Lift SIM cards: multi-network 4G VoLTE SIMs for lift autodiallers Leave a comment

The Router Store supplies multi-network 4G VoLTE SIM cards for lift autodiallers and GSM gateways, for lift maintenance companies, installers, building owners and resellers across the UK. With the PSTN copper network closing on 31 January 2027 and the UK 2G networks starting to switch off in 2029, almost every lift emergency phone will soon depend on a SIM card. This guide explains what a lift SIM needs to do, what goes wrong with the SIMs many lifts run today, and how to move your lifts onto a SIM that will keep working. To talk about your lifts now, call 0300 124 6181 or email sales@routerstore.com.

Lift SIM cards from The Router Store at a glance

• Multi-network roaming: connects to the strongest available UK network at the lift, not a single operator.
• 4G VoLTE voice: for alarm calls on 4G as the UK 2G networks close.
• Voice and SMS: for the emergency call, the EN 81-28 three-day test call and SMS alerts.
• Built for low usage: M2M terms, so a SIM is not barred for making few calls and never runs out of credit mid-term.
• Compatibility checked first: tell us your autodialler or gateway model and we confirm it works before you order.
• Quoted for your estate: pricing based on the number of lifts and your renewal dates.
• UK team: a Leeds-based team with over 25 years in UK cellular and M2M connectivity.

Who our lift SIM cards are for

Lift maintenance and installation companies

You maintain hundreds or thousands of lifts, each with its own SIM, supplier and expiry date. You need SIMs that connect first time, renew without a site visit, and sit in one account rather than across several suppliers and a spreadsheet. We quote for whole estates, so you can bring your lift SIMs onto one supplier.

Building owners, facilities managers and housing providers

You are responsible for a working emergency phone in every passenger lift. If your lifts still use a phone line, or your maintainer has told you the SIM needs upgrading for 4G, we can supply SIMs direct and work with your lift contractor on the changeover.

Telecoms and IT resellers

Lift lines are one of the largest groups of analogue lines still to migrate before the PSTN switch-off. If your customers own buildings with lifts, lift SIMs are a straightforward add-on to the connectivity you already supply.

Why lift SIMs are changing now

Three network changes are hitting lift emergency phones at the same time.

• PSTN switch-off on 31 January 2027. Openreach withdraws analogue phone lines and Wholesale Line Rental across the UK. Any lift alarm still on a copper line needs a GSM or 4G autodialler and a SIM, or a digital line with battery backup.
• 3G has gone. All four UK networks have now switched off 3G. Lift gateways that used 3G for voice no longer have that option.
• 2G switch-off from 2029. EE starts switching off 2G from May 2029, O2 from summer 2029 and Vodafone during 2030. All UK 2G closes by 2033 at the latest. Most lift autodiallers still make their calls on 2G today.

There is also an earlier change many lift companies have missed. O2 has stopped letting non-O2 SIMs roam onto its 2G network. Lifts on older roaming SIMs that relied on O2 2G as a fallback can now fail to connect in weak signal areas. If your lift alarms report low signal, slow connections or failed test calls, this is a likely cause.

Problems we fix for lift companies

Most lift SIM problems are not complicated. They are expensive because each one can mean an engineer callout and a lift out of service.

• Expired SIMs and lapsed credit. A SIM that expires stops the emergency call and the three-day test call. We help you plan renewals across your estate so SIMs are replaced before they lapse.
• Single-network SIMs in poor signal shafts. A SIM locked to one network fails wherever that network does not reach. Our SIMs select the strongest available network.
• Old roaming SIMs that depend on 2G. We supply SIMs that support 4G VoLTE, so your lifts are not relying on networks that are closing.
• Too many suppliers. Consolidate SIMs bought with different alarm brands and from different providers onto one account and one renewal cycle.

How it works

• Tell us about your lifts. Number of lifts, alarm make and model, current SIM supplier and renewal dates, and site postcodes.
• We check compatibility and coverage. We confirm your gateways support VoLTE and that our networks reach your sites.
• Order your SIMs. We supply the SIMs for your lifts once compatibility and coverage are confirmed.
• Activate and install. Fit the SIM at the next service visit or as part of your PSTN migration, then confirm the test call reaches your rescue centre.
• Renew on time. Keep every SIM on a known renewal date so nothing lapses between service visits.

Replacing or renewing an existing lift SIM

If your current lift SIM is due for renewal, that is the cheapest moment to switch. Your engineer is already planning the work, and you avoid paying to renew a SIM that may not support 4G VoLTE. Tell us the make and model of your lift alarm hardware and we will confirm compatibility before you switch.

Before you renew with anyone, check four things:

• The SIM’s ICCID and supplier, usually printed on the SIM or shown in the autodialler menu.
• Whether the SIM supports 4G VoLTE, including when roaming.
• Whether the gateway supports VoLTE, or needs a firmware update or replacement.
• The renewal date of every SIM in the estate, so nothing lapses between service visits.

Send us your current SIM list and renewal dates and we will quote to replace them at renewal, so you are not paying twice.

