Choosing the Best IoT SIM Card Provider in the USA

Eseye

IoT Hardware and Connectivity Specialists

LinkedIn

Connectivity can make or break an Internet of Things (IoT) project, so choosing the right SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) for your needs is essential. There are a wide range of cellular network operators and SIM providers in the USA, from the big nationals like AT&T and Verizon, to regional players like Appalachian Wireless and C Spire, and specialist IoT MVNOs. Depending on your IoT use case, a regional provider may offer better coverage than a national operator. You may even need a combination of both. So, how do you choose the best IoT SIM provider in the USA? 

Choosing the best IoT SIM cards for your needs in the USA

Although IoT SIMs are a small component in the IoT tech stack, connectivity is the most important factor in the IoT initiative overall. If your estate of IoT devices goes dark because of lost connectivity or an underperforming network, you either have a logistical nightmare on your hands, or worst case, a dead business.

When dealing with large geographies like the USA there is no one-size-fits-all approach to nationwide connectivity, especially for IoT applications that include moving devices like fleet management or logistics tracking.

As technology evolves, the use cases for IoT applications become more varied every day and so do their connectivity needs. From connected cars and fleet management to tracking of shipping containers, livestock, machinery, and equipment. From smart cities and utilities to smart manufacturing, healthcare and education.

So, the question isn’t “which SIM provides the best coverage?” It’s more like “which SIM can guarantee 10 years’ of reliable connectivity without locking me into an inescapable contract or being so expensive it eats my profit?”

Key criteria for selecting the best multi-carrier IoT SIM cards for the United States

Reliable cellular connectivity is the key to unlocking the potential of any IoT or M2M application, and this creates a challenge in the provisioning and management of the network connectivity profiles stored on the SIM. The IoT device itself could be on a utility meter deep underground, or a moving vehicle delivering goods, utilizing 4G LTE for seamless communication.

From this starting point, provisioning connectivity from the single biggest Mobile Network Operator (MNO) in the country might not yield the best results and coverage may vary from state to state.

Bear in mind that cellular networks were designed with consumer smartphone usage in mind. But this model does not work for IoT initiatives, which may feature thousands or tens of thousands of devices sending small amounts of data.

IoT devices typically:

• Transmit small volumes of data packets infrequently (but not in all cases!)
• Operate in remote or inhospitable environments often on the fringes of cellular coverage
• Sleep for long periods and wake on event then poll the network
• Scale from hundreds to tens of thousands as part of the estate

Because of the way IoT and M2M applications work, IoT also requires a different approach to connectivity pricing than the high-volume consumer model. Your SIM provider should offer pricing that is aligned with how IoT devices behave, including low data throughput, long deployment lifespans, and large-scale fleets or estates.

Furthermore, depending on your use case and IoT applications, an IoT device may need to connect to one operator in one location, and to a different operator elsewhere, creating a logistical challenge, but one that is often solved by an IoT specific SIM, which will enable network redundancy and enable the easy provisioning of connectivity to a different network if the designated connection fails.

Ultimately, an IoT SIM provider influences:

• Where your devices can deploy – both locally and globally
• Roaming capabilities
• The kinds of cellular networks and network technology you can use, such as LTE-M or NB-IoT
• Data connectivity costs
• Data network capacity and throughput, which may dictate the capabilities of your application
• The security of your data in transit
• The SIM form factors available to your devices
• Data sovereignty and legislation

Due to the often long-term deployment requirements of IoT applications, it’s very difficult to change connectivity provider once your devices are in the field if you’re relying on a physical SIM tied to a single network. So, it’s worth addressing this challenge up front.

A solution is to ensure your cellular connectivity provider uses ​​eUICC (embedded universal integrated circuit card) SIMs, otherwise known as eSIMs, which provide the capability to store multiple network profiles that can be provisioned and managed over-the-air (OTA) through a centralized, cloud-native platform.

This means you are no longer locked in to a single provider and can move to a new cellular connectivity provider with ease, ensuring your IoT project is delivered with a favourable ROI and you never run the risk of your devices being irrecoverably offline.

Overview of leading cellular IoT SIM providers in the USA

In the US, leading MNOs include AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile US, and a large number of regional or state-specific carriers. There are also global IoT specialist players like Eseye, KORE Wireless and 1NCE.

Each provider offers varying strengths in network access, IoT device management, and low-power wide-area technologies, depending on whether you are looking for the most affordable networks, or the best coverage for cities like New York or out in the most remote areas.

What matters most is selecting a provider that matches your deployment footprint and technical requirements, including if you need to take your IoT SIMs abroad and automatically connect to local networks with a single network without roaming fees.

Some of the leading specialist IoT SIM providers in the USA include:

• Aeris Communications
• EMnify
• Eseye
• Hologram
• KORE Wireless
• 1NCE
• Onomondo
• Simbase / Choice IoT

With growing demand for international connectivity, specialist IoT MVNOs like Eseye are emerging as the best option for global mobile connectivity when delivering an enterprise-centric IoT platform. Our managed IoT connectivity service can greatly simplify the deployment process for businesses. 

With a partner list of over 800 networks in 190+ countries, Eseye’s AnyNet Connectivity offers the widest choice of local network connections and roaming partners and also avoids the risks of permanent roaming – including devices being disconnected with little or no notice.

Eseye’s AnyNet+ eSIM is a multi-IMSI SIM that delivers multi-network access around the globe by partnering directly with networks so you don’t have to. The AnyNet+ eSIM dynamically switches to the best available network in the local area, minimizing downtime and connection loss.

This also helps avoid switching risk – when you find a provider that works until you grow, shift markets, or hit a price wall. Suddenly, you’re locked into this carrier with no OTA fallback plan. Eseye gives you ownership of the SIM so you can change provider when you need.

AnyNet+ also integrates with Eseye’s Infinity IoT Platform for easy management of your entire IoT estate, improved security, and optimization of your application at scale.

Eseye’s AnyNet+ eSIM provides high data reliability and cellular connectivity uptime for IoT applications that demand low-latency, high-availability connectivity, especially critical applications like healthcare or asset tracking.

Why Eseye stands out as the best choice for IoT SIM solutions in the USA

Beyond reliable network connectivity, the deal breaker when it comes to choosing your IoT SIM provider is the overall experience and level of customer support. IoT initiatives are fraught with challenges and there is a lot to be said for having access to expert professional services in overcoming these obstacles and ensuring timely project delivery, especially when dealing with a broad geographic market like North America.

Eseye delivers rapid technical troubleshooting and out-of-hours support to guarantee priority resolution, minimal downtime and maximize performance of your IoT devices. Eseye boasts a 98.3% customer satisfaction score and an overall Net Promoter Score (NPS) of +50 and has proven expertise in a range of industries, including smart cities, manufacturing, agriculture, retail and more. 

Eseye

IoT Hardware and Connectivity Specialists

LinkedIn

Eseye brings decades of end-to-end expertise to integrate and optimise IoT connectivity delivering near 100% uptime. From idea to implementation and beyond, we deliver lasting value from IoT. Nobody does IoT better.

In this article

• Choosing the best IoT SIM cards for your needs in the USA
• Key criteria for selecting the best multi-carrier IoT SIM cards for the United States
• Overview of leading cellular IoT SIM providers in the USA
• Why Eseye stands out as the best choice for IoT SIM solutions in the USA