Prepaid Cellular Comes to Machine Networking

Jan. 15, 2014

A new cellular router, resulting from a partnership between B&B Electronics and Raco Wireless, includes a prepaid 60-day cellular plan for use of the router in machine-to-machine monitoring and control.

David Greenfield, editor in chief

Prepaid Cellular Comes to Machine Networking — The Spectre cellular router

We’ve all heard about prepaid cellular phone plans and the prepaid cards you can pick up at a local convenience store. But a prepaid industrial cellular plan? Why not? After all, so much consumer technology is finding its way into industrial environments, why not the cellular plans too?

B&B Electronics and Raco Wireless, have jointly developed the Spectre cellular router packaged that comes with a prepaid wireless data plan as a starter kit for customers developing industrial M2M monitoring and control applications. The Spectre 3G cellular router’s free, prepaid, 60-day trial 100MB/100 SMS RacoWireless 3G data plan allows customers to wirelessly connect their mobile equipment over the T-Mobile 3G cellular USA network.

The Spectre cellular router was developed to help network engineers jump-start their industrial M2M network designs by allowing users to develop their system design before having to commit to a full data plan. The router wirelessly extends local M2M networks connected via Ethernet 10/100 and RS-232/422/485 with enhanced features such as Modbus and Wi-Fi. Users manage the router's configuration options through a secure Web interface or a scripting engine. A rugged design enables the router to operate from -30 to 60°C.

When installing the router, users contact B&B Electronics’ technical support to activate their 60-day trial data plan and for technical assistance. At the end of the trial, customers can contact RacoWireless to purchase a data plan that best fits their M2M application.

The B&B Electronics/Raco Wireless starter kit includes:
• Spectre 3G HSPA+/GPRS/GSM cellular router;
• 10/100 Ethernet, RS-232/422/485, 802.11 Wi-Fi;
• Free 60-day prepaid trial;
• 100 MB data usage;
• 100 SMS;
• B&B Electronics’ technical support; and
• Raco’s Omega Management Suite for account management, control, and reporting.

About the Author

David Greenfield, editor in chief | Editor in Chief

David Greenfield joined Automation World in June 2011. Bringing a wealth of industry knowledge and media experience to his position, David’s contributions can be found in AW’s print and online editions and custom projects. Earlier in his career, David was Editorial Director of Design News at UBM Electronics, and prior to joining UBM, he was Editorial Director of Control Engineering at Reed Business Information, where he also worked on Manufacturing Business Technology as Publisher.