Frequently Asked Questions
The emnify IoT eSIM represents the next generation of SIMs, designed to elevate your connectivity. This eUICC solution enables flexible over-the-air updates, accelerating network selection, enhancing business continuity, and ensuring compatibility with evolving cellular technologies and regulations. This means:
- Enhanced business continuity: emnify manages over-the-air network optimisation behind the scenes without the need for multiple SIM versions.
- Accelerated network selection: eSIMs are equipped with an intelligent automated operator selection capability with faster network carrier switches when you are deploying devices across borders, greatly improving battery usage.
- emnify improves its network by signing new agreements on a monthly basis. OTA of the eSIM assure that customers can always benefit from the latest coverage and prices.
- Available form factors: We have IoT eSIMs for every device regardless of size, including classic embedded SIM (MFF2), 2FF (mini), 3FF (micro) and 4FF (nano).
- Comply with market change and innovation throughout the entire device Lifespan (LPWAN, 5G, Satellite IoT).
Both standard M2M IoT eSIMs and emnify IoT eSIMs give your devices access to multiple networks per country, a single data plan for global use, and flexible, usage-based contract terms. In addition, both types of SIMs come with a web-based platform for remote SIM and connectivity management. They come in multiple form factors like the industrial-grade or MFF2.
However, an emnify IoT eSIM offers premium value from unique capabilities like:
- Connection to the emnify IoT SuperNetwork: The emnify SuperNetwork supports global coverage for IoT applications in 180+ countries and across 540 networks with a single SIM card. Only emnify has access to the SuperNetwork.
- Over-The-Air (OTA) Updates: The emnify IoT eSIM gives companies the ability to update their SIM profiles over-the-air, preventing costly SIM swaps.
- Streamline Access to New Markets: Unlike classic M2M SIM cards, the emnify IoT eSIM enables you to comply with local laws without changing your setup.
Activating an IoT eSIM card is straightforward and usually only involves a few simple steps. Often there is more than one way to activate a SIM – for example, either through a connectivity management portal, API or sometimes even a no-code solution.
emnify IoT eSIM cards can be registered and activated individually or in bulk – significantly speeding things up when connecting a large fleet of devices.
You also have an option to enable factory test mode where your devices are pre-activated and allocated with a fixed amount of free data traffic. During factory test mode, there is no SIM hosting fees and data charges, allowing you to test device connections during QA processes and ship preactivated devices to customers without incurring connectivity costs.
Once your devices use up the free data after being deployed, the emnify IoT eSIM cards automatically switch to “active”, and only then your monthly billing starts. There is no need to activate your eSIM cards when using factory test mode.
A connectivity management portal will typically provide access to real-time monitoring of all connected devices, tracking things like connection status, data usage and cost.
The emnify Portal also provides tools like connectivity reset and network blocklist that let you quickly troubleshoot connection issues and reduce Tier-II support tickets.
If you prefer monitoring device connectivity and data consumption directly from your existing operational dashboards and application, the emnify Data Streamer lets you do so. Learn more about Data Streamer or view our Integration guides for detailed instructions.
