Tokyo, Japan, June 1, 2022: NTT Communications Corporation (NTT Com), the ICT solutions and international communications business within the NTT group, announced today its launch of IoT Connect Mobile Type A, or ICM(A), a one-stop IoT connectivity service for mobile connectivity via SIM cards supported with a management platform and global IoT maintenance.
The service, an expansion of NTT Com’s IoT connectivity service lineup, will flexibly respond to the diversified needs of clients that deploy equipment such as automobiles, construction or agricultural machinery, etc. in some 180 countries.
ICM(A) offers three key benefits, the first being linkage between customer-owned SM-SR and NTT Com’ line-management subscription manager devices (SM-DP). The service enables customers to procure and preinstall their own SIMs prior to shipping equipment overseas, and then add profiles later based on the country of destination. Profiles for not only NTT Com but also those of network operators in other countries can be managed easily.
The second key benefit, says the company, is centralized connectivity management via a multi-IMSI solution. When deploying IoT devices and equipment in countries with permanent roaming restrictions, collecting data via Japan-based connectivity services and remotely controlling certain equipment can be troublesome. But now, NTT Com, as an MVNO, is offering this multi-IMSI solution to makes it possible to communicate as a local SIM by writing the partner carrier’s IMSI into the ICM(A) SIM and swapping it with the regular IMSI. NTT Com’s one-stop service manages connectivity worldwide, from contracting to line management and maintenance support, including in communications-regulated countries.
The third key benefit is the ability to use one SIM to measure total data amounts. SIMs in automobiles provide both telematics for collecting big data and infotainment for client purposes such as in-car Wi-Fi. This eliminates separate management and calculation of end-user communications on the part of the customer, making it easier to start an end-user business.