IoT Telstra LPWAN data plan 500KB for a SIM7028 NB-IoT HAT

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Hi People,

I have a SIM7028 NB-IoT HAT for Raspberry Pi and am trying to get a IoT Telstra LPWAN data plan 500KB but I seem to getting nowhere. I keep getting this reply with our any further details and I don’t get it:
We will need to activate the IOT plan under an account that is compatible for IOT service to be active or it will affect the other services if the account is adaptive.

We need an IOT plan activated to an IOT account and we need to know if you can help us with an IOT account with services active to replicate and complete.

Does anyone know what they are talking about?

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Hi Rob
I know the Telstra shopfronts are franchises but you might be a bit lucky and find someone who knows something about this.
Cheers Bob

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Hey there, @Rob284232,

It may be a stupid question, but have you set up a Telstra account for the sim or linked into a preexisting account?

According to the Telstra’s Internet of Things page, you’re only allowed to have one locator service per account. While that might not be the exact issue you’re having, it does suggest that Telstra would block sims that aren’t linked to an existing account.

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I got this info from ChatGPT:

Ah — I can clarify what Telstra is saying; it’s a bit “corporate-speak,” but basically there are two options for adding your NB-IoT SIM:

:one: Create a new IoT account

  • Telstra separates IoT/M2M services from regular mobile accounts.

  • Your normal mobile account can’t just add an NB-IoT SIM directly — it needs an IoT account (even if you already have phones on the account).

  • Creating a new IoT account means Telstra sets up a dedicated account for NB-IoT devices, with proper provisioning and APNs.

  • Once created, you can add multiple NB-IoT SIMs (like your 500 KB plan) under that account.

:two: Use an existing IoT account

  • If your account already has at least one active IoT SIM under it, Telstra can just add this new IoT SIM under that existing IoT account.

  • The benefit: no need to set up a new account, simpler billing and management.

:white_check_mark: Key points

  • You cannot just use a regular mobile phone plan account for NB-IoT; it has to be a proper IoT/M2M account.

  • Either you:

    1. Create a new IoT account (they set it up for you)

    2. Or use an IoT account that already exists on your customer number (if you have one).

  • Once the IoT account exists, the SIM can be provisioned for NB-IoT and assigned the correct APN (telstra.m2m) so your SIM7028 can register.

In short, Telstra is saying:

“We can either make a brand-new IoT account for you, or you can tell us which existing IoT account to attach this SIM to.”

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Based on the IoT page and that Chat GPT prompt, this sounds like the Sim Card has not been properly assigned to an account yet. It would be worthwhile reaching out to Telstra and making sure that everything is set up correctly.

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Yep, that’s classic Telstra confusion, but they’re basically saying the same thing in a very roundabout way. NB-IoT plans won’t activate on a normal consumer or standard business account, they have to be tied to a dedicated Telstra IoT/LPWAN account. There’s nothing wrong with your SIM7028 or setup, it’s just an account issue. In practice, you usually need to go through Telstra’s IoT team or an IoT reseller, because regular support staff often don’t really deal with LPWAN plans.

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Hi Olivia

I don’t think the franchise staff deal with much at all beyond selling and setting up new phones.

I once asked one what I thought was a pretty much every day query and the reply was something like "We are only a Franchise, you will have to contact Telstra (and wait on a queue a couple of days).

My answer… there is “Telstra” over the door so as far as I am concerned I AM talking to Telstra.

Didn’t do me one bit of good so I went elsewhere. A Dodo pop up kiosk actually where the attendant had answers to ALL my queries.
Cheers Bob

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