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About Caburn Telecom

IoT SIM Card Provider

Caburn Telecom are a leading global provider of connectivity for Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices. Our focus being the development of advanced mobile connectivity solutions and associated management systems. Our SIMs, chip-SIMs and eSIMs, provide the flexibility and high service levels vital for distributed IoT devices to operate effectively. We provide multi-network capability together with the streamlined management of SIM populations. Our secure client portals deliver easy to use interfaces for understanding and administering the connectivity of devices. Traffic details and actual (and predicted) costs can be viewed at the group(s) and the individual level. Our innovative and flexible connectivity packages allow IoT service providers to maximise their assets and manage the operational life cycles of devices.

Connectivity Management

Caburn Telecom’s technical implementation focusses on delivering important IoT features such as connectivity management, SIM provisioning and administration, cost control features, regulation of SMS services, VPN (Virtual Private Network), secure data storage, dash-boarding and detailed traffic records. The Caburn Connect brand can also provide important user features such as voice control, allocation, and management of local telephone numbers, and dynamic ‘approved telephone number lists’, which are important security features for lone worker, telehealth, and telecare sectors. We also provide a high level of dedicated support. This is critical as multi-network systems are more complex than single network offerings, requiring interfaces between a variety of operators and systems. If professionally managed, they deliver the obvious benefits for users and services.

Caburn Telecom provides; i) IoT Sim Cards; ii) Connectivity and SIM management platform/portals; iii) the SMS administration and delivery management service; iv) Network status sites; v) client/subscriber user access and interfaces; vi) client API (Application Programming Interfaces) for automated control of connectivity and secure VPN. The management platforms involve; a) the aggregation of multiple sources of network data into a logical, organised and manageable structure for clients; b) the selective presentation of data and management information into easy to understand web interfaces; c) the availability of live and historical tables and histogram charts; d) the provision of secure user types and their administration; e) contact management; and f) the ability to automatically communicate incidents by email or SMS to appropriate stakeholders or by posting on the status site.

More Information on IoT Systems

What is IoT?

IoT is an acronym widely used for describing the Internet of Things. Typically for a vast range of devices viewed as inanimate objects designed to serve a particular function or use. IoT devices, by their nature, tend to be geographically dispersed and installed at scale. Therefore, to perform effectively, they require some level of device intelligence, resilience, secure and legitimate connectivity, and the capability to be remotely managed.

What is IoT Connectivity?

IoT devices can offer a range of valuable public and commercial services for business and users but require secure and resilient connectivity to operate beneficially and profitably. IoT Connectivity can take a range of forms, but due to the benefits of portability, flexibility, and ubiquity, predominantly use wireless systems. This most typically involves use of the mobile GSM infrastructure.

What is an IoT SIM Card?

An IoT SIM Card is a SIM card designed to be installed in a range of IoT Devices. The SIM Card supplies the secure authentication for the IoT device to connect correctly to mobile networks. Ensuring the signalling and traffic is routed securely and reliably via the correct system checkpoints and network-nodes. These SIM identifiers are also used for extra network features such as Virtual Private Networks (VPN) and for setting and blocking certain features. SIM provisioning codes ensure billing is correctly apportioned to each radio and routing network, the originating user devices and the various service providers.

Typical use cases for IoT SIM cards include vehicle telematics, insurance, tracking, road signage, traffic management, environmental monitoring, smart building access, payment terminals, ticket and vending machines, smart meters, electric vehicle charging devices, remote routers, CCTV, incident dashboard cameras. lone worker protection systems, digital advertising, and elderly telecare and fall detection devices.

How do IoT SIM Cards Differ from Ordinary Consumer SIMs?

IoT SIM cards differ from ordinary consumer SIM cards as IoT SIM Cards are explicitly designed for industrial and business IoT applications. IoT SIM Cards being securely and coded at manufacture and then provisioned by the IoT Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) for an assorted range of approved IoT applications. 

