Business data SIMs explained

What a data SIM is

A data SIM is a SIM card, or an eSIM profile, on a data-only plan. It gives a device a mobile internet connection, but it is not set up for ordinary phone calls in the way a voice line is. That makes it the natural choice for devices that only need data:

• Tablets and laptops with built-in mobile connectivity
• Routers and hotspots, including 5G business routers and backup links
• Card machines and point-of-sale tablets at markets, events and on deliveries
• CCTV, alarms and door entry at sites without a fixed line
• Vehicles and telematics, such as trackers and in-vehicle Wi-Fi
• Digital signage, kiosks and sensors, often on dedicated IoT SIMs

Apps that make calls over the internet, such as Microsoft Teams or a cloud phone app, still work over a data SIM, because to the network they are just data. See softphone apps on our cloud phone site.

Data SIM, IoT SIM or a hotspot?

Each way of connecting a device has its place:

• A data SIM in the device suits anything that moves around with one user or works on its own: a tablet for a field engineer, a laptop for a sales manager, a card machine. Each device connects independently, and a lost device can be cut off without affecting anyone else.
• An IoT SIM suits machines rather than people: sensors, meters, trackers and equipment that sends small amounts of data for years. The networks sell these separately. EE Business offers IoT SIM cards designed to withstand harsh conditions, managed through a dedicated BT Control Centre portal. O2 Business offers IoT SIMs with IMEI locking, network blocking and pooled data, managed from a single portal.
• A hotspot suits a small group working together for a day, or devices with no mobile connectivity of their own. It is one more thing to charge and carry, and everyone loses connection if it goes home with someone else.

If your equipment currently uses old 2G modules, plan its replacement now. gov.uk says the UK networks will switch off 2G between 2029 and 2033, and lists telecare, lift and fire alarms among the equipment that can rely on it.

eSIM for data

Many tablets and laptops now support eSIM, a SIM built into the device that is activated by downloading a profile instead of inserting a card. For business data, eSIM means:

• Activating a device remotely, without posting and fitting a physical SIM
• Switching network or plan without a new card
• No small SIM trays to lose when devices are rebuilt or repaired

The networks provision business eSIMs in different ways, usually with a QR code or activation through the account, and some support it on data plans as well as phone plans. Three Business, for example, offers its data SIM plans as eSIM or physical SIM, and EE Business offers business eSIMs, which it says can be deactivated and replaced if a device is lost or stolen. Our business eSIM guide explains provisioning in more detail.

APNs, private APNs and fixed IPs

Most people never touch these settings, but they matter for routers, cameras and remote equipment.

APN (Access Point Name). The setting that tells a device how to connect to a network's data service. Phones and tablets usually set it automatically from the SIM. Routers and IoT equipment sometimes need it entered by hand, so ask for the correct APN with your SIMs.

Private APN or mobile VPN. A private connection between your devices and your own network, rather than the open internet. This suits devices that should only talk to company systems, such as payment, telemetry or control equipment. EE Business offers a Data VPN service that connects mobile devices to your network over a private, managed IP connection, and O2 Business lists private static IP and IPsec VPN options for IoT.

Fixed (static) IP. By default, mobile data connections usually share public IP addresses, so you cannot connect into a device from outside. If you need to reach a camera or router remotely, or allow-list a site's address, you need a fixed IP or a private APN. We can set out the options for each device at quote.

If you are unsure which you need, describe what the device has to do and we can help you work out the right set-up.

Managing many data SIMs

Ten data SIMs are easy to lose track of; a hundred are a real cost problem if nobody is watching. Good practice:

1. Keep a register of every SIM: number, device, location, user or purpose, network and plan
2. Name lines clearly in the network's account tool, so a line can be identified from the bill
3. Set spend caps and usage alerts on every line, and bar roaming on SIMs that should never leave the UK
4. Use shared or pooled data where the network offers it, so a few heavy users do not need large plans each
5. Review usage regularly and cancel or reassign SIMs in devices that have been retired
6. Lock SIMs to their devices where the network supports it, so a SIM taken out of a card machine cannot be used in a phone

Account and analytics tools help. Three Business offers Three Analyst for bill analytics, EE Business offers its Mobile Manager account tool, and O2 Business manages IoT SIMs from one portal. For devices that people use, pair this with mobile device management software so the device itself is managed too.

Choosing a network for data SIMs

For a data SIM, coverage where the device sits or travels matters more than anything else. A camera on a rural site, a van on a regular route and a tablet in a city centre may each be best served by a different network. We supply EE Business and Three Business, and can also supply O2 Business and Vodafone Business, so you can mix networks by site or use.

Check coverage on each network's own checker, test where you can, and think about whether a device needs to work across borders, which affects roaming terms; see business mobile coverage and business roaming.

Where to buy data SIMs

You can get business data SIMs on their own or as part of a wider mobile account. For data-only SIM plans and comparisons, see our sister site for business SIM only plans.

If you are moving alarms, card machines or door entry off a traditional phone line, our cloud phone site's PSTN switch-off checklist covers the wider change.

We can help you choose the right type of SIM, network and set-up for each device, including private connections and fixed IPs where the network offers them. Pricing depends on the plan, data and term, so ask us for a quote.

Contact us to talk about data SIMs for your business.