Fleet Tracking SIMs: Multi-Network Steering for Better Coverage

The Challenge: Vehicles Move, Coverage Doesn’t

Fleet tracking has a fundamental connectivity challenge that static IoT deployments don’t face: your assets are constantly moving through different coverage environments.

A delivery van might start its day in central Manchester (excellent coverage from all networks), drive through the Peak District (patchy coverage, network-dependent), and end up at a rural farm (single-network coverage, if you’re lucky).

Teltonika Telematics produces excellent GPS trackers — the FMB920, FMC130, and FMC650 series are widely deployed across UK fleets. But even the best hardware can’t track a vehicle if the SIM inside it can’t connect.

Why Single-Network SIMs Fail

Many fleet operators start with single-network SIMs — usually whatever their existing mobile contract provides. This works until it doesn’t:

• Vehicle enters an area where that network has poor coverage
• Tracker goes offline
• Gap appears in tracking data
• If the vehicle stops in that dead zone, you lose visibility entirely

Multi-network SIMs help, but passive roaming creates its own problems. The SIM might stick to a weak network even when a stronger one is available. Or it might roam to an expensive network, running up unexpected costs.

Steered SIMs for Fleet: How It Works

SimpliWiFi’s steered multi-network SIMs give you control over which network each tracker uses — even while vehicles are moving.

Typical workflow:

1. Tracker reports location and signal data to your fleet platform
2. You notice a vehicle has weak signal or tracking gaps
3. From SimpliWiFi portal, you see it’s connected to Network A
4. You steer it to Network B — change takes effect within minutes
5. Signal improves, tracking gaps disappear

For fleets with regular routes, you can even identify which networks work best in which areas and create steering rules based on location data.

Compatibility with Teltonika Telematics

SimpliWiFi SIMs work in any device that accepts a standard SIM card. For Teltonika telematics specifically:

• FMB series (FMB920, FMB125, etc.): 2G/3G trackers — ideal for basic tracking where LTE isn’t essential
• FMC series (FMC130, FMC640, etc.): 4G LTE trackers — faster data transmission, lower latency
• FMx003 series: OBD-II plug-and-play trackers — perfect for quick deployment

The Teltonika Configurator handles device settings. Your fleet management platform handles location data. SimpliWiFi handles connectivity. Each layer does what it does best.

Cost Efficiency

Fleet tracking generates relatively small amounts of data — typically a few MB per vehicle per month for basic location updates. But costs can add up across large fleets, and unexpected roaming charges can blow budgets.

SimpliWiFi pricing is straightforward:

• SIM fee: From £1/month per SIM
• Data: £4.25/GB PAYG, or pooled data plans for larger fleets
• No roaming surprises: same price regardless of which UK network the SIM uses
• Bulk management: manage thousands of SIMs from a single portal

Beyond Tracking: In-Cab Connectivity

Modern fleets often need more than just tracking. Drivers need connectivity for route planning, delivery confirmation, and communication. Vehicles with dashcams need to upload footage.

For these use cases, consider pairing a Teltonika router (like the RUTX11 with its Wi-Fi capability) with SimpliWiFi’s Bondix bonding for maximum throughput and reliability.

The steered SIMs handle the connectivity layer; Bondix ensures seamless failover and aggregated bandwidth when you need more than a single connection can provide.

Getting Started

Adding SimpliWiFi SIMs to your Teltonika-based fleet is simple:

1. Order SIMs (we can pre-configure for your specific devices)
2. Insert into trackers
3. Configure APN settings (we provide all details)
4. Start tracking — and steering

For fleets switching from existing SIMs, we can help with migration planning to minimise downtime. View our IoT SIM plans to get started.