Telus recently launched an IoT Shop for small enterprises and developers to easily purchase IoT connectivity for product development and equipment testing.
Traditional IoT connectivity needs businesses to meet a volume requirement. In order to qualify, the buyer must pass through a number of requirements including credit checks and other background checks. It makes it difficult for smaller businesses to test and deploy a small number of equipment.
In a stop-by shopping fashion, the Telus IoT Shop does not require a Telus business account and is available for everyone to purchase IoT data. Based on Telus’ 4G LTE and LTE-M network, users can purchase between 100MB to 40GB of shared data across multiple SIM cards. The plans renew on a 30-day cycle or when the data pool depletes. Data cost ranges between $30 a month to $775 a month.
“For Canadian businesses innovating in the IoT space, direct access to reliable cellular connectivity is crucial,” said Michael Cihra, vice-president of Telus IoT, in a prepared statement last month. “The IoT shop was built based on customer feedback to ensure that the user experience, management tools, and services meet the demands of the innovators that are shaping Canada’s growing IoT system.”
Up to 100 SIM cards can be purchased in bulk, with the first three being free with the subscription. A list of certified equipment can be found on Telus’ website.
Currently, the service is only available in Canada, with plans to roll it out in the U.S. at a later date.
The new service complement Telus’ IoT services, which include vehicle fleet tracking, energy management, and other services.