SIMs for alarms and signalling.
eir is moving customers off the copper phone network exchange area by exchange area, and 3G is being switched off, so alarm panels, auto-diallers and lift lines that signal over either need another path. An alarm SIM in the panel's communicator gets it onto 4G with no line to install.
What the kit needs
Off the copper before it goes
When the old phone line is withdrawn, a panel that signals over it simply stops. A SIM in an IP or dual-path communicator takes over without a new line to the building.
The strongest network in the building
Panels live in cupboards and plant rooms. A multi-network SIM uses whichever of Vodafone, Three and eir reaches that spot best.
Signalling, not streaming
Alarm signalling sends very little, so the smallest plan covers it. Check the grading your insurer needs with your PSA-licensed installer and monitoring centre before you choose a path.
How it connects
50 MB, Ireland multi-network, one SIM per panel or communicator.
Pair it with a Private APN so the panel is never reachable from the internet.
Questions people ask
What SIM card does an alarm panel need?
A data-only IoT SIM (also called an M2M SIM) in the panel's IP or dual-path communicator. Every ThingSIM is a trio card with mini, micro and nano sizes in one, or an eSIM, so it fits whichever communicator you use.
Will my alarm still signal when eir moves my exchange off copper?
Not over the old line: when the copper phone line is withdrawn, a panel that signals over it stops. eir is migrating customers exchange area by exchange area under ComReg's rules, so fitting an IP or dual-path communicator with a data SIM before your area moves puts the panel onto a mobile network, with no new line to install.
My alarm communicator uses 3G. Do I need to replace it?
Vodafone switched off its 3G network in 2024 and eir began switching off its 3G in October 2026, so a communicator that relies on 3G data should be replaced with a 4G one. A ThingSIM then goes in the new communicator.
Can a data SIM dial out like a phone line?
No. ThingSIM SIMs carry data, so the panel needs a communicator that signals over IP. An older dialler that places calls over the phone line needs replacing with one.
How much data does alarm signalling use?
Very little. Signalling and regular check-ins are small messages, so 50 MB (€0.99 a month) covers a panel.
Which network will the SIM use inside the building?
Whichever is strongest at the panel. Ireland multi-network SIMs roam across Vodafone, Three and eir, which matters for panels in cupboards and plant rooms where one network may not reach.
Does the SIM meet my insurer's grading?
Grading depends on the whole signalling path and your monitoring centre, not the SIM alone. In Ireland, alarm installers and monitoring centres must hold a PSA licence; check the grade your insurer needs with them before you choose a path.
Is this an M2M security SIM?
Yes. Every ThingSIM is a data-only IoT or M2M SIM, which is what alarm communicators and security devices use. Ireland multi-network SIMs roam across Vodafone, Three and eir.
