Where to buy an NB-IoT SIM card in the UK

[Smythey]

I am trying to buy an NB-IoT SIM card in the UK as the LTE-M SIM included with my Thingy:91 does not work here. I know that Vodafone supposedly run the NB-IoT network here but I am not sure what to buy and where to buy it.I spoke to Vodafone helpdesk today but they didn't know what I was talking about.

Has anybody in the London area of the UK managed to connect a Thingy:91? If so, I'd appreciate the details.

[ovrebekk]

Hi Steve

Apparently Vodafone has some kind of "trial pack" to get started with IoT. 

It seems Vodafone require you to whitelist the IP addresses you want to use, which is a bit challenging when running nRFCloud through AWS. 

One possible option is to provide some known AWS addresses to Vodafone and use one of those, or to set up your own server with a known IP from where you can forward the data to AWS. 

I will inquire internally if we have some contact in Vodafone that can provide more information about this. 

Best regards
Torbjørn

[Smythey]

I have eventually got hold of the IoT people in Vodafone.It took a whole week for them to ring me back.

They told me that it would cost £200-£300 per month to have access to a developer's NB-IoT solution.

All I want is an NB-IoT SIM with some data, like the iBasis provides.

Please can you contact Vodafone to see if this is possible? Otherwise, I don't think that you should be selling the Nordic Thingy:91 in the UK as nobody will be able to use it.

[Smythey]

More details of my troubles are here. Bjørn Kvaale suggested that "a Nordic tech support engineer should be able to put you in contact with your local Regional Sales Manager, who may have more info regarding a roadmap for LTE-M1 support around the London area."

[ovrebekk]

Hi Steve

I will PM you the contact information if you are interested in following this up directly with our UK sales representative. 

Best regards
Torbjørn

[Cazpian]

Is there any movement on @Smthey's request please @ovrebekk ? The nF91x is drawing a lot of attention in the UK market but there are very few people who have managed to get the DK's operational and that isn't good for business. I understand that the UK are way behind on the rollout of both LTE-M and NB-Iot however if the providers (Vodafone & O2) want buy-in from small start-ups and other businesses, we need support from manufacturers such as yours who can effectively lobby these providers to see sense and allow the little guys to play in the same sandpit!

Note: 02 appear to be rolling out LTE-M1 networks across the country this year and I have contacted them for more information about this. I'll report back if I get a reply ( https://www.o2.co.uk/business/iot/connectivity ) but looking at their Smart Connect plans, this isn't aimed at the little guy working out of a shed. They're looking for large scale partners in logistics to prove out the technology before making available for us basement fiddlers and start-ups. The ridiculous thing about this policy is that it stifles creativity and the progression of the very technology that they are trying to grow and propagate. It is counter-intuitive at best and Nordic Semiconductor really needs to reach out to these two providers and try to change their current thinking and strategy, after all ... this kind of thinking probably doesn't happen on the continent!