the device moves to a region where the provider does not operate.

Key criteria for selecting the best IoT SIM

Applications for connected machines, which subsequently became known as M2M and then IoT, were not properly acknowledged until 2016 through 3GPP Release 13 and it’s only in recent years that we have seen enough momentum in the ecosystem and emergence of specialist connectivity providers to start realizing the potential of IoT. 

IoT use cases have come on in leaps and bounds and now caters to high bandwidth low latency initiatives as well as critical applications like healthcare.

Ultimately, an IoT SIM provider influences:

• Where your devices can deploy – both locally and globally
• Roaming capabilities
• The kinds of cellular networks and network technology you can use, such as LTE-M or NB-IoT
• Data connectivity costs
• Data network capacity and throughput, which may dictate the capabilities of your application
• The security of your data in transit
• The SIM form factors available to your devices
• Data sovereignty and legislation

Due to the often long-term deployment requirements of IoT applications, it’s very difficult to change connectivity provider once your devices are in the field if you’re relying on a physical SIM tied to a single network. So, it’s worth addressing this challenge up front.

A solution is to ensure your connectivity provider uses ​​eUICC (embedded universal integrated circuit card) SIMs, otherwise known as eSIMs, which provide the capability to store multiple network profiles that can be provisioned and managed over-the-air (OTA).

This means you are no longer locked-in to a single provider and can move to a new connectivity provider with ease, ensuring your IoT project is delivered with a favourable ROI.

Overview of leading IoT SIM providers in the UK

Most UK IoT SIM providers will enable connectivity to some or all of the UK’s mobile networks – O2, Vodafone, Three, and EE. But for multi-regional or roaming applications, it’s all about which IoT SIM can provide access to the largest number of networks worldwide.

Some of the leading IoT SIM providers in the UK include:

• Eseye, which connects to 800+ networks worldwide 
• Onomondo, which connects to 680+ networks worldwide
• Emnify, which connects to 180+ networks worldwide
• Telnyx, which connects to 180+ networks worldwide
• Wireless Logic, which connects to 750+ networks worldwide

Eseye’s AnyNet+ eSIM is an award-winning multi-IMSI SIM that delivers multi-network access around the globe by partnering with hundreds of networks. The AnyNet+ eSIM dynamically switches to any available network in the local area, minimizing downtime and connection loss.

AnyNet+ also integrates with Eseye’s Infinity IoT Platform for easy management of your entire IoT estate, improved security, and optimization of your application at scale.

Eseye’s AnyNet+ eSIM provides high data reliability and connectivity uptime for IoT applications that demand low-latency, high-availability connectivity, especially critical applications like healthcare or asset tracking.

Furthermore, with growing demand for international connectivity, specialist MVNOs like Eseye are emerging as the best option for global mobile connectivity when delivering an enterprise-centric IoT platform. Eseye’s AnyNet Connectivity offers the widest choice of local network connections and roaming partners and also avoids the risks of permanent roaming – including devices being disconnected with little or no notice.

Why Eseye stands out as the best choice for UK IoT SIM solutions

Beyond reliable network connectivity, the deal breaker when it comes to choosing your next IoT SIM provider is the overall experience and level of customer support. IoT initiatives are fraught with challenges and there is a lot to be said for having access to expert professional services in overcoming these obstacles and ensuring timely project delivery.

Eseye delivers rapid technical troubleshooting and out-of-hours support to guarantee priority resolution, minimal downtime and maximize performance of your IoT devices. Eseye boasts a 98.3% customer satisfaction score and an overall Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 50 and has proven expertise in a range of industries, including smart cities, manufacturing, agriculture, retail and more. 

Eseye

IoT Hardware and Connectivity Specialists

LinkedIn

Eseye brings decades of end-to-end expertise to integrate and optimise IoT connectivity delivering near 100% uptime. From idea to implementation and beyond, we deliver lasting value from IoT. Nobody does IoT better.

In this article

• Choosing the right IoT SIM for your needs
• Key criteria for selecting the best IoT SIM
• Overview of leading IoT SIM providers in the UK
• Why Eseye stands out as the best choice for UK IoT SIM solutions