Frequently Asked Questions

Connect

Embedded SIM = It´s the hardware component of the SIM, where the ICCID is.

eUICC technology restructures the SIM to allow for multiple profiles on one card and can be used on any SIM form factor. With eUICC, multiple network profiles can be provisioned OTA (Over the Air) without removing the SIM from the field. For more information visit our eUICC SIMs & Embedded SIM Technology section.

Private LTE provides the ability to run your own LTE core network. There are 3 basic variants of this solution: 

– Private LTE Core with Public mobile networks – This solution allows you to use Public LTE networks, but all data traffic is routed back through the mobile IPX network to your own packet gateway (P-GW). This setup allows for advanced security, with the P-GW residing in your own cloud or datacentre environment. 

Private LTE Core with Private radio network – This deployed is a standalone variant of the Private LTE infrastructure. This is available in certain countries where there is availability of public LTE spectrum. The Private LTE core is deployed on-premise or in a cloud environment. All traffic on the private radio network is routed back to this Private LTE core.  This solution is suitable for remote locations or campus environment where the mobile LTE devices do not leave the geographical footprint of the radio network. 

– Private LTE Core with Public and Private networks – This deployment combines the benefit of Private radio network with Public mobile operator networks, allowing for seamless connectivity as devices move in and out of the Private radio network area. 

To learn more about the advantages and where can it be deployed visit our Secure Connectivity section.

 

MCC : Mobile Country Code.

MNC : Mobile Network Code.

SMS Outgoing from the SIM ( MO means Mobile Originated).

Incoming  SMS to the SIM ( MT means Mobile Terminated).

Outgoing  Call from the SIM ( MO means Mobile Originated).

Incoming  Call to the SIM ( MT means Mobile Terminated).

Manage

ICCID stands for “Integrated Circuit Card ID”. This is the number printed on the plastic SIM card that usually contains 19-20 digits. The ICCID number is unique and identifies the SIM card itself.

In the platform you can find the ICCIDS of your sims cards under the “All Subscribers” section displaying the column called “Subscriber ID”:

The MSISDN Number is the Phone Number.

The APN is the “Access Point Name“, a code you will need to set at a device level to start using data. Your device can register to a network even if the APN is incorrect but will not be able to pass data. 

To find what APN you need to add to the device when you activate a sim you can search for it in the portal:

  1. Go to “All Subscribers”

  2. Search for your SIM card

  3. Click on your SIM card and “Run a Sim Diagnostics”

  4. Check the “Data Services Info ” in the UI. It will indicate what APN you need to use. For example:

Purge :Purging a SIM from the HLR is a way of refreshing the SIM connection and should only be attempted if there appears to be no communication with the network.

As we don’t steer our SIMs to any particular networks, the modem chooses on which network to register purely according to the signal strength – Once attempting and receiving the ‘roaming not allowed’ message from the HLR, the modem should cycle through the network, trying to register on each, before finding a network on which it’s allowed to register.

A purge (cancel location) removes the IMSI from the serving network. When the device tries to communicate, the network has no record of the SIM, so it forces a re-registration process to be made.  Depending on the modem model, it could react in a certain way to this message.

Yes, you can, you can Suspend a sim and Re-activate it later if you wish to! In these videos we show you how to do both!

 A Call Detail Record. It has the data used in a package, it has a start time and end time. We are able to see the connectivity/RAT type as well as the country and network where it took place.

Yes, you can! Under the “Reports” section in the portal we offer with you 2 types of reports:

1.Session Usage reports: These reports show all the DATA CDRS your account has received in the current month. You can view the data for even 2 months before. These reports are exportable.

2. Summary Reports: You can create your own report and customize per Networks, specific sim cards, time range and more. Here is a link to show you how you can create your own Summary Report : Create a Summary Report

Of course! You may add as many users to access your account as you need.

In the portal, under the “Customers” section go to “All users”. Creating a new User is simple:

  1. Click on the “+” icon to add a new user

  2. Fill in the details for this user

  3. Hit “Save”

  4. The user will receive a notification in his email.

If you need to update your password just go to  “Users” and click on the User you need to update the password for.

In the right hand side add in the current password, a new password, confirm it and save it!

 

An Aggregated Bundle is a dynamic pool of data. As the number of SIMs added to the pool increases, the size of the pool increases as well. For example, 2 SIMs activated on a 10MB bundle creates a pool of 20MB to use between the two SIMs. Each SIM is free to use the data as it pleases. You will only incur overuse charges once the total pooled data amount has been reached.  MB included.

