Choosing a mobile connectivity provider for enterprise and IoT applications isn’t as simple as it sounds. Often, businesses contract with a single provider in a particular country and that’s that. But, for data-based applications – such as IoT and M2M, is that always the right decision?
While choosing the cheapest provider makes rational sense, it may not fit the bill – because the question of coverage comes into play. If the devices you deploy are widely distributed in the country, you’ll need to be able to connect them to more than one network, as coverage won’t be even. Swapping SIMs is time-consuming and costly. In this case it’s better to have a single SIM that can guarantee connectivity to any of the networks.
Supporting multi-country deployments
If you are deploying devices in multiple countries, then you could try to find the cheapest provider in each. You can then negotiate the best package (if they will pay attention to you), and then coordinate the logistics of configuring each device with the SIM or eSIM of the chosen providers.
However, that’s not efficient – and leaves you exposed to the problem of finding the best network in every site in each country. The optimum solution is to take advantage of a single provider that can connect you to any of the networks available in the desired countries (and others you have yet to reach) – giving you a single bill for all, while simplifying connectivity through a single SIM or eSIM.
Meeting the needs of business travellers
If you are travelling within your own country, or across a group of countries for which a home-zone has been defined, then you may already have competitive rates for mobile data connectivity. For example, with no roaming charges within the EU, your local provider may be just the ticket.
On the other hand, if you travel to more distant regions, where your provider does not have specific agreements, you probably don’t know what you’ll be paying and, in any event, have no control over these costs. Even with unlimited packages, your provider may throttle data rates. This is where a global provider comes in – they can connect you to any network and deliver packages that remove the element of surprise and help you control costs, while delivering the connectivity your team really needs.
Specialised connectivity
Many organisations need something that goes beyond basic data connectivity. For example, the ability to route traffic back to their own servers, through their own security infrastructure. Similarly, they may not wish their traffic to be routed via public networks, so that they can ensure that it is isolated and fully protected.
Traffic routing and dedicated APNs (Access Point Name) are the answer, but not all national providers will make these available. So, if you are delivering solutions to multiple countries, you need a provider that can also support these more specialised requirements.
Will my provider pay attention to me?
That’s a big question. They might – but can you depend on it? If you are a global multi-national, perhaps they will. Even then, they may wish to deliver a vanilla service. More likely, though, is that they won’t – unless you are buying thousands of SIMs.
If you’re struggling to get attention, then you need a provider that will listen, seek to understand what you are looking for, and deliver a solution to match. That’s where independent providers come in, because they have more options and can provide services that meet your needs, while maintaining effective communication with your stakeholders.
Mobile connectivity from Telecom26
If you need connectivity that offers flexibility and the ability to select specialised routing and APN options, then you need a partner that will provide both the reach and packages you need.
Telecom26 has built an unrivalled global network, with multiple partner networks available in the countries we cover. This means that we can ensure you get connected and we can configure options for you, to ensure your data is protected and routed where you need it.
So, whether you need data connectivity for business travellers, global IoT options, or something else, we can help you get connected, simplifying your billing and logistics issues, so you can take advantage of our network. And, with eSIM options, you can also run our packages alongside others, so you have complete freedom.
We support individual business users and an ever-growing range of IoT applications and use cases – and we also help other service providers to enable their own eSIM offers. So, if you want to extend your connectivity options, or switch to a truly global provider to support your applications, you should explore our capabilities and network.
