SIMs for parking and smart places.
Car parks and public spaces are full of kit that needs to report in and none of it is near a network socket. ThingSIM connects each machine, sensor or controller directly.
What the kit needs
Machines that take payment
Parking and ticket machines handle card payments. A Private APN keeps them off the public internet and talking only to your payment host.
Lots of small sensors
Bay sensors, counters and bin sensors send a few bytes at a time; the smallest plan covers them, usually through a gateway.
Spread over a wide area
A town or campus crosses several networks' best spots. A multi-network SIM uses whichever is strongest at each site.
How it connects
50 MB, Ireland multi-network, with a Private APN.
Machines with screens that update adverts or tariffs may need 250 MB.
Questions people ask
What SIM card does a parking machine use?
A data-only IoT SIM (also called an M2M SIM) in the size the machine's modem takes. Every ThingSIM is a trio card with mini, micro and nano sizes in one, or an eSIM, so one SIM fits whichever machine it ends up in.
How much data does a pay-and-display machine use?
Very little. Card payments and status reports are small messages, so 50 MB (€0.99 a month) covers most machines. Machines with screens that download tariffs or adverts are safer on 250 MB (€1.29 a month).
Are card payments safe over a SIM?
Every SIM gets a private IP address that cannot be reached from the internet. Add a Private APN and each machine talks only to your payment host, never the public internet.
What about bay sensors and ANPR cameras?
Bay sensors and counters send a few bytes at a time, usually through a gateway, and the smallest plan covers the gateway. Cameras that send number plate images need more: start them on 1 GB or 5 GB and adjust from the portal.
Will the SIMs work across a whole town or campus?
Yes. Ireland multi-network SIMs roam across Vodafone, Three and eir and use whichever is strongest at each machine, so one order covers sites where different networks are best.
Can I manage every machine's SIM in one place?
Yes. The portal shows each SIM and what it has used, and lets you switch SIMs on, pause them or change their plan. The same actions are available through the API. Up to 25 SIMs can be ordered per order request; larger estates are set up with us.
