SIMs for agriculture and environmental monitoring.
Fields, hills and riverbanks have no Wi-Fi and rarely a single strong network. ThingSIM connects farm and environmental sensors out there on whichever Irish network reaches, and bills each SIM per month once it is switched on.
What the kit needs
Rural coverage
In rural Ireland one network can be strong where the others are absent. A multi-network SIM gives each sensor every network the plan roams on to choose from.
Seasonal kit
Collars go on at lambing and come off in autumn. Keep spare SIMs unactivated until they are needed, and cease any you will not reuse next year.
Battery-friendly data
Environmental sensors wake, send a few readings and sleep. The smallest plan is enough for most.
How it connects
50 MB, Ireland multi-network, one SIM per sensor or gateway.
Several sensors reporting through one gateway need only one SIM between them.
Questions people ask
Which SIM works best in rural areas?
A multi-network SIM. In rural Ireland one network can be strong where the others are absent, and an Ireland multi-network ThingSIM lets each sensor use whichever of Vodafone, Three and eir reaches it.
How much data does a farm sensor use?
Environmental sensors wake, send a few readings and sleep, so the 50 MB plan is enough for most, at €0.99 a month.
Can I use a ThingSIM in a calving camera?
Yes, in the camera itself or in a 4G router in the shed. Video uses far more than a sensor, so start a camera on 5 GB (€8.99 a month) and move it down from the portal once you can see what it uses.
What happens to SIMs out of season?
Pause a SIM from the portal when its collar comes off, and bring it back next season. A paused SIM is still billed, so cease any you will not reuse; a SIM not yet switched on starts billing 30 days after despatch.
Do I need a SIM in every sensor?
Not always. Several sensors reporting through one gateway need only one SIM between them.
