I bought a Trimble R12 with TSC3 new in late 2020 paying the premium on Trimble gear, expecting the equipment to be future proof, but now I am being told that with the 3G shut off here neither the modem in the R12 or the TSC3 are going to be if any use. This is very frustrating. My understanding is that the 3G shutoff has been on the cards since 2019. WTF Trimble why was this gear sold knowing the modems would be obsolete very soon!!
As a small business I would need to be getting 5-8 years at least out of the equipment. What is everyone else doing to get around this? At the moment I have the sim in the receiver and I am able to swap the receiver between two data collectors with an employee, the other data collector being a second TSC3 bought new in 2021. I would like to operate in a similar way but it would cost 10k to get 2 new TSC5's and that's with a "discount" from the dealer who sold these knowing they would be obsolete in 3-4 years. Even that would require swapping the sim out each time creating a slower workflow.
Carry around a 4G/5G mini wifi / mifi Hotspot device and/or jump off of phone wifi hotspot.
But yes, very frustrating... but that's changing technology.
What's most frustrating is that I am sure Trimble and my equipment dealer were both aware this was happening when the equipment was purchased.
I think it unfair to blame Trimble for decisions made by your telecoms provider to close down 3G
Trimble had NO say in that decision.
3G still works in many parts of the world.
The 4/5G equiped receivers like the R980 are only just coming to market now - which is indicative of the effort and time required to develop new kit. And in particular there are many, many regulatory hoops and testing to jump through to get federal and worldwide approval for the communications side.
I disagree. If they knew the shutdowns were coming in many countries which I believe both Trimble and the supplier did.
I’m assuming you don’t use your own base station. Just use the hotspot function of your phone that’s in your pocket. Cheaper cost too since RTN data isn’t much volume. And in 2020 the TSC3 was discontinued, so in no way a “premium “.
I was referring to the r12 in regards the premium comment which is where I have the multi network sim. This method allows me to use integrated surveying to set up my ts and then pass the gps unit to another employee with a different data collector. The external hot spot removes this ability without me adding another phone.
I do not believe Trimble did not know in 2020 that 3G was being shutoff in many countries.
If the TSC3 was discontinued in 2020 then I guess this is poor from the dealer for continuing to sell them new until 2021.
No, products are always sold after they are out of production. Cars for instance, new model every year. Trimble stopped making new software for the TSC3 in 2018 when the TSC7 came out.
More like selling a car that can't have it's tyres changed after 3 years.
