TE C H N OLOG Y T R EN D S | By Steven Berube
Why Equipment Managers Should START MIGRATING TO 4G TODAY Despite the challenges of transitioning to 4G, the long-term issues will be much more severe.
F Fleets using 4G telematics will have the edge in data connectivity and transfer speed, meaning that companies will have insights that are closer to real time and far more accurate.
or the heavy construction market, telematics has been a game changer as it enables the consistent tracking and monitoring of both off-road vehicles and assets such as cranes, heavy equipment and lifts. By using IoT devices to monitor GPS location, vehicle speed, engine data and diagnostics, driving behavior, the usage of accessories and other valuable information, telematics
provides fleet managers the visibility they need to ensure the safety, efficiency and productivity of their vehicles and equipment. With the ability to run on cellular communications networks — particularly 3G networks — telematics devices are able to operate even when vehicles and equipment are out on remote worksites, which is a major benefit for the construction industry.
Unfortunately, all major cellular service providers, including AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile, are slated to shut down their legacy networks in 2022. This means that soon 64 million 2G and 3G devices, including the 3G-enabled telematics devices that many businesses have come to count on, will face the sunset (“The Sunset of 2G/3G Is Coming. Is Your Business Ready?”, https:// bit.ly/3x2iTrj).
SUNSET, SHORTAGES AND DISRUPTIONS IMPACT INDUSTRY While shuttering these legacy networks will enable service providers to reuse existing spectrum so that they can provide additional capacity for 4G and 5G networks capable of providing increased speeds and data connectivity for users, this transition will not come without challenges. Fortunately for some companies, the migration to 4G and 5G is already underway. For
ACBM staff
@LariBat – stock.adobe.com
44 EQU IPMEN T TOD AY | January 2022
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