Knowledge base

UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System), or 3G, is seen as the successor to GSM/GPRS. UMTS is the third generation of mobile communication and is nothing more than a system of agreements between providers of different mobile networks. 3G networks are still offered within the M2M service.

EDGE or Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution is an improvement of GPRS for data transmission. It works on existing GSM networks. It is an extension of GPRS and allows speeds up to 48 KB/s). EDGE is also called 2.75G because the speed is between GPRS (2.5G) and UMTS (3G). 2G and 3G networks are still offered within the M2M service.

GPRS (2.5G) or General Packet Radio Service is a technology that is an extension of the existing GSM network. With this technology, mobile data can be sent and received in a more efficient, faster and cheaper way. With GPRS, devices are always online, which means that they have a constant connection to the internet and are charged on the amount of data they download or send. The device only keeps the connection busy when it is actually used. As a result, the capacity is better utilized and more data can be exchanged simultaneously. The maximum speed on GPRS is between 7 KB/s and 14 KB/s. The technology is called 2.5G. This is not an official Generation. It is so called because it is between 2G and 3G. 2G and 3G networks are still offered within the M2M service.

Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) or 2G, is a mobile network in which the radio spectrum is divided into separate coverage areas (cells), each of which is served by a base station. Mobile devices (hardware) connect to the network via the radio channels available in the local service cell. GSM networks are divided into different frequencies. The speed is about 1 KB/s. This speed is too low to operate the emerging internet via devices. That's why GPRS (2.5G) was designed. A data connection via GSM is no longer used, GPRS is the lowest connection standard.

A fixed IP address is an IP address that is assigned to a device and has the property that it does not change. The simcard can be accessed directly through the fixed IP address. Fixed IP address security A fixed public IP address is very vulnerable to security risks. It is accessible to all users on the internet and only depends on the authentication on the hardware. The big difference with a fixed private IP address is the approach. While a fixed public IP address can be accessed by any user on the internet, a fixed private IP address has a VPN tunnel. This means that all IP addresses are located within a VPN and cannot be accessed from outside. The user must first log in and can then connect to the fixed private IP address. This extra security has the advantage that devices do not have to be individually protected and the risks of external attacks are many times smaller.

A PLMN (Public Land Mobile Network) is a public mobile network within one country, provided by a specific operator, where a combination of wireless communication services are available. What does a PLMN consist of? A PLMN usually consists of different mobile technologies such as 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G. A PLMN is identified by a globally unique PLMN code, which consists of an MCC (Mobile Country Code) and MNC (Mobile Network Code).

A Home Location Register (HLR) is a database that contains subscription information, such as the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), the telephone number associated with the subscription (the MSISDN), the account status, and the last known location. The subscription information can be viewed in sim management systems of the different IoT connectivity forms (M2M, LTE M, NB-IOT).

Machine-to-machine (M2M), the communication technology in which devices can communicate with each other and share information. The communication is used for automated data transfer and measurement between mechanical or electronic devices.

LBS (location based services) offers the possibility to determine the location data of a device. The location is determined by means of the distance from the device to the transmission towers in the vicinity. For example, when a secured M2M or LTE M simcard sees three cell towers, a triangulation can be initiated to retrieve the location data. For LBS, no special hardware or software is required to determine the location data. The more cell towers there are in the vicinity, the more accurately the location data is calculated.

A PUK (personal unblocking key) code is a personal unlocking key that is linked to the device (hardware). The PUK code is required to unlock the device after entering an incorrect PIN code.

A Data Network Name (DNN) defines the point through which devices connect to the Internet. DNNs are connected to APNs in the GPRS network and LTE APNs in the LTE network. A DNN also determines whether a device uses a fixed or dynamic IP address.

A Communication Plan determines which services (DATA, SMS and VOICE) are available for a device, and which networks the device can use when roaming. A communication plan also defines the available data service identifiers (APNs and DNNs) and network segments that a device can use once a network connection is established. Each device has one communication plan. M2M often uses the SMS and VOICE services. With LTE M and NB-IOT, it is usually based on the DATA service only.