Static IP SIM cards for business

What is a static IP SIM card?

Every device on a mobile network is given an IP address when it connects. On an ordinary SIM that address is dynamic: it can change each time the device reconnects, and on most mobile data connections the device sits behind the network's address translation, sharing public addresses with many other users. That works well for browsing, email and cloud apps, where the device starts every conversation. It does not work when something needs to start a conversation with the device: a manager viewing a camera, an engineer logging in to a router or a central system polling a meter.

A static IP SIM card, also called a fixed IP SIM, solves that. The SIM is set up so the device receives the same IP address each time it connects, usually through a dedicated APN (access point name: the gateway setting a device uses to join the mobile data network). Systems that need to find the device can reach it at the same address, and firewalls can recognise it by that address.

A static IP SIM is a specialist kind of business data only SIM. The SIM looks like any other; the difference is in how the network addresses and routes its traffic.

Public or private fixed IP?

A fixed IP address can sit on the public internet or on a private network. Which one suits you depends on who needs to reach the device and from where.

A public fixed IP is the simpler route when people need to reach a device from anywhere. A private APN keeps devices out of sight of the internet, which is why it is common for payment, alarm and telemetry equipment. Many organisations use both: a fixed IP on a site's backup router, and private APN SIMs for the devices behind it. We can help you decide what each device needs, and the addressing for your SIMs is confirmed at quote.

What businesses use static IP SIMs for

• 4G and 5G routers and failover: a router with a fixed IP SIM that takes over when a fixed line fails, so VPNs, remote access and allow-lists keep working on the backup connection; see mobile broadband SIM only
• CCTV and NVR remote access: viewing cameras or a network video recorder on a site without a fixed line, such as a building site, car park or rural yard
• Telemetry and IoT: meters, sensors, pumps and control equipment that a central system polls or updates; see IoT SIM cards
• Payment terminals and EPOS: card machines and tills on mobile data, where the payment or EPOS provider expects traffic from known addresses or over a private connection
• Remote management: engineers logging in to routers, firewalls, building controls and digital signage without a site visit
• Firewall allow-listing: cloud services, supplier portals and head office systems that only accept connections from approved IP addresses
• Lift alarms and lone worker devices: voice-enabled IoT SIMs with a private fixed IP, for equipment moving off traditional phone lines

Fixed IP SIMs also help on new premises and temporary sites. A router with a fixed IP SIM can give a site office, pop-up shop or event a working connection with a known address while a fixed line or leased line is installed, and then stay on as the backup.

Fixed IP data SIMs we can supply

We can supply fixed IP data SIMs for a range of devices. The options include:

• Multi-network fixed IP SIMs: SIMs that can use more than one UK network and look for another network if the signal on one is lost, with private APNs and static IPs, data from very small IoT bundles up to large allowances, and roaming options for devices that work abroad
• Fixed IP SIMs for 4G and 5G routers: with static IPs available, for failover, small offices, pop-up sites and temporary connections while a fixed line is installed; we can supply the SIM and router together where you need the hardware as well
• Voice-enabled IoT SIMs: data, voice over 4G (VoLTE) and SMS, with IMEI locking and a private static IP, for lift alarms and lone worker devices
• A range of technologies: 4G, 5G and the low-power IoT technologies LTE-M and NB-IoT, to match what each device supports

IMEI locking ties a SIM to the device it was issued for, identified by the device's IMEI number, so the SIM cannot simply be moved into something else. A multi-network SIM helps devices in places where coverage varies, such as vehicles or equipment in rural locations; our page on what a multi SIM is explains how multi-network SIMs differ from the other meanings of the term.

Because these SIMs are chosen for how the device is reached rather than for a phone plan, we match them to the device, its location and how you need to connect to it. The network options, addressing, data and term for your SIMs are confirmed at quote.

Security and set-up

A fixed IP makes a device easier to find, for you and for anyone else. A few points help keep it safe:

• Go private where you can: a private APN keeps devices off the public internet, so only your systems can reach them
• Firewall a public IP: open only the ports you need, and restrict them to known addresses where possible
• Use a VPN for remote access: rather than exposing a camera's or router's own log-in page to the internet
• Change default passwords and update firmware: on routers, cameras, NVRs and IoT devices before they go live
• Lock SIMs to devices: IMEI locking, where available, stops a SIM being used in a different device
• Set caps and alerts: so a misconfigured or compromised device cannot run up unexpected data use

Check that each device lets you enter the APN and any user name or password the SIM needs. Business routers usually do, but confirm it before you buy hardware. Our sister site covers business mobile broadband and 5G routers if you need the hardware too.

How to get a static IP SIM

1. List the devices: what they are, how many, where they are and roughly how much data each one moves.
2. Decide how they will be reached: from anywhere on the internet (a public fixed IP) or only from your own network (a private APN).
3. Check the hardware: each device needs to support the network technology (4G, 5G, LTE-M or NB-IoT) and let you set the APN.
4. Check coverage where the devices sit, or consider a multi-network SIM where coverage varies.
5. If you choose a private APN, plan the link from your network to it, such as a VPN from your firewall or data centre.
6. Contact us with the list, and we will confirm the SIMs, addressing and terms at quote.

How we help

Fixed IP connectivity sits between mobile and networking, and we can help with both sides:

• Match the SIM to the job: public or private addressing, single or multi-network, data size and technology for each device
• Check your hardware: whether your routers, cameras and devices support the SIM and its APN settings
• Plan the network side: firewall rules, allow-lists and VPNs, so the fixed IP does what you need
• Supply alongside your other lines: fixed IP data SIMs as well as phone SIMs, data only SIMs and IoT SIM cards on one relationship
• Keep records: which fixed IP belongs to which SIM and device, so changes and replacements are straightforward

What we can supply, and on what terms, is confirmed at quote. Contact us with what you need to connect and how you need to reach it, and we can suggest where to start.