Cellular Data Wireless (GSM/GPRS, CDMA)

Cellular is a very reliable and efficient means of communicating with your mobile work force. Most major markets and highways have excellent coverage. 

Cellular Wireless Data is currently available in two forms; GSM/GPRS and CDMA (sometimes also referred to as 1xRTT). Both forms are similar but not interchangeable and are decided on by carrier. In the US, T-Mobile and Cingular are GSM/GPRS based, and Verizon and Sprint networks use CDMA.

GSM/GPRS provides speeds up to 80 Kbps, with CMDA, data speeds are about 144 Kbps.Service must be purchased from a service provider (CES Wireless) or cellular carrier (T-Mobile, Cingular, Sprint or Verizon) The process is very similar to a voice plan, but with data the  cost is based on the amount of data transferred, measured in megabytes (Mb) (see below for explanation).

What coverage is available?

This varies country by country. In the USA,  CES Wireless products will operate over the Cingular/AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint or Verizon cellular networks. Many international carriers also support GPRS and CDMA. Contact CES Wireless for a list of approved carriers.

U.S. Cellular Network Partner Links

T Mobile Coverage

Cingular Coverage Region 1   (California, Coastal Georgia, Eastern Tennessee, Idaho, New York City, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Washington).
 

Cingular Coverage Region 2  (Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Eastern & Southern Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Middle/Western Tennessee, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Philadelphia, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and Upstate New York).

Sprint

Verizon

How do I select a cellular data plan?

Very carefully!

The amount of data sent is relatively low, and is viewed by the carriers as  a 'telemetry' application. Most carriers have a 1MegaByte plan, but as you see from the example below, a typical vehicle would come nowhere close to using all of this available plan. You can however increase the vehicle location update rate (programmable feature on all CES Wireless products).

• Expect to pay from US$9.00 to $25.00 per vehicle, per month for cellular data airtime (bucket plans also negotiable).

• Determine who is the cellular carrier with the most reliable and best coverage in your area.

• Ignore companies who try and sell you a fleet management system using 'their" preferred carrier.  You will not have the flexibility to change carriers if service deteriorates, rates can increase without you having any negotiating power.

• CES Wireless products are compatible with GPRS and CDMA. These services are provided in the US by AT&T, T Mobile, Cingular, Sprint and Verizon. Similar networks are in operation worldwide.

• CES Wireless will process the paperwork to activate our products on these networks, eliminating extra steps for you.

Definitions:   

Bit - A bit is short for binary digit, the smallest unit of information on a computer machine that is used to represent plain language.  A single bit can hold only one of two values: 0 or 1. 

Byte - A byte is a unit of measure of 8 bits. 

Kilobyte - A kilobyte is a unit of measure equal to 1024 bytes. 

Megabyte - A megabyte (1MB) is a unit of measure equal to 1,048,576 bytes or 1024 kilobytes.

Example of data usage for a vehicle, per day:

• 12 hours of 5 minute GPS updates @ 25 bytes per update = 3600 bytes

• 4 vehicle status message updates per hour for 8 hours @ 35bytes  per msg. = 1120 bytes

• 8 text messages per day @ 174bytes typical per msg.  =    1392 bytes

• Automatic message acknowledgements  =  1104bytes

        - Daily 7216 bytes

        - Monthly  @ 5 days per week = 144, 320 bytes