Why connect a GPS tracker?
Companies managing vehicle fleets, car rental agencies, insurers, industrials… For many professionals, locating and recovering objects is a major issue. That’s why the use of GPS trackers with IoT SIM cards is becoming widespread, particularly to ensure the traceability of assets and protect against theft.
This is the case for MySmartObject, a leader in vehicular traceability. With the support of Objenious, they develop efficient tracking solutions to recover valuable objects. Their GPS trackers equipped with Objenious IoT SIM cards allow for the recovery of more than 92% of stolen vehicles.
Beyond good connectivity, the IoT SIM card responds to several essential needs:
- Coverage in France and abroad, as many objects are mobile.
- Connections even at high speeds: to track a container located in both a truck on the highway and a high-speed train.
- Cellular technology available abroad: here, 4G is a real asset.
- Resistance to vibrations and shocks: by opting for a reinforced SIM or soldered SIM.
To address all these challenges, the IoT SIM card stands out as the ideal choice. Specifically designed for IoT applications, it enhances connectivity between GPS trackers and cellular networks. Among its benefits:
Worldwide cellular coverage
A SIM card with a global plan is a preferred solution for tracking assets that cover long distances. Thanks to roaming agreements between operators, it can switch to another foreign network without the need to manually adjust settings. Professionals can access their devices at all times, even beyond borders. The chosen technology should, however, be available in as many countries as possible, typically 4G, and sometimes LTE-M.
Features tailored to IoT
The IoT SIM card offers a key functionality, particularly for large-scale GPS tracking deployments: remote management. Through a dedicated platform, it is possible to activate, control, and monitor a large network of connected devices. It also provides fixed IP addresses depending on use cases and supports data plan aggregation to smooth consumption.
Extended lifespan
One of the main advantages of the IoT SIM card is its durability, even in harsh environments. Designed to facilitate machine-to-machine communication, it is more robust than a traditional SIM card and reduces replacement needs. Its lifespan generally extends over several decades for long-term performance.
A durable format that perfectly meets the needs for robustness is the soldered SIM card. Integrated directly into the IoT device during manufacturing, it cannot be removed by the user.
Are you looking for a dedicated IoT SIM card for your GPS trackers?
At Objenious, the brand exclusively dedicated to the Internet of Things by Bouygues Telecom, connect to multiple networks with a single SIM card. Thanks to extended roaming agreements, we offer coverage in over 126 countries and support all cellular IoT technologies such as 4G, 5G, LTE-M, and NB-IoT. Our IoT SIM card is reinforced with an additional silicone layer to meet your industrial and M2M usage needs. With our IoT platform, you can manage your fleet’s activity in real-time anywhere in the world. Intuitive and comprehensive, it provides access to data history so you can analyze movement patterns and optimize your routes and operations.
GPS trackers: which cellular technology for which uses?
2G, 3G, 4G, LTE-M… Several cellular networks are suitable for GPS trackers. To make the right choice, it is essential to find a balance between fast data transfer, network coverage, and battery autonomy.
Transmitting precise location data worldwide, and under varied conditions, is a requirement for many businesses. The challenge is even greater as companies must now anticipate the imminent shutdown of 2G and 3G networks in France, Europe, and globally — some countries like the United States or Japan have already proceeded with their phase-out. Today, two networks are particularly suited for GPS trackers internationally: LTE-M and 4G.
- LTE-M, the low-power cellular network
This is a technology specifically developed for low-power, low-bandwidth devices. LTE-M integrates features such as Power Saving Mode (PSM) and extended Discontinuous Reception (eDRX). The GPS device can, for example, “wake up” to transmit a position and “go back to sleep” without depleting its battery, while remaining registered on the network. It is therefore particularly suitable for GPS trackers that operate on a battery.
For Jean-Jacques Bernot, Business Developer at MySmartObject, “By integrating LTE-M, our asset can report 1,000 to 1,100 positions over its lifespan. […] The use of LTE-M reduced energy consumption by 20% compared to previous 2G or 3G solutions.”
Finally, thanks to a deep signal penetration, this technology offers excellent coverage indoors and in remote areas.
- 4G
This solution is ideal for bandwidth-heavy uses. By transmitting crucial data in real-time and smoothly, it is perfectly suited for tracking critical assets and GPS sensors with features like video transmission.
Whether you manage a fleet of vehicles or want to secure valuable assets, integrating an IoT SIM card into GPS trackers offers a powerful solution for precise and real-time asset tracking, even beyond borders if necessary. By providing uninterrupted network coverage and optimal data transfer speeds, IoT cellular technologies allow companies to enhance the capabilities of their location technologies, even in areas with low GPS visibility. In the near future, tracking via SIM card will become an increasingly wise, if not essential, choice for effective fleet management strategies.
Also read: How MySmartObject and Objenious are revolutionizing asset tracking