- 1. LTE-M is the recommended replacement for 2G in emergency systems as the network is shut down in various EU countries.
- 2. Aggregated multi-carrier access; automatic failover to the best available operator.
Key features
EN 81-28 two-way communication
Emergency call from the cabin to the maintenance service or alarm receiving center, with two-way voice and periodic line supervision.
2G→LTE-M migration
Switzerland, the Netherlands, and other EU countries have shut down or are shutting down 2G. LTE-M is the replacement tech for emergency systems that need to reach the service from anywhere.
Continuous telemonitoring
Cabin data (stops, cycles, errors) reported to the manufacturer or maintainer to spot faults before they affect users.
Predictive maintenance
Models over motor, brake, and pulley data to schedule maintenance before failure. Fewer unplanned stops.
Real-time alarms
Detection of stopped cabins, entrapments, overweight, or overtemperature with immediate alert to the 24/7 service.
Coverage in the elevator shaft
Multi-carrier maximizes the chance of coverage at a critical point. LTE-M and NB-IoT improve indoor penetration vs. standard 4G.
Use cases
Typical problems
- Cabin POTS lines suppressed by the telco — the old EN 81-28 system (POTS modem) stops working and the elevator can't communicate emergencies.
- 2G cellular communicator in the cabin that stops working when the country shuts down 2G (Switzerland already, Netherlands in progress, Spain gradual through 2030 by operator).
- Stopped cabin with trapped people and the communicator has no coverage because the single operator doesn't reach the shaft — the emergency call fails exactly when needed.
- Building communities that change maintenance company and discover each maintainer had a SIM with their own proprietary operator — clean migration is impossible.
- Manufacturer telemonitoring systems (KONE 24/7 Connect, Otis ONE, Schindler Ahead, ThyssenKrupp MAX, Orona EMEA) without real connectivity SLA — predictive maintenance data is only as good as the SIM underneath.
- Periodic EN 81-28 tests (mandatory every 72h) silently failing because the communicator has been offline for weeks and nobody monitors the heartbeat.
Recommended architecture
- 1
EN 81-28 communicator with LTE-M module and multi-operator eUICC SIM
The modern communicator (Memco Panachrome, Avire DCP, Janus 2N, GSM Activations) has native LTE-M with 2G/3G fallback where still available. The eUICC SIM allows OTA operator switching without physical cabin access — critical when the home operator reduces coverage or raises rates.
- 2
External antenna out of the elevator shaft to roof or top
The elevator shaft is a Faraday cage. Connecting an external antenna to the building roof + coaxial cable down the shaft improves coverage by 20-30dB. Without this, no operator can guarantee signal.
- 3
Dual path: LTE-M for emergency + telemonitoring separated
The EN 81-28 communicator goes over LTE-M (superior indoor penetration). Operational telemetry (cycles, stops, errors) can ride the same channel or a second 4G SIM in the control panel. The separation protects the emergency line from telemetry saturation.
- 4
Central management platform with 72h heartbeat supervision
EN 81-28 requires periodic line supervision with a test at least every 72h. The central platform (maintainer or alarm receiving center) must log every heartbeat and alert immediately if it fails. Without this active supervision, the standard is not met.
Indicative data plan
| Device | Typical monthly traffic | Recommended plan |
|---|---|---|
| Standalone EN 81-28 communicator (heartbeats + rare calls) | 1-5 MB/month | Smart-meter 5 MB plan |
| EN 81-28 + basic telemonitoring (daily cycles) | 10-30 MB/month | Smart-meter 50 MB plan |
| Full telemonitoring with predictive maintenance (data every 1-5 min) | 100-500 MB/month | 500 MB plan |
| Cabin with additional CCTV camera (event clips) | 500 MB - 2 GB/month | 2 GB plan |
Indicative figures. Real emergency calls are rare but spike for several minutes at high voice quality. Configure a plan that tolerates 10-20 call-minutes/month with margin.
When to use static IP
- The maintainer's 24/7 control center or the alarm receiving center needs to connect to the communicator for remote diagnostics and line supervision.
- EN 81-28 / EN 81-20 / EN 81-50 regulatory audit requires per-IP traceability of each cabin and each heartbeat sent.
- The manufacturer's platform (KONE 24/7 Connect, Otis ONE, etc.) accepts only connections from registered IPs for their fleet.
When to use private APN
- Operational telemetry data (cycles, stops, passenger ID if access control) must NOT leave the maintainer's environment — GDPR for identification risk.
