The Cost of Connectivity Downtime – And How to Stop Paying It

In a recent webinar, “The Cost of Connectivity Downtime–And How to Stop Paying It,” Hiran Ravat, CSL’s Head of IoT Business Development, was joined by industry analyst Matt Hatton from Transforma Insights to explore why connectivity failures remain so common, and what organisations can do to truly stop them.

In our survey of businesses who used IoT technologies, we discovered a staggering 97% of the businesses experience connectivity loss every month For 93% of them, those interruptions come with a tangible financial cost. Downtime leads to stalled operations, missed data events, security blind spots, and customer frustration. In healthcare or emergency response, the consequences are even more severe.

As Matt Hatton noted, “In an increasingly digital world, we expect more from our devices, systems and networks. But when even a small connectivity blip occurs, it can unravel entire processes.”

What’s more, the rise in mission- and life-critical IoT applications means the stakes are higher than ever. Real-time communication is no longer a nice-to-have—it’s a necessity.

[Source: Transforma Insights IoT Forecast Database, 2025]

Many businesses try to protect themselves with SIM redundancy or dual hardware setups, but even these fall short in critical scenarios.

During the webinar, we explored how:

• eSIMs can still rely on a single mobile core, creating a single point of failure.
• Traditional roaming SIMs don’t always guarantee failover when MNO core networks are down.
• Fragmented systems and multi-vendor infrastructures slow response times and increase maintenance costs.

The reality is, most IoT deployments were built for convenience, not resilience. And that gap is being felt across industries, especially as demands on connected devices grow more complex and sensitive.

So, what’s the solution? It starts with recognising that not all IoT connectivity is created equal.

At CSL, we define Critical Connectivity as secure, intelligent, and resilient by design. With 25+ years of experience supporting fire, security, telecare, and infrastructure systems, we’ve engineered solutions built around real-world risks and not just technical specs.

Now enter rSIM, the world’s first truly intelligent, dual-core SIM technology. Unlike standard SIMs, rSIM holds two independent MNO profiles, allowing it to automatically detect and switch to an alternative core network when disruptions occur. This ensures maximum uptime with zero need for hardware redesign.

rSIM is device-agnostic and futureproofed, making it ideal for legacy systems that don’t support multiple SIM slots or external hardware failover. It’s currently transforming operations in a wide range of sectors.

Here are just a few examples of how CSL is helping organisations prevent downtime and maintain confidence in their operations:

Careium – Technology-Enabled Care

Careium deploys CSL’s rSIM technology in its telecare devices to support vulnerable individuals in their homes. The result? Improved resilience, proactive failover, and enhanced peace of mind for 1.8 million users across the UK.

Thames Water – Utilities Infrastructure

In partnership with Vodafone Business IoT, CSL provided dual-path connectivity across 3,500 telemetry sites, helping the UK’s largest water supplier move to real-time data monitoring and proactive maintenance.

Concept Smoke Screen – Retail & Security

CSL Routers provide resilient connectivity for security fog systems at high-street retailers including Boots and Tesco, enabling remote support and real-time incident response, even in high-risk locations.

Each of these deployments shows that when connectivity is designed to be intelligent, resilient, and secure, organisations can focus on what they do best with confidence that the connection won’t let them down.

Don’t miss this opportunity to explore the real financial and operational risks of downtime—and what it takes to build resilience into your IoT infrastructure.