Particle Launches EtherSIM, with Completely Free Global Cellular Connectivity for Up to 100 Devices

Particle has announced EtherSIM, its next-generation cellular IoT connectivity platform — and it's promising global availability with no monthly data plans or device fees, as well as completely free access for users with fewer than 100 devices.

"Over time, our cellular platform has become increasingly popular," Particle's Zach Supalla explains. "The biggest reason for this is that cellular connectivity 'just works.' Wi-Fi devices have to be connected to the network by the user, which creates a lot of customer onboarding friction and often low connectivity rates (a lot of Wi-Fi devices never come online). In most environments, cellular connectivity is ever-present; give it power and your machine, appliance, or device is immediately online."

"The biggest barriers to cellular connectivity for IoT these days are two: It’s more expensive, [and] global cellular coverage is fragmented and complex to navigate. When barriers remain, our work is not done. Today we’re excited to announce our next-generation cellular IoT platform, powered by EtherSIM."

Designed to solve those problems - and, with automatic cloud connectivity management and security-hardened over-the-air (OTA) update functionality, more — Particle EtherSIM is tied into the company's EtherLink cloud connectivity and communications protocol. The company has already launched the first compatible hardware devices, alongside an upgrade path for earlier Particle cellular products.

At the same time, Particle has announced that its cellular IoT platform has a new pricing model offering a free plan for up to 100 devices and 100,000 data operations per month, including cellular data. "Existing customers who fall into our free plan will no longer be billed for monthly service," Supalla confirms, "effective immediately."

More information on the launch, along with the company's upgraded asset tracking platform, can be found on the Particle website.