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An insurance telematics provider supports a large connected-vehicle fleet across multiple countries. It supplies devices and services to insurance companies, which provide a black-box device to policyholders, often young drivers seeking to reduce their insurance premiums.
The device monitors driving behavior, including speed, hard braking and acceleration, cornering, mileage, time of travel, and location. These inputs contribute to a driver risk score. The device also includes an SOS button that can place a call in the event of a collision.
As vehicles move between cities, rural areas, and across international borders, cellular connectivity is essential. A single-network SIM, however, creates a coverage risk: service varies by location and operator, and a device tied to one network may lose connectivity when a vehicle moves beyond that network’s strongest coverage.
Connectivity also needs to follow each device through its lifecycle. Devices may be tested before installation, activated when deployed, deactivated when a policy ends, returned to inventory, and reactivated when reused. Managing these steps manually across approximately 10,000 SIMs would create significant administrative work. The provider needed API access to integrate connectivity management into its own systems and processes.
The business needed to:
- Improve connectivity as vehicles travel across countries without relying on one operator’s coverage.
- Activate and deactivate SIMs as devices move through testing, deployment, return, and reuse.
- Manage connectivity at scale through API integration rather than manual SIM-by-SIM administration.
Solution
Cellhire provided unsteered multi-network IoT SIM cards for a deployment of approximately 10,000 devices. The solution gave devices access to multiple mobile networks and allowed them to use available coverage as vehicles moved across countries. Permanent roaming supported connectivity across the region without tying devices to a single preferred network.
Cellhire also provided control over connectivity throughout each device’s lifecycle:
- Multi-network, unsteered connectivity with permanent roaming, allowing devices to use available supported networks as vehicles travel internationally.
- On-demand SIM activation and deactivation, so a device can be connected and tested before deployment, remain active while a policy is in force, and be switched off when returned before later reactivation.
- API-based connectivity management, enabling activation, deactivation, and reactivation to be integrated into the customer’s operational systems instead of handled manually.
This approach helps the provider manage a large, changing pool of devices without keeping every SIM active by default.
Cellhire has experts who understand our industry, our operational logistics, and the importance of real-time information. Importantly, pricing doesn’t have to be complicated - it was explained clearly, so I know we have the right setup for our solution.
Technical Director, Telematics ProviderResult
- Greater operational flexibility: Devices can be tested before deployment, with connectivity enabled or disabled as needed at each stage.
- Simpler management of returned devices: When a policy ends and a device is returned, its SIM can be deactivated and then reactivated when the device is redeployed.
- Less manual administration: API-driven SIM controls reduce repetitive work across a large device estate.
- Less dependence on a single network: Multi-network connectivity can improve resilience as vehicles move between different coverage areas across borders.
- Easier troubleshooting: The provider can use its management tools to check connectivity and investigate issues.
- A scalable operating model: Multi-network connectivity, flexible SIM controls, and API access support a device estate that changes in size and composition.