Smart metering

Smart meter SIM cards: LTE-M and NB-IoT from US$0.60 per meter

Low-power IoT SIMs for electricity, gas and water meters with 10 to 15 year service lives, local profiles where permanent roaming is restricted and per-MB pricing that stays fixed.

Order the free trial kit See IoT pricing

Smart metering connectivity at a glance

Data per device 1MB to 5MB for interval reads and events

Preferred technology LTE-M (Cat-M1) for electricity and gas

Roaming permanence The core issue

Per active SIM ₹89 ($1) on IoT Go, $0.60 on IoT Scale

Per MB, pooled US$0.004 on Go, US$0.0025 on Scale

Worked example 2,000 meters at 2MB each: US$1,210 a month

Coverage 600+ networks, 180+ countries through our carrier partners

Trial 5 SIMs, 100MB, 30 days, free

Universal eSIMs supplies smart meter SIMs on 600+ networks in 180+ countries for US$1.00 per active SIM per month plus US$0.004 per MB pooled on IoT Go, or US$0.60 and US$0.0025 on IoT Scale from 1,000 SIMs. 2,000 meters at 2MB each on IoT Scale cost US$1,210 a month, US$0.605 per device, with inactive SIMs free.

Prices checked on 25 October 2026 · Inactive SIMs are free · No minimum order · Billed monthly in USD or INR

The problem

A meter is installed once and expected to report for a decade or more. It sends a few kilobytes a day, often from a basement or a buried pit, on a battery that cannot be replaced cheaply. Utilities need deep indoor coverage, power-saving radio modes, a SIM that will not be switched off by a roaming rule change in year three, and a price per meter that fits a regulated tariff.

Connectivity requirements for smart metering

Smart metering connectivity requirements

Requirement What smart metering needs Data per device per month 1MB to 5MB for interval reads and events; 10MB to 20MB during firmware campaigns Latency Minutes are acceptable for reads; under 30 seconds for remote disconnect commands Roaming permanence The core issue. Meters never move, so a roaming-only SIM is a regulatory risk in India, Brazil, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt and Nigeria Power Battery for gas and water (10 to 15 years using PSM and eDRX); mains for electricity Preferred technology LTE-M (Cat-M1) for electricity and gas; NB-IoT for water and pit installations; 2G fallback only as a bridge

What you get

Typical devices

Electricity smart meters
Gas meters with battery modems
Water meters in pits
Data concentrator units
Prepaid metering gateways
Heat meters in district heating

Risks and how we handle them

Risk Our answer Permanent roaming restrictions ending service mid-life Local profiles via eUICC with SGP.02 or SGP.32 so the meter can switch operator without a site visit NB-IoT roaming not available on every network Per-network LTE-M and NB-IoT confirmation before you ship Battery drain from repeated attach attempts Steering settings tuned for PSM and eDRX devices Firmware campaigns blowing through data budgets Pooled data with campaign-level alerts

Every SIM comes with the connectivity platform, the REST API and 600+ networks in 180+ countries. See the coverage and roaming rules for the countries you deploy in.

Worked cost example: 2,000 meters at 2MB each

Smart metering monthly cost at published rates

Item Calculation Monthly Tier 2,000 active SIMs IoT Scale SIM fees 2,000 × US$0.60 US$1,200 Data fees 4,000MB × US$0.0025 US$10 Total 2,000 × US$0.60 + 4,000MB × US$0.0025 = US$1,210 a month US$1,210 Per device US$0.605

Pricing tiers for smart metering deployments

Tier Active SIMs Per active SIM Per MB, pooled Inactive SIMs Contract Includes Next step IoT Go 1 to 999 active SIMs ₹89 ($1) per month US$0.004 Free None, cancel any time Global multi-IMSI SIM, platform, API, webhooks, email support Order online IoT Scale 1,000 to 10,000 active SIMs $0.60 per month US$0.0025 Free 12 months optional for a further 10% off Everything in Go plus pooled bundles, private APN, static IP, priority support Talk to us IoT Enterprise 10,000+ active SIMs Custom Custom Free Negotiated Everything in Scale plus eUICC profiles, SLA, dedicated manager, custom integrations Request a quote

Estimate your smart metering fleet

Leave your name, email and phone number and we will set this up for you and reply on WhatsApp within minutes.

