Draft:1NCE

• Comment: Subject seems notable enough, but several pharagraphs and sections go without references. NeoGaze (talk) 19:38, 20 March 2026 (UTC)

1NCE is a global technology company that provides IoT software and connectivity services for the Internet of Things (IoT). Headquartered in Cologne, Germany, the company operates a virtual cloud-based network^[1] specializing in low-bandwidth IoT applications and a software platform called 1NCE OS.^[2] It is known for introducing a simple upfront payment pricing model, the "IoT Lifetime Flat". Key shareholders of the company are the CEO and founder Alexander P. Sator, Deutsche Telekom AG,^[3] Softbank,^[4] and private equity firms such as I Squared Capital ^[5] or Kensington Partners. The company as has raised 160 million Euro in funding since its foundation in 2017.^[6]

1NCE offers cellular connectivity and software solutions designed for IoT devices, utilizing an upfront payment business model described as a "lifetime flat." This model provides devices with connectivity for a fixed period (10 years) for a one-time fee.^{[7] [better source needed ]}

The company's platform is cloud-native and integrates with major cloud service providers such as AWS.^[8] Device connectivity and data management can be handled via a self-serve platform or through APIs. 1NCE uses the radio networks of its partners to provide global coverage and data delivery from devices to the cloud.^{[citation needed ]}

1NCE was founded in 2017 in Cologne, Germany. The company began commercial operations in 2018, introducing a flat rate model for connected devices, referred to as the "Lifetime Flat". The announcement of the new offering was made at MWC 2018 in Barcelona together with Deutsche Telekom as its partner and investor.^[9] The offering provided long-term cellular connectivity for a fixed fee per device, primarily targeting low-bandwidth and low-power IoT deployments.^{[citation needed ]}

Between 2019 and 2020, 1NCE continuously expanded its coverage across Europe and established an engineering center in Riga, Latvia.^[10]

In 2021, 1NCE covered 100 countries and announced cooperation with Amazon Web Services (AWS) for cloud integration.^[11]

In 2022, the company established regional operations in the United States, choosing Miami as its US headquarters.^[12] In the same year 1NCE expanded into Asia together with SoftBank acting as it exclusive sales and marketing agent. That same year, SoftBank acquired an equity stake in 1NCE. The investment of SoftBank was part of a larger Series B financing round totaling 50ドル million. Other new Series B investors were I Squared Capital and Kensington Partners.^[13] SoftBank Group joined as a strategic investor to expand into the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. 1NCE also further increased it coverage, especially its Narrowband IoT access.^[14]

In 2023, 1NCE introduced 1NCE OS, an integrated IoT software platform for IoT architects, which included device authentication, protocol integration, remote diagnostics, network-based positioning, and energy optimization tools.^[15]

In 2024, 1NCE launched their services in Latin America by expanding its IoT services to Brazil, supported by the local network operator Claro.^[16] Also, in the same year the company announced the introduction of a high data offering^[17] and its Plugin program, which marks a strategic move of 1NCE away from only providing services for low-data IoT applications but now starting to diversify both its connectivity and software offering. The Plugin program enables third party software providers to seamlessly integrate into the 1NCE OS platform.^[18] The company so far mentions four plugin providers.^[19]

In the second half of 2025 and early 2026 1NCE reported further product launches, such as 1NCE Insights, a data analytics program combining aggregated network data with artificial intelligence tools, 1NCE Fixers, technical support for integrating hardware, software, and connectivity components in IoT deployments or a device location feature called Whereabouts, which uses cell tower-based positioning and geofencing as an alternative to GPS tracking.^{[citation needed ]}

By the end of 2025, 1NCE announced it is now supporting 40 million of connected devices in total for more than 30,000 customers.^[20]

1NCE operates an upfront payment business-to-business (B2B) model under the product name 1NCE IoT Lifetime Flat. The core offering consists of connectivity and software components.

1NCE Connect provides cellular connectivity services for a period of ten years and includes 500 MB of data and 250 SMS per SIM card. The service also offers global coverage via roaming agreements in more than 170 countries, API access and APN configuration, VPN options, IMEI lock functionality, data streaming services, and configurable usage limits.

1NCE OS is a cloud-based IoT software layer included in the standard package. It provides cloud integration services, device locator functionality, energy-saving features, device authentication, device inspection and monitoring capabilities, software development kits (SDKs) with accompanying documentation, LwM2M device management services, and administrative logging tools.

1NCE offers different SIM form factors, including standard business SIM cards, industrial-grade SIMs, and embedded chip (eUICC) solutions. The company states that no minimum order quantity is required.

There are also optional add-ons and extensions which include features and tools like data extensions, location-based services, third-party integrations capability, IPsec or VPC peering, additional data, and more.

1NCE operates a cloud-based, software-defined core network. The company’s infrastructure is designed as a cloud-native architecture rather than a traditional hardware-based telecommunications core network. The 1NCE OS platform provides middleware functions that translate IoT communication protocols (e.g., UDP or CoAP) into cloud-compatible formats (e.g., MQTT or HTTPS).

1NCE maintains partnerships with telecommunications operators and technology companies to support global coverage and service integration. These include:

• Deutsche Telekom, providing access to radio networks^[21]
• SoftBank, acting as an investor and distribution partner in APAC^[22]
• Amazon Web Services (AWS), with marketplace integration and cloud collaboration^[23]
• Claro Brazil^[24]