- Multi-customer maintainer (KONE, Schindler etc.) needing per-end-customer network segmentation with ISO 27001 compliance.
- High sector compliance: hospitals, defense, critical infrastructure where private network is a contract requirement.
Compatible devices
Memco Panachrome+ / Memco PE
EN 81-28 communicator with native LTE-M and support for up to 5 cabins per unit. Standard at many European maintainers.
Avire DCP / Avire Memcom+
Communicator with swappable cellular module (2G/3G/LTE-M) and 3-year backup battery. Widely deployed in Spain with KONE and Otis.
Janus 2N LiftIP / 2N LiftNet
Native IP communicator with cellular support. Combines EN 81-28 voice + IP camera + access control over the same SIM.
GSM Activations CITY-LIFT
Spanish-specific communicator, common at local maintainers and building communities. 2FF SIM accessible for replacement.
Industrial routers in the control panel (Teltonika RUT240)
For fleets with manufacturer-advanced telemonitoring. The EN 81-28 communicator stays separate in the cabin; the panel router handles operational telemetry.
KONE 24/7 Connect / Otis ONE / Schindler Ahead / ThyssenKrupp MAX / Orona EMEA platforms
Proprietary platforms from major elevator manufacturers. Each aggregates thousands of units with telemonitoring and predictive maintenance. Usually accept third-party M2M SIMs if the manufacturer's communicator supports it.
Frequently asked questions
- Is replacing my 2G mandatory before the shutdown?
- Yes, if your EN 81-28 system depends on it. European regulation requires bidirectional 24/7 communication from the cabin — if the physical medium disappears (2G shutdown), the cabin no longer meets EN 81-28 and technically must be taken out of service. The Netherlands shuts down 2G end of 2025; Spain is gradual by operator through 2030. Plan the replacement before, not after.
- Does LTE-M reach the elevator shaft where classic 4G didn't?
- Generally yes — LTE-M has a better link budget (~6-9 dB extra) than classic LTE, designed precisely for sensors in basements, elevators, and marginal coverage. But it's not magic: if the shaft is fully shielded, you'll still need an external antenna. Measure on every site before committing to mass maintenance.
- Can I use the building WiFi for the communicator?
- NO for EN 81-28. WiFi depends on the router owner (who may change password, change router, not pay the fiber bill), and EN 81-28 requires a supervised and resilient communication path. A dedicated cellular SIM at the communicator is the standard solution and the only one that survives an audit.
- What happens to the 72h heartbeat if the communicator battery dies?
- Modern EN 81-28 communicators have a backup battery (typ. 3 years of heartbeats) that's also monitored. When the battery drops, the system reports a low-battery alarm to the maintainer. It's the maintainer's responsibility to replace it at the next scheduled visit before end of life.
- How do I manage SIMs for 1000 elevators across my maintenance fleet?
- Central management platform (Teltonika RMS, Memco fleet portal, IoT operator's own). Each SIM appears with elevator ID, approximate GPS location, last heartbeat, signal strength, communicator battery. Configurable inactivity alarms. Without this central management, maintaining a fleet of hundreds of elevators is unviable.
- How much does a dedicated SIM for elevator cost vs the savings from the fixed line?
- An IoT industrial or smart-meter SIM is around €3-8/month. A POTS line from the old telco was €15-25/month (when it still existed). On top, the cellular line eliminates the risk of cuts from external cabling damage (common in construction). Payback vs fixed line is immediate.
Pre-deployment checklist
- 1Per-building inventory: number of cabins, communicator model, supported cellular band (2G/3G/4G/LTE-M), backup battery.
- 2Map of 2G/3G shutdown dates by operator in each country of operation.
- 3Replacement plan for 2G-only communicators before the local shutdown date.
- 4SIM-in-communicator vs SIM-in-control-panel decision for additional telemetry.
- 5Coverage measured inside the elevator shaft before choosing SIM — external antenna if <-100 dBm.
- 6Static IP decision (yes for integration with maintainer platform) vs dynamic IP.
- 7Public APN with encryption vs private APN per multi-customer maintainer policy.
- 8Per-communicator data plan with margin for real long calls (not just heartbeats).
- 9OTA operator switch procedure via eUICC documented.
- 10Active 72h heartbeat supervision on the central platform with immediate alarm if it fails — without this EN 81-28 is NOT met.
Need a printable version? See the pre-deployment guide.
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