Get started

How to deploy smart meter SIMs in 4 steps

Test with the trial kit

5 SIMs with 100MB each, 30 days, shipped in 3 to 7 working days. Fit them in your electricity smart meters and check attach, signal and steering at real sites.

Order from 1 SIM

No minimum on IoT Go at US$1.00 per active SIM plus US$0.004 per MB. Choose 2FF, 3FF, 4FF or MFF2. API keys are issued instantly.

Configure for the use case

Local profiles via eUICC with SGP.02 or SGP.32 so the meter can switch operator without a site visit. Steering settings tuned for PSM and eDRX devices. Register a webhook so alerts reach your own platform.

Scale on published rates

At 1,000 active SIMs the rate drops automatically to US$0.6 and US$0.0025. Above 10,000, IoT Enterprise adds an SLA and a dedicated manager.

Universal eSIMs vs the alternatives for smart metering

Smart metering connectivity options compared

Option Price transparency Networks Minimum Smart metering fit Universal eSIMs IoT SIM Published per SIM and per MB Multi-IMSI, 600+ networks None, order 1 SIM Local profiles via eUICC with SGP.02 or SGP.32 so the meter can switch operator without a site visit Single-operator IoT contract Negotiated, roaming by zone One operator plus partners Often 500+ SIMs, 12 to 36 months Fine domestically; permanent roaming restrictions ending service mid-life remains a risk Consumer SIMs in devices Retail bundles One operator None No bulk management, no IMEI lock, expiry to manage Onomondo, Pelion, 1GLOBAL (observed October 2026) Onomondo €0.0025 to €0.003 per MB; others not published Multi-network via partners Quote-led Capable platforms; sales process before a price

Universal eSIMs vs Onomondo vs Pelion vs 1GLOBAL

What each provider publishes on its own website, observed October 2026. We publish every price, accept orders from 1 SIM and ship a 100MB trial against the 50MB that is standard elsewhere.

IoT connectivity providers compared, observed October 2026

Provider Prices on website Per SIM Per MB Minimums and tiers Trial API Partner programme Universal eSIMs Published US$1.00 (IoT Go), US$0.60 (IoT Scale) US$0.004 (Go), US$0.0025 (Scale) None, order 1 SIM online 5 SIMs, 100MB each, 30 days Public docs, sandbox, Postman Published reseller and API terms Onomondo Partly Not published €0.0025 to €0.003 pay-as-you-go Tiers quote-only Free sandbox Public API docs Three-tier programme, no numbers Pelion Not published Not published Not published Essentials, Professional, Enterprise by quote 5 eUICC SIMs, 50MB each, 30 days Portal and APIs, docs on request None found 1GLOBAL Not published Not published Not published Four models: World Plans, Pay-as-you-grow, Shared Bundle, Shared Flex Enterprise sales process API on request Enquiry only

Competitor details are as displayed on their public pages in October 2026 and change without notice. Where a provider publishes no price we say so rather than guess.

Technical specifications

IoT SIM technical specifications

Specification Detail Form factors 2FF (mini), 3FF (micro), 4FF (nano), MFF2 (embedded, solderable) Radio technologies 2G, 3G, 4G LTE, LTE-M (Cat-M1), NB-IoT, 5G where supported SIM type Multi-IMSI with automatic steering; eUICC variants with remote SIM provisioning Remote provisioning GSMA SGP.02 (M2M) and SGP.32 (IoT) as supported by our profile partners Operating temperature Industrial grade: -40°C to +105°C on 2FF, 3FF, 4FF and MFF2 Write cycles and life 1,000,000 write cycles, 10-year minimum data retention, 15+ year design life on MFF2 Coverage 600+ networks, 180+ countries through our carrier partners SMS A2P machine SMS at US$0.03 per message; no voice Private networking Private APN, static IP, IPsec VPN on IoT Scale and above, setup from US$250

Security and compliance

These are commitments and a roadmap, stated plainly. We do not list certifications we do not yet hold.

