2G/3G Service Sunsetting

Hi,

We are getting ready to move forward with a few ec350 routers, and in the process of sourcing some SIM cards our IT department has raised some concerns about the sunsetting of services that the ec350 relies on (GSM/GPRS/2G/3G).

Is there a migration plan for this product line to more long-term connectivity with these products? The Netbiter line seems to provide the overall product type that we want, but if we will struggle to find coverage after only a few years it may not be worth the investment. Is there a 4G upgrade to this product line, or will we have to move to something else?

What would your recommendation be for new systems?
Thanks

We are planning to release a 4G Netbiter sometime early 2019. The eWON Flexy has extension cards available for both Verizon and GSM networks (ATT, T-Mobile …). What exactly is your application? We can also schedule a time to discuss if you’d like. I’m available tomorrow morning. Anytime after 9 Eastern time. My direct line is listed below.

Thanks,

Rob
Direct - 412-452-9710

Hi Rob, thanks for getting back with me so quickly.

That is good news. The Netbiter product fits our needs very well for this project, and knowing that we can get future-proof units before the sunset should work just fine. We are going to be using these (internally) to monitor our own products (VFDs, motor starters, etc.) via Modbus during field trials.

We are starting out with just three units, but this will potentially expand up to 10-20 units if we are happy with the results. I will suggest that we wait on ordering more until the 4G model is released, but it is acceptable that these first three will require an external router for the WAN connection after a few years when 3G is dismantled. Also, having a few GSM routers will likely be advantageous when we are trialing products in less developed areas.

We actually started looking more seriously at the Flexy yesterday to see if it would work for our needs (in case Netbiter was not getting an update). It does look like it has the features we would need, but not all in one simple package like the Netbiter. Flexy certainly seems like a more capable product, but the focus and simplicity of the Netbiter appears to be a better fit to our needs (from my understanding of the Flexy product). We want minimal development effort when setting up to monitor a new product. Also, we have been evaluating an ec350 that we had from a past project, so we are already somewhat familiar with it and the Argos platform.

One big advantage to the Netbiter from my perspective is that it uses pluggable terminals instead of a DB-9 connector, which will simplify wiring to our products (which use pluggable terminals, 2-wire RS-485). It would save us the hassle/cost of an adapter. I’m also under the impression that the Flexy will be more expensive once we factor in the cost of the adapters, but I have not quoted pricing from our distributor to verify this.

I am free pretty much any time this afternoon (EST) if you would still like to discuss this. We wouldn’t rule out moving to the Flexy platform if it is a better fit for our needs.

Thanks,
-Tom

Topic closed due to inactivity.