Cellular
Cellular Technoligies and RaceCapture/Pro
This page covers the equipment and technoligies used in RaceCapture/Pro telemetry implementations. It discusses the supported bands & frequencies and lists the technologies used. It also covers cellular providers in priority order based on country. This is still a work in progress... we would love to hear from users about providers in their local country.
2.5G
SIM900
The original telemetry on MK1 and MK2 is a 2G module made by SIMCOM. This is a GPRS device with a good range but limited bandwidth and near universal worldwide coverage. Specs are as follows:
- Frequencies (Bands) : 850 (5) / 900 (8) / 1800 (3) / 1900 (2) MHz
- Protocols: GPRS multi-slot class 10/8
- Class 4 (2 W @850/ 900 MHz)
- Class 1 (1 W @ 1800/1900MHz)
- Max Upload Speed: 21.4 kb/s
Links
- http://www.propox.com/download/docs/SIM900.pdf
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Packet_Radio_Service
3.5G
This is the latest in supported telemetry chips for RaceCapture/Pro. This unit is vastly improved compared to its predecessor, but some models can be limited by only supporting a smaller number of frequencies compared to the SIM900. Initially RaceCapture/Pro will support the SARA-U280. We intend to introduce other models in the future.
SARA-U280
This is the initial 3G chip available for RaceCapture/Pro units in North America (USA, Canada and Mexico). Its specs are as follows:
- Frequencies: 850 MHz / 1900 MHz
- Protocols: UMTS/HSPA (HSDPA/HSUPA)
- Max Upload Speed: 5.76 Mb/s
Links
SARA-U270
This is a 3G chip we are testing for enabling 3G support worldwide. Its specs are as follows:
- Frequencies: 900 MHz / 2100 MHz
- Protocols: UMTS/HSPA (HSDPA/HSUPA)
- Max Upload Speed: 5.76 Mb/s
Links
Cellular Providers
This section convers the basics about cellular providers in various countries. Specifically it lists what bands they are known to support. This is so you can best match up your device with a cellular provider. Providers are listed in descending order, with the ones at the top being prefered.
USA
AT&T
AT&T is the group we have had the best experience with in the states. Primarily its because they support all the bands that both our 2G and 3G devices support and they tend to have the best coverage. However, working with them directly can be a pain. We often suggest using an Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) that makes use of the AT&T infrastructure. That way you can avoid the hassle of AT&T and still get the same great coverage. One common MVNO we recommend is Straight Talk.
Frequencies (Bands) and Protocols
- 850 MHz (5)
- GPRS (This will be discontinued in 2017)
- UMTS
- HSPA
- HSPA+
- 1900 MHz (2)
- GPRS (This will be discontinued in 2017)
- UMTS
- HSPA
- HSPA+
Links
T-Mobile
T-Mobile is the other mobile data provider in the states that you can use with RaceCapture/Pro Telemetry. While T-Mobile is often cheaper than AT&T, their coverage tends to not always be as good in remote areas where race tracks tend to live. They also don't support all the bands that the RaceCapture/Pro can use. Because of this, we tend to avoid them unless they are known to be good at a particular location.
Frequencies (Bands) and Protocols
- 1900 MHz (2)
- GPRS (This will be discontinued in 2017)
- UMTS
- HSPA
- HSPA+
- 1700/2100 MHz (4) - NOTE: This is being phased out and "re-farmed" to the 1900 MHz spectrum
- UMTS
- HSPA
- HSPA+
