SIMs for alarms and signalling.
The copper phone network is being switched off, and every alarm panel, auto-dialler and lift line that signals over it has to move to something else. A data SIM in the panel’s communicator gets it onto a mobile network 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When the old phone line is withdrawn, a panel that signals over it simply stops.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 4-network SIM uses whichever of O2, Vodafone, Three and EE 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 monitoring centre before you choose a path.
How it connects
50 MB, UK 4-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 multi-size card with mini, micro and nano sizes in one, so it fits whichever communicator you use.
Will my alarm still signal after the phone line switch-off?
Not over the old line: when the copper phone line is withdrawn, a panel that signals over it stops. Fitting an IP or dual-path communicator with a data SIM moves the panel onto a mobile network, with no new line to install.
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 (£0.90 a month) covers a panel.
Which network will the SIM use inside the building?
Whichever is strongest at the panel. UK 4-network SIMs roam across O2, Vodafone, Three and EE, 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. Check the grade your insurer needs with your monitoring centre 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. UK 4-network SIMs roam across O2, Vodafone, Three and EE.
