- Onomondo’s SoftSIM is the world’s first 100% software-based and vendor-agnostic IoT SIM.
- Fully downloadable from the cloud, SoftSIM for Fibocom reduces cost of rolling out IoT by 50-90% and deployment time is virtually zero.
- The collaboration with Fibocom comes months after Onomondo launched the SoftSIM concept at the Made for IoT Summit.
COPENHAGEN, Denmark; 24/02/23 – Connectivity is one of the core components of the Internet of Things (IoT) – it puts the “I” in IoT. Yet, it has mostly been an afterthought in the industry, with legacy infrastructure that wasn’t designed with IoT in mind being retrofitted to new use cases. The result is that end-users have been burdened with the task of finding their own data plans and relying on physical SIM cards, which leads to strict and expensive vendor lock-ins.
Efforts to tackle this barrier have gathered pace over recent years, particularly as IoT device manufacturers have started implementing eSIM (eUICC) standards to increase flexibility in their deployment. While this solution is more flexible than the “traditional” approach to connectivity, the embedded commercial agreements lack the flexibility modern IoT use cases and users looking for global deployments require.
It is against this backdrop that Onomondo has begun collaborating with Fibocom, a leading global provider of IoT wireless solutions and wireless communication modules, to help bring its latest innovation – SoftSIM – to the global stage.
Announced last year at the Made for IoT Summit, SoftSIM is the world’s first 100% software and agnostic IoT SIM. Unlike eSIMs, or eUICC, there is no hardware or chips required. By reusing modules that already exist on IoT devices, Onomondo’s IoT SIM can be stored and executed as pure software. For users, this means 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. It also reduces overhead costs by 90% by eliminating the need for manufacturing and shipping SIM cards.
The collaboration with Fibocom will allow customers to utilise a plug-and-play SoftSIM for Fibocom solution pre-enabled from the manufacturing line. Currently, Onomondo and Fibocom are developing on the LTE Cat M module MA510 global IoT platform allowing customers to connect seamlessly to more than 630 networks all over the globe under a single APN. Historically, virtual SIM solutions brought a high level of complexity to the manufacturing line. Onomondo and Fibocom are focusing on making this process as seamless as possible by providing SIM profiles on-demand through the Onomondo API. With Fibocom’s focus on lowering the BoM (Bill of Materials), the aim is to make more affordable devices available for the end user. Moving forward, Fibocom expects to enable Onomondo SoftSIM for Fibocom in a broader product range.
Commenting on the news, Michael Karlsen, co-founder and CEO at Onomondo had this to say: “When we announced SoftSIM last year, we said that it would open the door to a broad spectrum of people to bring true innovation and creativity to IoT as customer needs develop. Our partnership with Fibocom is evidence of this in action and is the latest sign of our industry moving beyond legacy barriers, and towards unlocking the pent-up value of IoT that remains largely untapped. Through this collaboration, we hope to help industry customers seek and seize global IoT opportunities.”
Onomondo was founded on the idea that the connectivity piece of the IoT jigsaw needs to be reimagined. This is why the company has spent a number of years rethinking existing IoT connectivity architecture by integrating more than 630 operators at the Radio Access Network (RAN) level across more than 180 countries. On top of its global IoT network, Onomondo has built a suite of powerful tools to help the user develop, deploy, and operate at scale. As a result, SoftSIM for Fibocom is markedly different from so-called eSIMS or iSIMs available today, as it completely removes the eUICC chip from the equation.
Lars Thyroff, General Manager of Fibocom Wireless EU GmbH added: “Onomondo has already ushered in a step change in the industry by redesigning existing IoT connectivity architecture. However, the combination of its global, network-agnostic marketplace and SoftSIM only serves to augment its capabilities and reduce friction for users even further. We see huge value in the technology and for our customers, particularly for users in industries such as transport, logistics, and mobility, but our collaboration with Onomondo is ultimately a win-win for anyone looking to develop, deploy, and operate IoT projects at scale.”
Our collaboration with Onomondo is ultimately a win-win for anyone looking to develop, deploy, and operate IoT projects at scale.
Lars Thyroff, General Manager of Fibocom
Last year, Onomondo announced a new $21m growth investment led by Verdane, a leading growth equity investment firm that specialises in scaling digital consumer, software, and sustainable society businesses. Onomondo will leverage the new funds to drive growth and meet its planned projection of tripling its ARR in 2022 and 2023. The company also plans to scale its team from 50 to 100 over the next year, helping to expand its customer base, which currently includes the likes of 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 630 local operators. Originating in its end-to-end virtualised 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.
More info: www.onomondo.com
Follow Onomondo on LinkedIn
ABOUT SOFTSIM
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).
More info: SoftSIM product page
ABOUT FIBOCOM
Fibocom is a leading global supplier of wireless communication modules and solutions in the sector of IoT, as well as the first wireless communication module producer listed on the A-share market in China (stock code: 300638). We provide end-to-end IoT wireless communication solutions for telecom operators, IoT equipment manufacturers, and IoT system integrators. With over two decades’ engagement in M2M and IoT communication technology and extensive expertise, we are capable of independently developing high-performance wireless communication modules including 5G/ 4G high speed cellular modules, LTE Cat 1/ 3G/ 2G/ NB-IoT/ LTE Cat M LPWA IoT cellular modules, Android smart modules and automotive communication modules for vehicle applications. Besides reliable, convenient, safe and intelligent IoT communication solutions for almost all vertical industries, we are also geared to customize the best and optimal IoT modules and solutions catering to your special requirements.
More info: www.fibocom.com
Follow Fibocom on LinkedIn
