What is an IoT SIM card?

IoT – or M2M – SIM cards provide access to cellular networks to connect devices – with a management platform to monitor and operate device connections at scale. If you want two or more ‘Things’ (connected devices) to communicate with each other, then you need a data connection. In most cases, a standard cellular mobile SIM (or consumer SIM) won’t cut it.

How is a consumer SIM different from an IoT M2M SIM?

Consumer SIMs are bound to one local network operator and impose high roaming costs for data connections in foreign countries or outside a common tariff zone. IoT SIMs meanwhile give your devices access to multiple networks per country, a single tariff plan for global use, and flexible, usage-based contract terms. IoT SIMs also have more memory, durability and a longer lifespan than consumer SIMs. IoT SIMs usually come with a web-based platform for remote SIM and connectivity management. They come in multiple form factors like the industrial-grade or MFF2 for durability against extreme environments – heat, corrosion, vibration. Check out our detailed article on the differences between a consumer SIM and an IoT M2M SIM.

How much does an IoT SIM card cost?

The price can start from less than EUR 2 for a commercial-grade EMnify IoT SIM and less than EUR 3 for an industrial-grade EMnify IoT SIM depending on your order volume. A discount automatically applies as more SIM cards are purchased within an order. New users can get three EMnify IoT SIM cards for free when signing up for an evaluation. Try it out for yourself, at no cost, for a 60-day trial. Visit EMnify Pricing Page to learn more.

How do I activate my IoT SIM card?

Activating an IoT SIM 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. IoT SIM cards can be registered and activated individually or in bulk – significantly speeding things up when connecting a large fleet of devices.

What is factory test mode?

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 SIM cards automatically switch to “active”, and only then your monthly billing starts. There is no need to activate your SIM cards when using factory test mode.

How can I monitor the performance of my SIM cards?

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

eSIM is a SIM type that allows you to change an operator profile Over-the-Air (OTA) with remote SIM provisioning capability. The term eSIM could also be interchangeably used to indicate an MFF2 SIM type that gets soldered directly into a cellular device.

How do I swap carriers/Can I choose whichever carriers I want?

The EMnify SIM card uses multi-IMSI approach and automatically selects the best-quality network at your device location. In cases where you want to select a specific operator for your devices, the network blocklist function allows you to proactively switch to your preferred network.

Does EMnify IoT SIM support Narrowband-IoT and LTE-M?

Yes. EMnify IoT SIM supports multiple cellular technologies including LTE-M and NB-IoT. Visit our LTE-M coverage page and NB-IoT coverage page to find out where your devices can connect via these two technologies using the EMnify SIM.

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SGP.32 bootstrap connectivity

Global bootstrap connectivity
for OEMs & IoT device manufacturers

No more regional SIM variants. A single SGP.32 SIM SKU connecting devices from factory to field globally.

Get your bootstrap SIMs

Devices that can't connect aren't products. They're problems.

When a device powers on for the first time, it is your end customer who has to source a SIM, provision it, and troubleshoot coverage before it does anything useful. That burden reflects on you as the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer), and it creates friction at exactly the moment your product needs to make its best first impression.

To work around it, most OEMs end up managing SIM logistics that were never part of the plan. Regional variants, country-specific inventory, manual SIM handling at deployment. Complexity that grows with every new market you enter.

And once a device leaves the factory, there is no backstop if connectivity fails in the field. The further it travels down the value chain, the harder and more expensive that becomes.

This is what SGP.32 bootstrap connectivity makes possible

One global SIM SKU

Ship the same device to every market without deciding on a regional SIM variant at production. One pre-loaded SGP.32 bootstrap profile eliminates country-specific inventory, manual SIM handling, and the logistics complexity that comes with it.

Connection from first power-on

The moment your customer's device powers on, it connects via the emnify bootstrap profile. That connection is what gives them an instant path to download their preferred operator profile and get up and running. No SIM sourcing, no manual provisioning, no delay before the device does anything useful.

A safety net for every device

When operators lose coverage, profiles expire, or customers switch providers, the device must still be reachable to fix anything remotely. The emnify bootstrap profile stays active for the life of the device, giving you a permanent channel to recover, reconfigure, or migrate without touching the hardware.

SGP.32 bootstrap from emnify

Your role defines your challenge.
We built for all of them.

Which one describes your business?

Get in touch to discuss SGP.32 bootstrap connectivity for your devices.

1. Module & Chipset Makers

Your challenge: Your modules ship globally, but SIM logistics and regional operator lock-in slow down customers and add cost to your supply chain.

What emnify gives you: A global bootstrap profile pre-loaded at production so every device connects from first power-on. No SIM swaps, no logistics overhead, no regional variants.

2. Device Manufacturers

Your challenge: You need devices to be testable in the factory, deployable anywhere, and recoverable in the field, without touching hardware after it ships.

What emnify gives you: In-factory test connectivity, remote profile provisioning post-deployment, and a fallback profile that keeps every device reachable no matter what.

3. SIM & eUICC Vendors

Your challenge: A single profile failure can take a device offline permanently and your customers expect you to have an answer before that happens.

What emnify gives you: A fallback profile on the same emnify Advanced eSIM. If the active profile fails, switching happens automatically, with no manual intervention and no downtime.

4. IoT System Integrators

Your challenge: You build end-to-end IoT solutions for enterprise customers. You need reliable first-connect, provisioning, and fallback connectivity as a foundation.

What emnify gives you: Bootstrap connectivity via API. Integration blueprints. A single connectivity management layer across bootstrap and operational profiles. A neutral partner that works with your existing technology stack.

How SGP.32 bootstrap from emnify works

Factory-installed bootstrap profiles

During production, the emnify SGP.32 bootstrap profile is written directly to the eUICC with no manual SIM insertion and no post-production configuration needed.