Soracom Frequently Asked Questions
What is Soracom?
Soracom is a cloud-native cellular connectivity provider built specifically for IoT.
Soracom provides global IoT SIM cards and multi-carrier cellular connectivity that allow devices to securely transmit data from the field to cloud or on-premises systems. In addition to connectivity, Soracom includes a full Connectivity Management Platform for controlling SIM lifecycle, monitoring usage, automating workflows, and securely routing data.
This allows teams to deploy cellular-connected devices anywhere in the world and manage them from a single console without relying on carrier-managed tooling.
Learn more about Cellular Connectivity, IoT SIM options, and the User Console.
How is Soracom different from traditional cellular providers or IoT MVNOs?
Soracom provides connectivity plus a cloud-native telecom platform — not just data plans.
Traditional carriers typically sell bandwidth and require hardware-based networking setups such as Private APNs. Soracom operates a fully virtualized cellular core built on AWS infrastructure, allowing networking and routing functions to be delivered through software.
This enables features such as multi-carrier and multi-IMSI IoT SIM support, programmable APIs, and software-defined traffic control.
Instead of provisioning a traditional Private APN, teams can use Virtual Private Gateway (VPG) to create private, software-defined routing between devices and cloud or on-prem environments. This keeps traffic off the public internet while remaining flexible and scalable.
Do I need a Private APN to build a secure IoT network?
No. Soracom provides private networking without requiring a traditional Private APN.
Using Virtual Private Gateway (VPG), you can create private, virtual routing between devices and your cloud or data center. This approach eliminates long provisioning cycles and fixed carrier configurations while maintaining isolation from the public internet.
Additional options such as Canal (AWS VPC peering) and Door (dedicated connectivity) extend private networking further.
What is an IoT SIM, and how is it different?
An IoT SIM is designed for connected devices that operate unattended and at scale.
Soracom IoT SIMs support multi-carrier and multi-IMSI configurations, allowing devices to connect across regions and networks without swapping SIM cards. They are optimized for long device lifecycles, remote provisioning, and centralized management.
Learn more about Global IoT SIM and eSIM options.
How does Soracom pricing work?
Soracom offers flexible pricing models based on your deployment needs.
Options include pay-as-you-go, monthly fixed plans, pooled data plans, and pre-paid models. Plans are designed to align with how devices actually consume data.
All pricing includes access to the User Console for SIM management, usage visibility, and automation tools.
How does Soracom integrate with AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud?
Soracom provides direct integration with major cloud platforms.
Services like Funnel, Funk, Beam, and Flux allow device data to be securely routed into cloud services without embedding complex SDKs in firmware.
This reduces device complexity and accelerates integration with analytics and AI systems.
How does Soracom secure device traffic?
Soracom supports multiple layers of network security.
Options include private routing via VPG, encrypted traffic handling with Beam, access control policies, and destination filtering to limit where devices can transmit data.
This helps reduce attack surface and keep infrastructure systems isolated.
Can Soracom support deployments of 100,000+ devices?
Yes. Soracom is built for production-scale IoT deployments.
Capabilities such as group management, API automation, pooled billing, and private networking enable consistent control across large fleets.
Enterprise features like Multitenancy and Billing support downstream account management and cost allocation.
How can Soracom accelerate IoT development?
Soracom reduces the amount of infrastructure you need to build.
Services such as Harvest for data storage, Lagoon for dashboards, Remote Command for device access, and Event Handler for automation help teams prototype and scale faster.
Where can I find developer documentation?
The Soracom Developer Site provides complete technical documentation.
Visit developers.soracom.io for getting started guides, API references, configuration examples, and architecture documentation.