New SIMs activated on the same product would increase the pool in a pro-rata fashion. On the other hand, any SIMs suspended or deactivated from that same product won’t decrease the pool size as the user prepays Line rental till the end of the billing cycle.

Under your “Account Settings” you will need to go to “Branding settings”.

Upload your logo file and don´t forget to click on the top box if you would like to share your branding with your sub-accounts as per the screenshot below:

 

 

Under your “Account Settings” you will need to go to “Branding settings”.

In the Theme section you can use the drop-down menu to preview the available combinations the platform offers :

Once you have chosen don´t forget to click “Apply Changes”

 

“Last Connection” represents  the “endTime”  the last CDR/ Data session received

Bill

Yes, you can! Any SIM resubscribed on a product with higher Line Rental and bigger product size would be considered as if they have been on that product since the beginning of the billing cycle if they were active since the 1st of the month or since their activation date if they have been activated during the current month. This means that they will be contributed to the Data pool of the new product rather than the initial one. The user will be charged with an upgrade rate for the difference between the Line Rental that had been charged and the higher Line Rental of the new product. More information in the Billing Rules section.

A data pool is essentially a pool of data! These pools could be Aggregated ( dynamic, they expand the amount of data in the pool when you activate new sims) or Static ( fixed amount of data). To learn more visit our Data Pools section.

These are the different types of Billing Charges :

Line Rental Total Cost
Overuse Cost
Pro-rata Total Cost
SMS Total Cost
Voice Total Cost
Line Rental Upgrade Cost
Total cost without discount
Total cost with discount
Discount amount

You can find a description of each of these under the Billing Charges section.

Secure

A Virtual Private Network or VPN is an encrypted tunnel to allow secure communications and is used to extend a private network over a public network.

We can set up a Virtual Private Network from each of our network Points of Presence (PoPs) to help keep your data safe!

There are 2 types of VPNs:

  • IPSEC VPNor IPSEC encrypted GRE Tunnels: Connectivity for Datacentres
    Cloud Platforms to Devices

  • Client Access VPN,: Temporary, secure access to

    Devices

More info in the VPN section

We offer access to the following networks through the VPN service: 

  • USA:  T-Mobile & AT&T

  • Canada:  Rogers

  • Global: UKJ Profile and ROTN sims.

For more information regarding what a VPN is and the types of VPNs available visit our VPN section.

Private LTE provides the ability to run your own LTE core network. There are 3 basic variants of this solution: 

– Private LTE Core with Public mobile networks – This solution allows you to use Public LTE networks, but all data traffic is routed back through the mobile IPX network to your own packet gateway (P-GW). This setup allows for advanced security, with the P-GW residing in your own cloud or datacentre environment. 

Private LTE Core with Private radio network  – This deployed is a standalone variant of the Private LTE infrastructure. This is available in certain countries where there is availability of public LTE spectrum. The Private LTE core is deployed on-premise or in a cloud environment. All traffic on the private radio network is routed back to this Private LTE core.  This solution is suitable for remote locations or campus environment where the mobile LTE devices do not leave the geographical footprint of the radio network. 

– Private LTE Core with Public and Private networks – This deployment combines the benefit of Private radio network with Public mobile operator networks, allowing for seamless connectivity as devices move in and out of the Private radio network area. 

To learn more about the advantages and where can it be deployed visit our Secure Connectivity section.

If you have a Security Service such as a VPN configured in your account, under the “Subscribers section”  you have an option in the “Advanced Filters” to select to display the sims that are inside a VPN. If you have multiple VPNS you can choose from the dropdown options.

The icon to “customize your columns” offers a column called “Security Services”, choose to display this one so that you can see the name of the Security service the SIM is part of. You can also display the “Fixed IP” and the “Last IP” used.

Under the “All Subscribers” section customize your columns to display both the “Security Service” and “Fixed IP” columns. The IP assigned to the Subscriber as well as the name of the Security Service it is part of will display.

When running a Sim Diagnostics, the information will also be available.

If you have a Security Service such as a VPN configured in your account you have the option to allocate/ deallocate Fixed IPs from the dedicated IP Range pool in your VPN.

Select the subscriber you would like to update the IP for, then hit the “Reassign a New IP” button.

You can perform the following actions:

  • If your sim has a Dynamic IP → Assign a Fixed IP from your VPN

  • If your sim has a Fixed IP from your VPN but you want to remove it from your VPN → Assign a Dynamic IP

  • If your sim has a Fixed IP from your VPN but you want to assign a different IP → You can assign a new IP from within the dedicated IP Range pool in your VPN. The system will choose a new IP for you

Please note the changes will be reflected upon a new data session, if the sim is running a live session at the moment if it will continue having the last IP until the session has ended.

