UK virtual mobile network operator Podsystem, which specialises in multi-network data SIM cards for machine-to-machine connections, is donating a number of its MultiNet Europe SIM cards to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. The move is part of Podsystem’s ‘SIMs for Charities’ initiative, which aims to encourage partnerships between tech companies and charities.

Podsystem is also providing mobile data services at cost price.

The RNLI will use the SIMs for the trial of a new type of pager that alerts the volunteer lifeboat crews when there is an emergency at sea. Although the pagers are designed to work via a VHF radio signal when in range of a local transmitter, the multi-network SIMs will provide an alternative connection when the pagers are out of radio range. In addition, the GPRS connection offered by each SIM will enable the crew member to send a confirmation message back to the lifeboat station.

Charles Towers-Clark, CEO of Podsystem, said “For many charities, mobile communication is vital for the efficient running of the organisation and the safety and well-being of staff out in the field. As well as donating the SIM cards for the mobile devices used by charities, as a company with 12 years of experience in the M2M sector, we realised that we can also use our buying power with the networks to achieve hugely discounted data rates and offer these at cost, enabling charities to greatly reduce their monthly costs in telecom services that would have otherwise been covered by donations. We are extremely pleased to make this donation to the RNLI and we invite other charities in all sectors to contact us if they would like to find out more.”

Podsystem’s MultiNet Europe SIMs are capable of connecting to every network in every European country, including the UK, offering much better coverage in remote areas than a single-network SIM.