Definition
Suspension (suspension) refers to the SIM card entering a suspended state, during which the device loses network connectivity and cannot perform data communication. It is commonly seen in scenarios such as overdue payments, Quota exhaustion, temporary deactivation, and risk control. It can be reactivated through the Resume operation, and is an intermediate state in the Card Lifecycle. In the International IoT Cloud Platform (ICMP), Suspension is an important control method for connection management, used for cost control and risk prevention.
Working Principle
The platform triggers Suspension based on policies: for example, when usage reaches the Quota limit, bills are overdue, Fair Usage Policy is violated, or via manual operations. The Suspension command is issued to HLR/HSS through the operator's BSS or OTA, and the network side rejects the SIM's attachment and data services. The platform can configure automatic recovery conditions (such as successful recharge, Quota reset) or require manual Resume. Combined with Event Subscription, Suspension events can be pushed to the customer system, supporting automated processing and alerts.
Use Cases
Typical scenarios include: Service suspension due to unpaid bills — triggered automatically when the bill is overdue, restored after top-up; Usage control — suspension when Quota is exhausted or Overage is exceeded, preventing abnormal billing; Temporary deactivation — manual suspension during equipment idle periods or project pauses to reduce useless consumption; Risk control and compliance — suspension triggered by abnormal roaming or abuse detection, in coordination with Roaming Policy and Audit Trail. In cross-border scenarios, suspension can take effect for specific countries or PLMN, achieving fine-grained control.
Practice in ICMP
SimtoLink ICMP supports multiple suspension triggering methods: automatic (due to unpaid bills or Quota exhaustion), manual (via Global Dashboard or RESTful API), and batch (applied by device group or customer batch operations). Supports resume recovery, with configurable automatic recovery rules. Combined with Event Subscription, suspension/resume events can be pushed to customer systems, supporting automated operations. The platform displays the number and distribution of suspended devices in a Single Pane of Glass view, and, combined with Usage Analytics, analyzes suspension reasons to optimize Quota and billing strategies.