What is a private APN?
Short answer
A private APN is a dedicated mobile access point that separates your fleet traffic from the public Internet. Your SIMs land directly in your backend (over IPSec VPN or MPLS) without hitting public Internet. Result: smaller attack surface, easy-to-manage fixed IPs, and more predictable latency.
What problem it actually solves
With a public APN, your devices take a carrier NAT public IP and any attacker can probe them. With a private APN, your devices sit on an isolated private network; only your backend sees them. For regulated projects (health, energy, payments) it's almost mandatory.
When it's NOT worth it
Small deployments (<100 SIMs) where devices only upload (no downlink commands) and certificate-based auth already hardens traffic. In those cases, public APN + mutual TLS provides reasonable security at lower cost.
Cost and activation lead time
A shared private APN with IPSec VPN to your DC typically adds €0.50-1/mo per SIM and takes 2-4 weeks to activate. A dedicated private APN with MPLS is pricier (€1,000-5,000 setup) but fit for mission-critical.
- Shared private APN: most cases
- Dedicated private APN: critical sectors
- Connect via IPSec, MPLS, or direct peering
- Pairs with fixed IP per SIM
Private APN design
Free tailored APN design: subnet, interconnect, fixed IP per SIM, and 3-year budget.
Frequently asked questions
Does a private APN give me a fixed IP?+
Not automatically. They're two different things. Private APN isolates you from Internet; fixed IP guarantees each SIM has a predictable IP. They're usually bought together.
Does it work in roaming?+
Depends on the provider. Good IoT providers keep private APN working in international roaming; domestic carriers without an IoT proposition don't.
How long to deploy?+
Typical 2-4 weeks: addressing design, VPN or MPLS, testing, SIM migration. For minimal deployments, it can be done in a week.
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