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.

eSIM deployments
for Consumer Devices

Instantly deploy thousands of eSIM profiles via your MDM

The shift to eSIM

A Consumer eSIM is a SIM that is embedded directly into a consumer device by an OEM. The technology enables the device user to access cellular connectivity without requiring a physical SIM card. Over the coming years, we expect to see a continued transition to Consumer eSIM-only devices.

Conventional eSIM solutions prevent you from scaling fast

Inefficient deployments

Other providers often deliver Consumer eSIMs via QR codes, requiring you to unpack and scan each device individually, a slow and tedious process. This simply doesn’t scale when you need to deploy hundreds or thousands of devices.

Lack of control

Without proper management tools, you're unable to control application access, monitor usage, or enforce security measures. This puts both your connectivity and budget at risk.

Unreliable connectivity

If you're using eSIMs with access to just one or single operators, you're setting yourself up for reliability issues. Without a global, multi-network operator, you risk downtime that can impact productivity and customer experience.

Growing your device fleet shouldn't mean growing your to-do list

Deploying large fleets of consumer devices shouldn’t mean scanning codes, sending activation links, or manually configuring profiles one by one. That might work for five devices. But not five thousand.

emnify integrates
with your MDM

Simply enrol your consumer devices in your MDM platform and share their ID numbers via the emnify portal device or API. eSIM profiles will then be generated. After that, all you need to do is push the profiles from your MDM to your devices, with no action required from your device users.

emnify has established integrations with Microsoft Intune, Omnissa, and Jamf to date. Other MDM integrations can be explored.

How it works

emnify-consumer-esim4

The easy and secure provisioning of eSIMs via mobile device management has simplified device deployment at scale.

Jonas Becker
EFB Administrator, Discover Airlines

Discover Airlines Case Study

Ways to deploy emnify's
Consumer eSIM profile

Depending on your deployment size and hardware spec, opt for one of the following deployment methods.

Via MDM integration

emnify has integrated with Microsoft Intune, Omnissa, and Jamf, allowing you to deploy any number of eSIMs directly from your MDM, without needing physical access to the devices you wish to connect.

This method is ideal for scaling large deployments efficiently.

Via QR code

emnify can also provide QR codes for eSIM profile activation.

This method is best when you wish to connect a smaller number of connected devices that have cameras.

Via activation code

For a straightforward setup, emnify can generate activation codes for you to manually input and activate your eSIMs.

This method is also ideal for a small number of devices without the need for scanning QR codes.

Via Apple Universal Link

For Apple devices emnify can provide Apple Universal Links. A simple, one-click solution for fast provisioning.

Again, this is a suitable method for smaller deployments and only works for Apple devices.

Why choose emnify for your consumer devices

Because even your consumer device fleet need business grade connectivity management.

Control consumption.
Eliminate surprises.

Decide which services and in what quantity are available to your SIMs
Determine which application servers are accessible by devices with DNS filtering
Create custom alerts and get notified when triggered
Leverage your tailored plan with in-portal coverage adjustments possible at any time
Only pay for active SIMs

Stay ahead.
Resolve faster.

Identify and address connectivity issues or anomalies with real-time insights
Monitor activity in-portal or in your own systems via Rest-API, GraphQL APIs or your own tool like DataDog
Block underperforming networks to any number of devices
Solve issues faster with 24/7x365 support and a dedicated support agent

Superior options.
More uptime.

Access 540+ networks in 190+ countries with extensive LTE, LTE-M and 5G coverage
Rely on steadfast, long-lasting network access where network removals are extremely rare
Mitigate the risks of physical network outages by using emnify’s AWS cloud infrastructure, offering 99.99% uptime
Avoid data compliance headaches and reduce latency by keeping your data local with AWS regional cloud breakouts

Frequently Asked Questions

A Consumer eSIM is a physical SIM module embedded by the OEM into consumer devices, enabling it to access cellular connectivity.

For emnify, this is simply another form factor to deploy our multi-network connectivity.

A Consumer eSIM is a physical SIM module embedded by the OEM into consumer devices, enabling it to access cellular connectivity. This means emnify now provides you with a SIM profile but no physical SIM card is required.

For emnify, this is simply another form factor to deploy our multi-network connectivity.

emnify has pre-built integrations with Microsoft Intune, Omnissa and Jamf.

Want to know if we can integrate with your MDM? Yes, let's find out together. Get in touch with the form below.

Yes, most eSIM-compatible devices support multiple eSIM profiles. However, typically only one profile can be active at a time, depending on the device’s capabilities.

Yes. We are a fully compliant connectivity provider in Brazil with access to all leading networks.

Let's get you connected!

Let's talk today about how you can simplify eSIM deployments to your consumer devices today.

Other useful resources

emnify wins eSIM provider of the year 2025

Read about how emnify's eSIM solution for consumer devices is revolutionising the industry.

A New Era for Airline Connectivity

See how emnify’s Consumer eSIM solution simplified device deployments for Lufthansa’s Discover Airlines.

Beyond QR Codes: Automating eSIM Provisioning with MDM

Read the words of our CTO on automating large fleet deployments with MDM integrations.

Discover why businesses around the globe trust emnify

Discover why businesses around the globe trust emnify

eSIM deployments
for Consumer Devices

The shift to eSIM