IoT SIM cards provide legitimate access and network traffic for IoT devices for which they critically depend, both day to day and for their longevity. This is available due to commercial agreements between mobile network operators (MNOs), IoT Virtual Mobile Network Operators and infrastructure providers who authorise and enable their use and connection within specified IoT use cases. This is important as each typically involves several expected working parameters including, signalling frequency (used for authorisation purposes and not usually charged for), data payload sizes (chargeable) and any voice or SMS traffic (chargeable). If devices produce too much signalling and insufficient revenue for mobile network operators and are not authorised via commercial agreements, then they can be switched off.

IoT SIM cards are also manufactured in a range of form factors and chipsets to suit a variety of IoT devices. This can include a variety of sizes and embedded chips that are designed for more miniature or environmentally challenging environments such as high levels of motion or vibration.

IoT SIMs are critically demarcated from ordinary consumer/tourist roaming SIM cards used in mobile phones via the types of agreements. In the consumer roaming profile, the host MNO expects the SIM to visit their mobile network but leave after an expected and reasonable time-period. While IoT devices also roam into other countries periodically (especially in transport use cases), they are often deployed there permanently, or based upon their usage become static there. Staying permanently on a particular MNOs radio network is problematic if it is not their native SIM card and is not an approved IoT SIM Card. For their continued long-term connection, it is therefore crucial that they are identified as an authorised IoT device and remain protected by legitimate commercial IoT device agreements with those host mobile network operators who are vital for providing the radio and base station switching networks. Most MNOs welcome authorised IoT agreements with credible and trustworthy IoT MVNOs as they provide reciprocal forms of revenue streams without the headache of excessive or unconstrained signalling which can significantly degrade general network performance.

IoT SIM cards also need remote management capability as they cannot be locally managed by their user/owners or retail outlets as is the case with Mobile Phones. IoT SIMs, therefore require configuration changes to be made remotely and securely, their costs to be continuously monitored and controlled independently of the Mobile Network Operator’s systems.

Selecting a High-Quality Connectivity Partner

Selecting the right connectivity and SIM partner is critical, not only in helping choose, configure, and optimise device’s connectivity with the necessary long-term commercial agreements, but also to provide real time advice and support should any of the MNO’s networks or devices suffer issues. Indeed, some compatibility issues may require more involved investigations. This is where a partner with high levels of telecom network expertise and resourced support structures is invaluable. Close relationships with our customers and partners also ensure that providers such as Caburn Telecom constantly monitors and tests networks; often advising MNO problems to our clients in advance of the networks detecting problems themselves. Caburn Telecom’s large client network also helps us to continuously monitor service levels and user experiences. Forming a responsive and far-reaching mobile ecosystem (Sen, et al., 2011) for establishing high levels of quality of service and user experiences. The right connectivity partner can also help future-proof roll outs. This is achieved by advising in good time of network features, upgrades, or sunsets. Safeguarding technologies which match the desired evolution and lifespan of devices is important, as the costs of a retrofit of dispersed devices is viewed as a failure of foresight. A high-quality connectivity partner also ensures communication plans and agreements match use cases. MNO’s dislike their networks being infiltrated by undisclosed M2M / IoT device signalling and closely monitor these situations. Spotting SIM profiles not in-line with their connectivity plans and pre-agreed commercial arrangements, means they may unilaterally apply extra surcharges for those groups of devices, or permanently block those ranges of SIM’s. A high-quality provider, therefore, also invests in optimising and upgrading their networks and works closely with MNOs to create strong, mutually beneficial relationships.

Connected IoT/M2M Solutions Across all Sectors

Please contact us if you would like to discuss your SIM, IoT / M2M requirements or would like to learn more about our industry-leading secure and resilient SIM, IoT / M2M connectivity plans. We can also discuss any individual technical issues you may be encountering within your IoT / M2M deployments or from your existing SIM or connectivity supplier. This is, of course, on a no obligation basis.

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