M2M Data SIMs for Business

Why would a business or organisation use 3G or 4G mobile broadband instead of a fixed line internet connection?

Top Reasons

1. Where you need a back-up in case the fixed line broadband connection fails and your business needs access to the internet in order to operate.
2. Business continuity and disaster recovery.
3. Where you need to deploy security CCTV that can be moved around as necessary or to secure a project site for only the weeks or months of the project duration.
4. To extend a corporate VPN to temporary offices or mobile users.
5. Where installing a fixed line connection is either impossible or prohibitively expensive due to the location.
6. Where a fixed line option does not support the internet bandwidth required for an effective business operation. Just too slow to be useful.
7. Where the requirement is for a temporary office and the fixed line contract term is too long. Construction and engineering site offices and project based offices.
8. Where a fixed line installation has been delayed and you need a stop gap solution.
9. Where you need a rapid deployment solution for internet connectivity.
10. Where you need the solution to be mobile for use in laptops, tablets etc.
11. Where the requirement is for internet service to be vehicle mounted such as mobile shops, mobile libraries and to service events or incidents.
12. Can even be used in boats and holiday properties.

UK Network Options for data SIMs (non-fixed IP) include EE, Vodafone, O2 and multi-network roaming SIMs. 4G SIMs will also support 3G and GPRS data with the best selection of data plans for business.

International options are also available including SIMs for deployment in specific individual countries and also EU roaming SIMs that will work on a selection of networks across the EU looking for the strongest available signal.

Application Notes

Instant Office Example: An Anvil customer in the marine service and repair business need to provide internet connectivity to offices where a fixed line would be next to impossible. The problem was that the office location was at a sea port where the nearest BT junction box was too far away and the cost and delay of installing cables were prohibitive. The company uses a Cisco based VPN to connect its offices back to the headquarters and consequently a fixed IP address was not required on the SIM. Having checked the coverage from the main Mobile Operators Anvil proposed a Draytek 2860Ln router with a 32 gigabyte per month data SIM on the EE network. We configured the router, installed the SIM and shipped them both to the customer who had their internet service up and running within 2 days of placing their order. The customer is seeing around 30mbps download speed and around 20mbps upload which is better than many of their fixed line sites and sufficient to support a team of 10 staff using engineering applications and uploading drawing and images to the central project management application.

Back-up SIM example: This Anvil customer is a typical small business where the reliance on having internet connectivity has increased to the point that it could not function without access both to outbound internet for Cloud based services and applications and also for inbound access for their customers to place orders. Their broadband service had been dropping out occasionally and at one point it was several days before the service was restored. Anvil provided a Teltonika RUT950 4G router with an EE data SIM without the normal minimum data allowance and consequently at a very low monthly cost. So, data is only charged when the SIM is active and providing the back-up service. The Teltonika router attaches to the customer’s fixed line router using an Ethernet cable and monitors (VRRP) the fixed line connection. When broadband fails the Teltonika connects to the internet and when the fixed line comes back on line, the Teltonika drops its connection automatically.