Over the course of your device's lifespan, there will be times when you need to take actions that affect the way it operates. The SIMs in your devices are the heartbeat of your IoT solution. You can monitor and control the state of each SIM using AerPort or the AerAdmin API.
In this article:
Understanding SIM States
The services accessible to a device depend on the state of its SIM. If the device's SIM is inactive, the device will not be able to connect to the Aeris network or use data or SMS services. But if the SIM is in one of the active states, it can use the Aeris network to send or receive data or SMS.
A SIM can be in one of five states.
- Assigned and Canceled are the two inactive states.
- Provisioned, Active-billed, and Suspended are the active states.
Five SIM States
|
State |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Assigned |
The state in which you receive your SIM cards. A SIM is unknown to the Aeris network. As such, it is not enabled to transmit or receive data or SMS on the network. |
|
Provisioned |
The SIM is registered (or provisioned or activated) on the Aeris network and can transmit or be reached through the Aeris network services (SMS and data). However, its usage is not billed (see the state transition table below). |
|
Active-billed |
The SIM can transmit or be reached through the Aeris network services. A monthly access fee to the Aeris network is charged. Usage is billed or deducted from the included amount of data. |
|
Suspended |
The SIM is still registered on the Aeris network, but is considered to be "at rest." When the SIM is moved to the suspended state, a one-time suspension fee applies, but no subsequent monthly access fee is charged. The SIM is still able to pass traffic, i.e. transmit or receive data or SMS (see the state transition table). |
|
Canceled |
The SIM is no longer registered on the Aeris network and cannot transmit or be reached through the Aeris network services. |
State Transitions and Triggers
A device can transition to a different state either manually or automatically.
- Manual triggers: You can move one or many of your SIM cards to different states manually in AerPort, or by programming an application to do so using the AerAdmin API.
- Automatic triggers: A SIM can move to a different state when a predefined event occurs (such as reaching a usage threshold).
The following table illustrates what automatic triggers might look like. The actual triggers for your account are specified in the rate plan(s) configured for your account.
|
Sample Trigger for Provisioned Devices |
Provision |
Sample Trigger for Suspended Devices |
Suspend |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Duration set to 6 Months |
After more than 6 Months, a Provisioned SIM moves to Active-Billed. |
Duration set to 6 Months |
After more than 6 Months, a Suspended SIM moves to Active-Billed. |
|
Packet Threshold set to 5 KB |
After more than 5 KB is transmitted, a Provisioned SIM moves to Active-Billed. |
Packet Threshold set to 0 KB |
After any data is transmitted, a Suspended SIM moves to Active-Billed. |
|
SMS Threshold (Count) set to 2 |
After more than 2 SMS messages, a Provisioned SIM moves to Active-Billed. |
SMS Threshold (Count) set to 0 |
After even just 1 SMS message, a Suspended SIM moves to Active-Billed. |
|
Voice Threshold (Mins) set to 0 |
After any voice usage, a Provisioned SIM moves to Active-Billed. |
Voice Threshold (Mins) set to 0 |
After any voice usage, a Suspended SIM moves to Active-Billed. |
|
Traffic Days set to 5 Days |
After more than 5 days of active traffic, a Provisioned SIM moves to Active-Billed. |
Traffic Days set to 0 Days |
After the first day of traffic, a Suspended SIM moves to Active-Billed. |
Manually Changing the State of SIMs
You can change one or more of your SIMs to a different state using AerPort. Please note that changing the state of your device might incur monthly or one-time charges and might affect the availability of the device.
Editing a SIM's State
- Select Manage SIMs from the SIMs menu.
- Click the check box next to a SIM in the SIM list.
- Click the Actions menu and select Device status.
- Change the SIM's state by selecting the desired status from the drop-down menu.
- Click Save.
More Options for Editing SIMs
For additional options for editing one or more SIMs, see Edit SIMs for information.
You can also modify the state of your SIMs using the AerAdmin API. See AerAdmin API for information.
Manually Allowing or Blocking Traffic To or From SIMs
Another action you may take during a device's lifespan is to control the traffic that can flow to or from the device. For security reasons, it is a good idea to monitor the device's usage using the AerPort Dashboard or using AerPort's advanced Security features.
When you see that a device has unusual billing or usage, you can change the traffic policy for the device to Block data, SMS, or voice, or any combination of these.
Editing a SIM's Traffic Policy
- Select Manage SIMs from the SIMs menu.
- Click the check box next to a SIM in the SIM list.
- Click the Actions menu and select Traffic policy.
- Change the traffic policy by checking the boxes according to the type of traffic to
block. In the following example, the SIM does not have Voice enabled, so Block
voice is grayed out.
- Click Save.
- To unblock the traffic, simply uncheck the boxes, and click Save.
More Options for Editing Traffic Policies
For additional options for managing traffic to or from your SIMs, see Settings Tab for information.
You can also modify the traffic policy for your SIMs using the AerAdmin API. See AerAdmin API for information.
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