You can find a video HERE on how to Reassign an IP step by step!

The Network Infrastructure

The Home Location Register is the centralized subscribers database for the carriers, which includes the details of the subscribers that are authorized to use the GSM network within the carrier’s realm. It has all the important data such as: IMSI, MSISDN, authentication information, encryption keys that are used on the SIM to authenticate the client.  It also has the information regarding what  APNs are enabled for that server, if SMS/ Voice  is allowed, etc. 

HLR is used in 2G and 3G

It is based on SS7 MAP (signalling) protocol.

The HSS is the evolution of the HLR for the 4G networks. Similar to the HLR, the main function of the HSS is to communicate with the network and provide subscriber profile and authentication information. The HSS stores information about subscribers to assist in authorization, device details, as well as user location and service information. 

HSS is used in 4G and is based on Diameter protocol.

The VLR is a server in a cellular network that has information about roaming mobile stations in one or more MSC areas. A VLR contains information on all active subscribers in that area, including your home network. It supports roaming functions for users outside the coverage area of their own HLR. The VLR uses signalling system 7 to obtain information about the user from the HLR, and then establishes a temporary record on the VLR while the user is within the coverage area, ensuring mobility management and call-handling functions.

  • MAP (signalling/protocol)  Mobile Application Part : Used in 2G/3G . It´s an SS7 protocol that provides an application layer for the various nodes in GSM and UMTS mobile core networks and GPRS core networks to communicate with each other in order to provide services to users. The MAP is the application-layer protocol used to access the HLR, VLR, MSC, SMS-Center and SGSN.
  • RADIUS (protocol) : It provides AAA (authentication, authorization and accounting) functionality. Its used to authenticate and authorize user access to a network.Its also the protocol used to access the infra gear that runs the network. A connection-less protocol which  means you don’t need any session creation before its operation. As a transport protocol, it uses UDP. When a user tries to authenticate, the device sends a message to the RADIUS server. If the RADIUS server is properly configured to have the device as a client, RADIUS sends an accept or reject message back to the device (the Network Access Server).
  • DIAMETER (protocol) is used in 4G (LTE). It provides AAA (authentication, authorization and accounting) functionality. It is  used to authenticate and authorize user access to a network.  A protocol with connection orientation. As transport protocol, it uses TCP or SCP. It evolved from the Radius protocol, but it uses TCP and SCTP instead of UDP – therefore delegating detection and handling of communication problems to those protocols. Its mainly used in LTE because it can provide a more reliable, secure and flexible transport mechanism for mobile data networks.
  • TCP : Transmission Control Protocol. A connection-oriented protocol as it needs a connection in order to work. It is responsible for dividing the message in smaller packets, for regrouping them in the destination and for re-transmitting the lost packets. It also provides an ordered delivery of data from user to server.
  • UDP : A connectionless protocol. It doesn’t need to have a connection between the transmitter and receiver to work. it doesn’t guarantee the delivery of the packages – it’s not truthful – as it does not have dedicated end-to-end communication. But, as it doesn’t wait for a response from the recipient, it is much faster and simpler  than TCP.

 

The Authentication is a process by which both the UE (User Equipment) and the Network check whether the other party is authorized to communicate with them.

When the cell phone comes within range of a base station and recognizes a compatible service, it may choose to try connecting to the network (Join the cell).

Before the network allows the phone to connect, the phone must prove its a paid-up subscriber for the service. It needs to authenticate itself and its identity needs to be verified with some subscriber database server in the network.

The basic approach to authentication is a challenge response method, whereby the network sends a random value and the phone has to encrypt it with its secret key and send it back to verification.

When a phone wants to register to a network, it sends its identification number (IMSI) – unique per subscriber. The network then identifies the Home Operator for the cellular phone from the IMSI and it then requests the authentication center to create and forward a triplet (encryption numbers: RAND, SRES, Kc) for authentication.

This referral method allows phones to roam to different networks and still be authenticated by their own home network provider. 

In LTE and WCDMA, a mutual authentication process is used. The network checks whether the UE is authorized to camp on it and the UE also checks whether it is trying to camp on the correct network.

The UE becomes authorized to camp on a network by subscribing to it.

Both side authentication is necessary because the network needs to check whether the UE is a paid subscriber or not – if so, it is allowed to camp on the network.

Meanwhile, the UE has to authenticate the network, otherwise there is a risk that the UE might camp on a fake network (which has been designed to accept any UE) instead of the one it is supposed to camp on.