For those of you that access RTNs, and don't have a built-in GSM modem type GPS, what are you using? A cell phone with blue tooth/data plan?
I've been looking into this recently, and I was told by T-mobile that they no longer activate data plans on non-smart phone type phones.
I know there are a couple ways to do it if you have a WiFi DC and cell phone that's a WiFi Hotspot ... but I don't have either.
What are the options, here?
Youre going to have to do me or the other. Get a smart phone with a data plan and bt off it or buy a new dc with a wifi connection or add one if you have that type of dc. Verizon may still be putting data plans on non-smart phones because ppl around here still use them. Check that.
We use a MiFi (wifi hotspot). We have 3 of them that are used daily with Trimble R8's.
We use what you described. Verizon is the provider we have.
verizon mifi - bullet proof - get a back up battery for usb port at office depot and will last all day.
More and more of the wireless carriers are going away from giving out data plans on non smart phones. They are still available, but getting rarer.
The MiFi's are a great choice. You can use them for your internet connection for many things....sending this to Beer Leg connected to my MiFi right now.
The hot spot on your smartphone is another option...BUT... it will eat your battery up fairly quick.
If you are doing a lot of VRSing, I strongly recommend a seperate modem from the phone you use for regular calls....
RTK Bridge
I find that RTK Bridges (like the M3 by BNB) are way more trouble free…
Drop your activated SIM card in and run. The nice part about RTK Bridges (see www.Field2Finish.net/products is that you don’t have to dick with the Bluetooth bonding issues with phones or deal with dramatically reduced battery life due to running Wi-Fi if your data collector has it. Most data collectors which don’t have cell don’t have Wi-Fi.
I have added a 4Gig data plan and mobile broadband connect to an older LG phone to use for RTN thru Verizon, cost was $50/mo additional - so I can confirm that Verizon still does offer this.
I use a WIFI hotspot from Straighttalk.com. No contract, low cost plans and they use the same systems as the major carriers. here is the model number(s) (Mobile Hotspot (ZTE Z2 88 or 89L) 4G LTE
DavidALee, post: 154279, member: 2179 wrote: We use a MiFi (wifi hotspot). We have 3 of them that are used daily with Trimble R8's.
Ditto, every crew has one. We didn't want to put hot spots on the phones because we wanted the phones to be... phones lol.
Leica has an external modem that can be used. Get a M2M (machine to machine) plan through Verizon and it works fabulously. This is the same plan type we use for the internal modems in our CS20 controllers. It's about half the cost of a regular data plan on a MiFi. Only drawback is the controllers won't run as a hotspot so internet works great on them but you can't connect anything else like your laptop.
This is the GFU19 modem. I believe there are several other model numbers that do basically the same thing too.
If you choose to get a smart phone and use BlueTooth, take your receiver to the store and MAKE SURE the new smartphone has 'Dial-Up-Networking' (DUN) protocol enabled for the Bluetooth stack.
Do not believe anything that the salesperson tells you. They will lie. Very FEW smartphones work in this mode anymore.
I have spent days (perhaps weeks) screwing around with this over the past two years. I personally don't have enough life left in me to spend another moment trying to find a new smartphone with DUN enabled. I am done
Good luck.
Cameron Watson PLS, post: 378940, member: 11407 wrote: Leica has an external modem that can be used. Get a M2M (machine to machine) plan through Verizon and it works fabulously. This is the same plan type we use for the internal modems in our CS20 controllers. It's about half the cost of a regular data plan on a MiFi. Only drawback is the controllers won't run as a hotspot so internet works great on them but you can't connect anything else like your laptop.
This is the GFU19 modem. I believe there are several other model numbers that do basically the same thing too.
I use those Leica housings, BUT I also have the gear they were designed for, System 1200... Work fine!
SHG
Mark Silver, post: 378945, member: 1087 wrote: If you choose to get a smart phone and use BlueTooth, take your receiver to the store and MAKE SURE the new smartphone has 'Dial-Up-Networking' (DUN) protocol enabled for the Bluetooth stack.
Do not believe anything that the salesperson tells you. They will lie. Very FEW smartphones work in this mode anymore.
I have spent days (perhaps weeks) screwing around with this over the past two years. I personally don't have enough life left in me to spend another moment trying to find a new smartphone with DUN enabled. I am done
Good luck.
Because of this exact issue, our Trimble dealer pointed us to a phone that's unavailable here in the states, a Samsung B2100. Picked it up off of Ebay for less than $100. Problem is it's 3G only, and AT&T is phasing out 3G service at the end of this year, so we get to find a new alternative when that time comes.