Security and compliance commitments

Area What we do today Roadmap Data protection GDPR-compliant processing of connectivity metadata; data processing agreement available on request Data residency options in India and the EU planned for 2027 Information security Encrypted at rest and in transit; role-based access; audit log of every console and API action ISO 27001 certification is on our roadmap, target audit in 2027 API security Bearer keys scoped per role; HMAC-SHA256 signed webhooks; key rotation without downtime OAuth 2.0 client credentials for enterprise accounts Network security Data-only profiles; IMEI lock; APN restriction; private APN and IPsec on IoT Scale Private LTE breakout points in additional regions Availability Platform availability target 99.9% per month; public status page from launch Written SLA with service credits on IoT Enterprise Payload visibility We see ICCID, IMSI, network, timestamps and byte counts. We never see your device payload Unchanged

Smart metering: questions engineers and procurement ask

Should smart meters use NB-IoT or LTE-M?

Use LTE-M where meters need firmware updates, remote disconnect or mobility, because it supports higher throughput and handover. Use NB-IoT for water and gas meters in pits and basements where penetration matters more than speed. Both support PSM and eDRX for multi-year battery life. We confirm which networks support each per country before you deploy.

What do 2,000 meters cost per month?

At 2,000 SIMs you are on IoT Scale: 2,000 × US$0.60 + 4,000MB × US$0.0025 = US$1,210 a month, or US$0.605 per meter. With the optional 12-month term the SIM fee drops a further 10% to US$0.54. Meters in stock and not yet installed cost nothing.

Can a roaming SIM legally stay in a meter for 15 years?

In many countries, no. India restricts foreign SIMs beyond 90 days, and Brazil, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Nigeria restrict permanent roaming. For meters in those countries we provision a local operator profile on the eUICC. In the EU, the United States and Australia permanent roaming is generally tolerated for M2M as understood in October 2026.

What happens if an operator switches off a network in year eight?

With eUICC the meter downloads a new operator profile over the air, using GSMA SGP.02 or SGP.32 depending on the module. Without eUICC you would need a truck roll. We recommend MFF2 eUICC for every meter deployment longer than five years.

How do you keep battery drain low?

We configure steering so a meter does not cycle through networks every time it wakes, we support PSM and eDRX timers negotiated by the device, and diagnostics show attach counts so you can spot a meter that is thrashing. A well-configured NB-IoT water meter sending 1 read a day can run 10 years on a D-cell pack.

Can you supply MFF2 embedded SIMs in reels for our meter factory?

Yes. MFF2 eUICC chips ship in tape-and-reel for pick-and-place lines, pre-loaded with a bootstrap profile. Minimum order for reels is 500 units; samples of 5 are in the free trial kit on request.

How does the free trial kit work?

Request it with a company address and use case. We verify the address, then ship 5 SIMs with 100MB each, valid 30 days, from India and the EU in 3 to 7 working days. You get console and API access on the day you request it, so you can start in the sandbox before the SIMs arrive.

Is there a minimum order or contract?

No. Order 1 SIM online on IoT Go at US$1.00 per active SIM per month with no contract. IoT Scale from 1,000 SIMs has an optional 12-month term that takes a further 10% off the SIM fee. IoT Enterprise above 10,000 SIMs is negotiated.

How quickly can I get API access?

Immediately. API keys are issued when you create an account. The REST API uses JSON, we publish a Postman collection, and there are snippets in Python, Node.js and cURL. A sandbox with simulated SIMs lets you test activation, usage and webhooks without hardware.

Related IoT and industry pages

• IoT SIM pricing
· • Free trial kit
· • Developer quick start
· • Coverage and roaming rules
· • Fleet telematics
· • EV charging
· • POS and payments
· • Asset tracking
· • Industry solutions
· • Partner API

Test smart meter SIMs in your own electricity smart meters

5 SIMs, 100MB each, 30 days. Then order from 1 SIM at published rates.

Order the free trial kit See pricing

Smart metering IoT SIM

smart meter SIM with published pricing, multi-IMSI coverage and platform.

Product Brand: Universal eSIMs

Managed IoT connectivity for smart metering

Managed cellular connectivity for smart metering devices with pooled data and platform.

Service Type: Managed IoT connectivity

Price: 1

Currency: USD