FAQ
General Topics
Who is Freeeway AG?
Freeeway AG is a global mobile connectivity provider to the IoT / M2M industry. We act an Mobile Virtual Network Provider, aggregating different international MNOs. All our MNO partners are integrated to our Connectivity Management Platform where we offer seamless pricing structures, management and control as well as diagnostics across MNO boarder.
Today we support about 450.000 connections worldwide in various industries, such as Transport & Logistics, Fleet Management, Industry 4.0, Healthcare, Connected Consumer Devices, Media, etc.
As we see the IoT industry facing increasing pressure to monetize IoT use cases, we expand our connectivity solutions with subscription management capabilities. We are at the forefront to help IoT solutions providers to create a recurring revenue stream with their IoT products and services.
IoT SIM cards
What kind of IoT SIM cards do you provide and can I select what I need?
We can supply you with every conceivable form factor and address any specific use case requirements.
- Traditional and Business-level M2M SIM card
- M2M SIM cards of Industrial grade
- M2M SIM cards suitable for Automotive and Aviation sectors
Including form factors like:
- 2ff, 3ff, 4ff, MFF2 – SMT assembly SIM chips
- Operating temperature ranges from -25°C to +105°C
- Lifespans of 15 years or more
Maximum of 10 million read/write cycles at the highest temperature
How do I get IoT SIM cards?
Getting started with Freeeway you may order SIM cards of your choice – contact us for a customized offer or in case you want to learn more about us.
Do I need to setup an APN?
Yes, you need to setup a new APN to connect our M2M SIM cards to the mobile network.
Our APN settings are:
Available APN: iot.secure, agora.iot
User settings: Username: (empty) Password: (empty)
Do I have to activate data-roaming in my device?
To make our IoT sim cards work properly you should turn on the data roaming functionality. This will not be required on all kinds of devices. But to be sure, please check your device manual or your AT-commands.
What kind of telecom standards do your IoT SIM cards support?
Our globally operational M2M SIM cards currently provide access to 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G-LTE technologies, adhering to 3GPP standards. This is subject to local network coverage and availability. Future support for new technologies such as 5G, NB-IoT (narrow band), and LTE-catM1 is being considered, contingent upon local network conditions. We also support CSD – Circuit Switched Data.
How is your network coverage?
As an independent MVNO (mobile virtual network operator), we offer access to hundreds of networks in nearly every country around the world. If you want to have our roaming partner list please contact us.
We support 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, NB-IoT, and LTE-M coverage in over 190 countries in more than 680 networks.
How does billing work?
We provide monthly billing cycles for our post-paid data plans, and for our prepaid options, we offer both monthly and annual subscriptions. Payment methods such as credit cards, PayPal, SEPA, and invoices are accepted, depending on the specific product you choose.
Our range of data plans is diverse. Options include pay-as-you-go pricing per MB, data pools, and fixed data bundles. Additionally, you have the possibility to combine data with SMS and limited voice features for IoT and M2M devices.
How can I manage / control my IoT SIM cards?
With our Connectivity Management Platform you have full control over your entire IoT SIM portfolio. You can change SIM status, price-plans, deactivate an IoT SIM card and have multiple data available to diagnose each individual connection.
IoT eSIM
What is an eSIM?
An eSIM or in the GSMA referred as eUICC that enables to program different SIM profiles over-the-air and hence, swap the mobile network provider. You can choose one telecom operator today, and may move your entire SIM base to another tomorrow, without the need to change physical SIM cards.
Can I swap my legacy SIM to an eSIM?
Unfortunately, this is not possible. Even though the form-factors of both SIM types are the same, they have different operating systems running on them. You cannot update a legacy SIM over-the-air with a new SIM profile.
Can I choose a network profile on my eSIM?
No, you cannot. You need to work with an connectivity aggregator like Freeeway who puts together a pool of different mobile network profiles to choose from.
What is the difference between Consumer and IoT eSIM standards?
The consumer eSIM standard is designed for personal devices like smartphones, tablets, and laptops, where the eSIM profile download is started by the user themselves. On the other hand, the IoT eSIM standard caters to IoT devices, with its most prevalent use in the automotive sector. For IoT eSIMs, the profile download is initiated by the IoT device itself and occurs through over-the-air methods.
What is a bootstrap provider?
When you equip an IoT device with a eSIM, it needs to be able to access any mobile network when it starts for the very first time. The mobile network provider that is used in this case, is referred as the boostrap provider in an eSIM context.
Connectivity Management
What is a Connectivity Management Platform?
IoT involves overseeing a vast array of connected devices, ranging from just a handful to thousands, depending on the use case and the nature of your business. As such, obtaining a detailed view of the connectivity status of each device becomes a challenge. A Connectivity Management Platform (CMP) is a specialized application designed to allow you to control your entire SIM card portfolio from a single, centralized location. It provides you with the ability to see where and when a device connects, offering comprehensive insights to diagnose and understand the root causes of any issues that arise.
How does this work when I am using SIM cards from various mobile operators?
Freeeway boasts numerous partnerships with mobile operators, all of which are seamlessly integrated into our Connectivity Management Platform. This integration offers you a unified view of your entire SIM portfolio, streamlined billing, and consistent support that transcends the boundaries of individual mobile operators when you utilize Freeeway’s connectivity solutions.
