NTT Communications Corporation (NTT Com), a provider of ICT solutions and international communications services under the NTT Group, announced that it will begin commercial sales of its Active Multi-Access SIM 1, which has been in a trial phase since March 28, 2023, starting January 31. The new SIM card and its related services enable a variety of IoT devices to automatically switch between primary and secondary carriers when they encounter network failures, enabling automatic network redundancy with a single SIM card, eliminating the need to monitor the network or switch operations on the device side.
The service offers three key benefits, starting with automatic fault detection and carrier switching, both of which are patented. If communication fails, applet 2 in the SIM card 3 will automatically detect the failure, switch to the subcarrier, and then switch back to the main carrier after a fixed time. Users don't need to do anything manual or configure complex settings.
The second advantage is compliance with the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and 3rd Generation Partnership Program (3GPP) standards, compatible with a wide range of devices that use the SIM Toolkit standard, which allows SIM applets to issue commands to these devices. 4
The third advantage is convenience and operability
Centralized contracting and support.
Both the main and secondary carriers are provided by NTT Com, which is a simpler process than signing a contract with the subcarrier separately.
Optimize costs. The main carrier offers a wide range of options based on data usage. By supporting capacity sharing and SIM lifecycle management,5 help reduce costs during periods of disruption to market inventory and usage.
Circuits are centrally managed through the portal API.
Multi-carrier SIM cards can be purchased from a single card, and line management activities (ordering, activation, suspension, and termination) can be carried out via a web page.
Enhance data usage and business development with an intelligent data platform6
Services are delivered through the IoT Connect Mobile Type S7 program on the Intelligent Data Platform and are designed to enhance data usage. Companies can leverage the platform's high-availability network to build a data utilization infrastructure that facilitates companies that combine IoT devices and SIM cards to serve end-user customers, enabling them to manage user contracts and permissions through a simple portal.
Going forward, NTT Com will consider expanding the Active Multi-Access SIM service by adding additional features such as enclosed area connectivity.
In recent years, as more and more companies have adopted IoT solutions to expand their businesses, there has been a growing need for highly reliable networks with multi-carrier support. In response to this need, NTT COM has developed a service that enables a high degree of network redundancy independent of IoT devices, and has been available on a trial since March 28, 2023. Based on customer feedback received during the trial period, NTT COM has optimized the various functions of the service and is now officially launching the service.
Many NTT Com customers have already expressed their support for the service, as follows:
century systems co.,ltd.
Representative Director: Mr. Susumu Tanaka.
Our company warmly welcomes the commercial launch of the NTT COM Active Multi-Access SIM. This innovative SIM technology will dramatically improve the performance of our LTE routers and IoT gateways, providing a stable connection that we can rely on, enabling us to deliver the best solutions to our customers." This state-of-the-art SIM** improves the redundancy and efficiency of communications, opening up new possibilities for the IoT industry. ”
fibocom wireless inc.
Mr. Ronald Chan, Vice President, Asia Pacific Sales.
Connectivity is at the heart of the digital transformation of the Internet of Things, and NTT Com's innovative SIM solution significantly improves the availability of wireless connectivity. As a global provider of wireless solutions, FIBOCOM firmly believes that by integrating SIM into our cellular module portfolio, we will be able to provide our customers with more reliable and stable wireless connectivity services. ”
meilink co., ltd
General Manager of Sales Department Mr. Turbo Fukazawa.
With the rapid adoption of the Internet of Things in various industries, it is clear that there is a growing need for more stable communication connections. We expect the Active Multi-Access SIM from NTT Com to be a solution to this challenge and provide opportunities for further market expansion." ”
1This service only supports data communication (voice calls or SMS services are not supported). For companies that want to achieve carrier redundancy for voice services, including smartphones, it is recommended to consider using secondary services.
2 The service covers not only line failures, but also all situations that make data communication impossible, such as when the device is located in an area where there is no signal.
3 Mini Program is a program written in j**a and embedded in other applications for execution.
4Please visit the Intelligent Data Platform Knowledge Center (Japanese only) to view devices that have been tested for compatibility (which will be updated regularly). We recommend that customers verify their compatibility with the Service separately for each device. To confirm compatibility, please contact NTT COM to request a temporary SIM card.
5Provide line status management functions, including activation, suspension, resumption and termination of services.
6Intelligent data platform provides one-stop solutions for enterprise customers, supporting data collection, storage, management and analysis, as well as related infrastructure construction, helping enterprises quickly achieve digital transformation.
7Provision of IoT mobile communication services using eSIM and complete MVNO infrastructure in Japan and around the world.
"IoT Connect Mobile" is a registered trademark of NTT Communications.
"Active Multi-Access SIM" is a trademark of NTT Communications.