Historically, starting an Internet of Things (IoT) project involved the following steps: obtaining an IoT device, choosing a provider and data plan, receiving a SIM card from the provider or carrier, and putting it into your device to connect with the provider.
To switch providers, though, you must physically take the SIM card out of each device and do it again with the new provider. This is an involved process that frequently leads to vendor lock-in, impeding project uptake and scaling for many IoT projects, particularly those in remote or isolated locations.
We are proud to introduce Onomondo SoftSIM, the world’s first 100% virtual IoT SIM that removes hardware to make devices more efficient and operator agnostic.
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The SIM evolution
So-called “eSIMs” have risen in popularity in recent years as a solution to this friction. Thanks to eUICC (Embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card) standards, users can now load new carrier profiles digitally, over the air, removing the need to physically switch SIM cards. Although this solution offers more flexibility than traditional SIMs, hardware must still be installed in each device and commercial agreements can still be equally binding when using bootstrapped network profiles.
The Onomondo SoftSIM introduces a new, frictionless path. The SIM is downloaded from the cloud onto chipsets already found in devices, reducing IoT deployment time to near zero. Customers benefit from no hidden lock-ins or unnecessary costs thanks to Onomondo’s operator-agnostic approach, which allows them to choose their network and the exact type of service they require based on their product.
Making the SIM downloadable also means that customers will only have to pay to track their devices when they need to, rather than paying upfront for a SIM card and associated installation costs. For users, this means that the bill of materials for companies implementing IoT will be reduced by 50-90%, depending on the size of the fleet.
Full network software
Onomondo has redesigned existing IoT connectivity architecture by integrating more than 700 operators at the RAN level across more than 180 countries, as well as layering its own API-based IoT platform on top. Assets can move seamlessly across national borders with the new Onomondo SoftSIM as soon as the SIM is downloaded, eliminating the inherent complexity of roaming. Customers of Onomondo can also gain granular, real-time insight into the performance of each connected device, allowing them to connect to their global grid and troubleshoot IoT devices from any location. Data is transferred directly across the Onomondo virtual network to one of the company’s cloud partners (Microsoft Azure, AWS, IBM Watson, and more), allowing enterprises to easily understand what is happening between devices and the network, through the core network, and on to the IoT cloud through a single interface.
We see the development of a downloadable SoftSIM as comparable to the impact that the cloud had on the internet
Michael Karlsen, Co-Founder and CEO, Onomondo
Michael Karlsen, Co-Founder & CEO, and Henrik Aagaard, Co-Founder & CTO at Onomondo: “The move to a plug and play SIM card is the catalyst that IoT has needed to be deployed at scale and to start to reach its full potential. In terms of significance, we see the development of a downloadable SoftSIM as comparable to the impact that the cloud had on the internet. By eliminating the requirement for a complex physical connection, it removes an important friction point, as well as opening the door to a broad spectrum of people to bring true innovation and creativity to IoT as customer needs develop. The Onomondo SoftSIM will also make an important contribution to improving IoT sustainability, eradicating the need for billions of chips a year to be manufactured, transported and installed.”
According to a Trusted Connectivity Alliance report, SIM card production resulted in 560,000 tons of CO₂ emissions and 18,000 tons of plastic in 2021. SIM production is expected to increase rapidly as the number of connected IoT devices increases to 27 billion by 2025. Onomondo SoftSIM has the potential to reduce CO₂ emissions, while virtually eliminating the plastic and polymer waste generated by SIM card manufacturing. These types of innovations are critical for the ICT industry to meet its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 45% between 2020 and 2030.
Onomondo is growing
Onomondo announced a new $21 million growth investment earlier this year, led by Verdane, a leading growth equity investment firm specializing in scaling digital consumer, software, and sustainable society businesses. Onomondo will use the new funds to accelerate growth and develop new products aimed at increasing IoT use cases and efficiency around the world. The company also plans to increase its team size from 70 to 100 over the next year, which will help it expand its customer base, which currently includes Bosch, Carlsberg, and Maersk.
ABOUT ONOMONDO
Onomondo is a tech scale-up operating a global network for the Internet of Things. Headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, Onomondo services customers in more than 140 countries, is available in more than 180 countries and has full integration to over 700 local operators. Originating in its end-to-end virtualized core, Onomondo has built the world’s most powerful IoT stack empowering customers with real-time monitoring and debugging, cloud connectors, APIs, webhooks, an easy-to-use management platform, and much more.
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ABOUT SOFTSIM
Onomondo SoftSIM is downloaded from the cloud and reuses the already existing microcontroller on IoT devices, which can be either on the modem/radio-module or on the microcontroller running the embedded operating system, allowing the SIM to be stored and executed as pure software. This means that they can continue to do the work they do within trusted environments, e.g. ARM’s TrustZone, TPMs (Trusted Platform Module).
For additional information about Onomondo SoftSIM, please visit: SoftSIM
