Case study · Charging infrastructure

Blulinc keeps its charge points online with M2M from Netcom

Blulinc builds and manages charging infrastructure for businesses. Netcom Mobile delivers the connectivity behind those charge points: data-only M2M SIM cards in a single pool, with usage caps and multi-operator coverage for critical sites.

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Short answer

Charge points need a permanent data connection for payment, session logging, monitoring and firmware updates. Netcom Mobile provides Blulinc with data-only M2M SIM cards in a shared pool, with a cap per card, multi-operator coverage on outage-prone sites and one invoice for the entire fleet.

24/7: connection per charge point
1 pool: data volume across all cards
4: networks to choose from
1: invoice and dedicated contact

The challenge

A charge point that goes offline sells nothing

Without a connection the payment fails, no session data reaches the management platform, and a fault stays invisible until someone drives out to the site.

01

Spread across many locations

Charge points sit on car parks, business parks and rural sites. One network is not equally strong everywhere, so coverage has to be assessed per location instead of decided centrally.

02

Unpredictable data usage

One charge point sends very little, another pulls heavy firmware updates. Fixed bundles per card mean either overpaying or running over.

03

Risk of bill shock

A device that keeps transmitting after a fault can eat an entire monthly budget without a cap in place, long before anyone notices.

04

Management has to stay simple

Activating, blocking or replacing cards should not be a project. Technicians on site need a card that works without a helpdesk step in between.

The solution

Data-only M2M in a pool, on the right network per location

We start from the device, not from a subscription formula. Every charge point gets a data-only card, the volume comes out of a shared pool, and critical sites get multi-operator coverage.

Data-only SIM cards

No minutes or texts, data volume only. The rate follows the device profile instead of a user profile.

Shared data pool

All cards draw from the same volume. A charge point with a peak is offset by the cards that use little.

Cap per card

A usage cap per SIM limits the damage of a faulty or stuck device before the invoice runs up.

Multi-operator coverage

On outage-prone sites the card switches to another available network instead of staying offline.

One invoice per fleet

All cards on a single monthly invoice, with usage per card and per location so costs stay attributable.

Dedicated contact

Ordering, blocking or replacing cards goes through one contact with a direct number, no ticket queue.

Results

What this delivers in practice

The gain is predictability: uptime per charge point, a data cost that scales with the fleet, and management that takes minutes instead of days.

Charge points stay reachable

Payment, session logging and monitoring keep running, also on locations where one network is weaker.

No surprises on the invoice

Caps per card and pooling keep the monthly cost within a predictable band, even as the fleet grows.

New charge points live faster

Cards are activated up front and handed to the installer, so a charge point is online on the day it is mounted.

Cost per location visible

Usage and cost can be read per card and per site, which makes charging back to projects or customers straightforward.

Faults spotted sooner

A card that goes quiet or overshoots is a signal. Unusual data usage points to a problem before a user complains.

One contact for everything

M2M cards and the team's business mobile plans run through the same contact and the same contract.

Get started

View M2M rates or start an application

Check our IoT and M2M rates for charge points, devices and fleets, or book a call to discuss your situation.

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All prices excl. VAT. Monthly billing on one contract.

Use case in detail

What actually travels over the SIM card

A charge point is not a socket with a cable. It registers with a management platform, checks whether a user may charge, logs the session, reports the meter reading and receives updates. That runs over an OCPP connection that has to stay open permanently.

01Authorisation. A badge or app session is verified in real time. Without a connection a charge point cannot release power to anyone.
02Session and meter reading. Start, stop and consumed kilowatt-hours go to the platform, the basis for invoicing and charge-back.
03Monitoring and alarms. Status, errors and temperature come in without anyone having to look on site.
04Firmware updates. Periodically heavier traffic, exactly why pooling works better than a fixed bundle per card.
05Energy management. Charging power is adjusted to the capacity available on the site, which requires constant contact with the platform.

Also applies to

The same approach for other devices

What works for charge points works for any device that has to send small amounts of data reliably.

Vending and kiosks

Payment terminals and stock alerts on scattered locations.

Alarms and cameras

Back-up connection when the fixed line drops.

Trackers and vehicles

Position and driving data sent over multiple networks.

Metering and controls

Meters, sensors and building management with small but constant traffic.

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Frequently asked questions

Questions about M2M for charging infrastructure

Why not a regular mobile plan in a charge point?

A charge point does not need minutes or texts, only data. With an M2M SIM you pay for data volume only, share that volume across all charge points and set a cap per card. A mobile plan per charge point is more expensive and offers neither pooling nor caps.

What happens when one network fails on a location?

For critical sites we use multi-operator cards that switch automatically to another available network. Payment, monitoring and access keep working.

How do you prevent bill shock from a faulty device?

Every card gets a usage cap. When a device keeps transmitting, the card stops at the configured cap instead of running on. You see usage per card and per location.

Can charge points and mobile plans sit on one contract?

Yes. M2M cards, business mobile plans, fixed internet and satellite internet run on one contract with us, with one invoice and one dedicated contact.

Can I set up the same thing for my own devices?

Yes. The same approach works for charge points, vending, alarms, trackers, registers and metering equipment. We start with a short inventory of your devices and the expected data volume per device.