How can I prevent an IoT SIM card from generating excessive costs?
Connectivity costs are a defining factor for every IoT use case. Usually, mobile data consumptions are quite foreseeable depending on the use case. However, you can set automation rules that monitor the monthly data consumption and derive actions in case those are exceeded. Actions may be that you receive a notification, block the SIM card, or even move it to a different tariff. However, you can do way more with our platform to fully automate your connectivity management.
Freeeway also offers additional measures to enhance your security and prevent misuse, such as VPN, Open VPN and IMEI Locking.
For further information you may refer to our security section.
What price plans are made available on the platform?
Freeeway customizes pricing plans to suit your specific IoT scenarios. Based on our commercial arrangement, we configure your bespoke pricing plans within our Connectivity Management Platform. Should there be several agreed-upon pricing plans, we designate one as the default. This default pricing plan is automatically applied to any IoT SIM card we dispatch to you. Moving forward, you have the flexibility to assign your chosen pricing plan to any IoT SIM card, either manually or via automation rules.
Mobile Device Management
What are the MDM features?
Devices working with Freeeway IoT SIM cards are actionable for MDM software. Below are the MDM features of our IoT SIM cards:
- Restriction of access
- Whitelist your apps
- Mapping the hierarchy
- Moving devices
- Roll out several companies
- Administration of the users
- Custom password policies
- Policy templates & cloning
- Audit log
- Managed configuration
With which devices is the MDM solution compatible?
Our MDM solution works with Android enabled IoT devices, tablets and other Android powered devices.
When shall I use a MDM solution?
You should use MDM (Mobile Device Management) whenever your goal is to enhance the security of the device to ensure that the end-user is limited to specific actions, such as installing only approved applications or accessing only certain content pages on the internet.
Device & Network Security
When do I need a VPN?
If you want your devices to access only your Applications, you should use a VPN connection from the network to your datacenter. Depending on how the VPN tunnel is configured, advanced encryption methods can be utilized to protect your user data.
What is the benefit of MPLS or Leased Lines?
MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) networks are specialized private data networks facilitating data exchange between multiple devices. The key advantage of MPLS networks lies in their use of point-to-point connections, ensuring that user data is not transmitted over the public internet.
Moreover, numerous public and private data centers are integrated into MPLS networks. Therefore, if your application is hosted on a public cloud, you can utilize MPLS for a secure linkage between your devices and applications. Connections via MPLS to public cloud services like AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, and others tend to be more reliable and stronger than those established through VPN. For such configurations, MPLS connections are recommended.
Who is Freeeway’s MPLS partner?
Freeeeway partners with Console Connect.
What is an IMEI?
IMEI stands for International Mobile Equipment Identification and is a unique identifier of every device using a wireless module.
How do I bind the SIM and Device when using IMEI Lock?
For each SIM Card, we determine if the IMEI lock feature is enabled. There are two methods available for associating the SIM with the device’s IMEI:
- Upon the device’s initial activation, the transmitted IMEI is recorded and secured.
- You have the option to submit IMEI-ICCID pairing information during the staging phase, which is then uploaded to our platform.
IoT Monetization
Which payment methods do you support?
The IoT Monetization Hub is currently integrated supporting credit card payments with Visa and Mastercard as well as PayPal.
Can I have my own Payment Provider integrated?
Certainly, we have the capability to seamlessly incorporate your chosen payment provider into the IoT Monetization Hub. If you currently manage your own application and offer payment services within it, you can integrate subscription and connectivity management through APIs, leveraging the complete range of functionalities offered by the IoT Monetization Hub.
Why is the KYC Process needed?
The KYC (Know Your Customer) process is necessary because when providing telecommunication services, it’s mandatory to authenticate the identity of each SIM card holder, including those utilizing prepaid service models, since 2019. These regulations vary from country to country and are currently enforced in several European nations, including:
Albania, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Macedonia, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Ukraine.
Which KYC methods are valid?
In case you are operating a point of presence, you can verify your customers identity when they are in your shop. However, in case you offer your price plans online, the following methods are valid: Photo-, Video-, and Bank-Identity.
Am I free to define my own subscription models?
Certainly, if you’re utilizing Freeeway’s IoT Monetization Hub, you have the flexibility to define multiple subscription plans according to your specific needs. You can operate within a pre-defined set of parameters such as tiers, validity terms, limit types (including device, SIM card, and mobile data usage), as well as incorporate one-time fees, and more.
What is the validity term of a subscription?
The validity term specifies the duration during which the subscription remains active from the date of purchase.
You have the flexibility to choose any validity term for a subscription, with monthly and annual terms being the most common. For instance, if you aim to encourage the purchase of annual subscriptions, you can offer a discount compared to the monthly payment option for the same subscriptions within the system.
How do you price the IoT Monetization Hub?
The IoT Monetization Hub operates on a Software as a Service (SaaS) model, featuring a fixed monthly fee along with a revenue share agreement for all transactions processed through the platform.
Can the IoT Monetization Hub only be used in combination with Freeeway’s IoT Connectivity?
No, the IoT Monetization Hub is not limited to being used only with Freeeway’s IoT Connectivity. It can also function as a stand-alone application. However, for a comprehensive service experience and to benefit from time-to-market advantages, we are pleased to offer the IoT Monetization Hub alongside Freeeway IoT connectivity.
