News: Vodacom introduces Machine-to-Machine SIM offering

Vodacom’s Machine-to-Machine (M2M) VQFN-8 SIM is a SIM card that is packaged in a standard Very Thin Quad Flat Narrow 8 pin (VQFN-8) semiconductor chip.

M2M is the remote wireless data interchange between two or more devices, or a central server, without direct relationship with an end-user or customer, in order to support a specific business process or product.

M2M is in most cases a business to business (B2B) offering, but is starting to appear in business to consumer (B2C) electronic applications such as eReaders and, in future, connected gaming devices as well. Within the B2B space, M2M can be defined a business process efficiency tool which automates previous human intervention.

This SIM is soldered onto the customer’s printed circuit board when their product is being manufactured, thus eliminating removal and fraud. It also has a long lifespan operating system, ensuring 500 000 read/write cycles to its EEPROM memory (vs. 100 000 of 2FF SIM plastic SIM cards) to ensure it will not fail in the field.

The fact that it is soldering also makes it vibration resistant, enabling better performance in rough terrain and extends its operating temperature range so it can operate within harsher environments.

This SIM can be utilised in a variety of applications including:

· Monitoring and control

· Commercial applications

· Fleet and asset management

· Security and surveillance

· Human touch / consumer applications

· Metering

“M2M lays the foundation of the concepts, services and offering that will be delivered to our local markets by Vodacom Business,” said Gabi Strijp, executive head enterprise Mobility Solutions at Vodacom Business. “We see M2M as an emerging market that will bring a wide range of solutions to enterprises, especially the public sector.”

The M2M market is growing significantly in both South Africa as well as international markets as it offers enterprises the ability to significantly reduce costs, provide managed services and improved service delivery and efficiency.

“The VQFN-8 SIM allows our customers to continue to innovate in the M2M market by producing smaller, more secure and robust devices for the variety of industries which they serve,” stated Strijp.

Vodacom introduces Machine-to-Machine SIM offering

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