VoLTE: what your lift alarm needs to keep working

On 4G, voice calls only work through VoLTE (Voice over LTE). A 4G gateway without VoLTE either drops back to 2G for the call or fails. For a lift alarm call to connect on 4G, three things must be in place:

• The gateway must support VoLTE and be configured for it. Most current lift gateways do, and several older models can be updated.
• The SIM must support VoLTE on the networks it uses, including when roaming. Not every roaming SIM does.
• The dial plan must suit VoLTE. Some lift gateways need rescue centre numbers in full international format, such as 0044 rather than +44.

Test the whole call path when you switch, including any DTMF identification data your rescue centre uses to identify the lift. VoLTE and 2G calls can both distort DTMF tones. We can help you plan and test the changeover.

Weak signal in the lift shaft

A lift shaft is one of the hardest places to get mobile signal: steel car, concrete walls and often a pit below ground. A multi-network SIM solves most coverage problems, and the right antenna solves most of the rest.

• Survey first. Measure 4G signal on every network at the gateway location using a 4G signal analyser.
• Position the gateway well. The machine room or top of the shaft is usually better than the car top or pit.
• Add an external antenna where signal is marginal. A panel mount 4G antenna on a roof or outside wall, on a short low-loss cable, can turn a failing site into a reliable one. Choose an antenna that covers the low 4G bands, which carry signal furthest into buildings.

We stock 4G antennas and cables, and can recommend a set-up for problem sites.

Ready for eSIM: SGP.32 and lift SIMs

SGP.32 is the GSMA eSIM standard for IoT. It lets a device switch mobile operator profiles over the air, without anyone changing a physical SIM. SGP.32 SIMs entered commercial supply during 2026.

Lifts are serviced regularly, so eSIM is not mainly about saving site visits. Its value for lift estates is flexibility: moving a whole portfolio to a new network or tariff without scheduling SIM swaps, fixing a network problem between visits, and keeping lift alarm hardware connected for its full working life as networks change. It depends on the gateway supporting an eUICC, so adoption will be gradual. Ask us about our IoT eSIM options if you are planning a large lift estate or a long multi-year contract.

Lift compliance: what the SIM has to support

EN 81-28 requires passenger lifts to have a two-way emergency communication system that connects to a rescue service, with an automatic test call at least every three days. An alarm that fails its test call can see the lift declared non-compliant and taken out of service. Passenger lifts in workplaces also need a LOLER thorough examination at least every six months. A lift SIM must reliably carry both the emergency call and the regular test call, every time, between those visits.

Why buy lift SIMs from The Router Store

• Connectivity specialists. The Router Store is the trading name of Millbeck Communications, supplying M2M and IoT SIM cards to UK businesses.
• Multi-network experience. We supply multi-network SIM cards and roaming SIM cards across UK networks for remote and hard-to-reach equipment.
• SIMs, antennas and routers in one place. Lift SIMs, external antennas and signal analysers for problem sites, plus industrial routers such as the Teltonika RUT200 for lift monitoring, CCTV and building systems in the machine room. We are an official Teltonika UK Diamond Partner.
• UK-based team. Based in Leeds, with over 25 years in UK cellular, M2M and router connectivity.

Frequently asked questions

Will your lift SIM work in my existing autodialler?

Send us the make and model and we will confirm before you order. For calls on 4G, the gateway also needs to support VoLTE, and many older 2G and 3G units will need a firmware update or replacement.

Do your lift SIMs support VoLTE?

Yes. Our lift SIMs support 4G VoLTE voice calls, so lift alarms keep working as the UK 2G networks switch off from 2029. Your gateway must also support VoLTE.

Can I use a normal pay as you go or IoT data SIM in a lift?

No. Pay as you go SIMs can be disconnected for low usage or run out of credit, and are locked to one network. Data-only IoT SIMs have no voice service, so they cannot make the emergency call. A lift needs a SIM with voice, SMS and multi-network roaming on terms that suit very low usage.

How much does a lift SIM cost?

Pricing depends on the number of lifts and the term. Tell us how many lifts you have and when your current SIMs renew, and we will quote.

Can I switch from my current lift SIM provider?

Yes. The best time is at renewal, so you do not pay twice. Your engineer swaps the SIM at the next service visit and confirms the test call reaches the rescue centre. Lift alarm numbers are programmed into the autodialler, so changing SIM supplier does not change who the lift calls.

Do you supply the autodialler or GSM gateway too?

We supply the SIM, plus antennas and signal analysers for poor signal sites. Talk to us about your hardware and we will advise on the right set-up.

Get a quote for lift SIM cards

Whether you look after five lifts or five thousand, we can quote and confirm compatibility quickly. To get the most accurate quote, send us:

• The number of lifts and sites
• The make and model of each lift alarm or GSM gateway
• Your current SIM supplier and renewal dates, if you have them
• Site postcodes, so we can check coverage

Call 0300 124 6181, email sales@routerstore.com or contact our UK team.