- 1. Estimated network availability; formal SLA available in Enterprise plans.
- 2. Typical improvement with telematics and route optimization software; varies by fleet.
- 3. Aggregated roaming coverage; exact list varies by country and operator.
Key features
Real-time GPS tracking
Precise vehicle location with per-second updates anywhere in the world.
Consumption telematics
Fuel monitoring, driver behavior and vehicle diagnostics.
Vehicle security
Theft alerts, geofencing and remote engine immobilization.
Route optimization
Smart route planning to reduce time and operational costs.
Reports & analytics
Complete dashboards with fleet KPIs, predictive maintenance and costs.
Multi-operator coverage
Guaranteed connectivity on highways, rural areas and border crossings.
Use cases
Typical problems
- Intermittent coverage at border crossings when the device sticks to a network without an acceptable roaming agreement.
- Surprise intra-EU roaming charges when the single operator changes its billing criteria or the destination falls outside the RLAH regulation.
- Devices that hang and don't reconnect after a network drop, requiring a manual vehicle restart.
- Physical SIM maintenance in large fleets: replacements, reverse logistics, card theft for fraudulent use.
- No per-vehicle visibility on usage when every SIM shares a single pool with no plate-level segmentation.
- 2G/3G sunset blocking countries where GSM is still used for basic tracking — old routers go dark and the fleet becomes blind.
Recommended architecture
- 1
Tracker or gateway with multi-operator SIM (eSIM or embedded MFF2)
Pick MFF2 if the device sits inside the vehicle for years — it survives vibration, humidity and temperature swings better than a removable 2FF. eSIM lets you swap profile OTA when entering a new country without touching the hardware.
- 2
Multi-IMSI plan with switching across Telefonica/Vodafone/Orange/T-Mobile
The tracker tries several networks and stays on the one with the best RSSI/RSRP. Without this, you depend on the single operator's coverage in each cell.
- 3
Private APN + static IP for critical vehicles
Telemetry traffic tunnels into your VPC instead of going to the public Internet. Static IP enables strict cloud firewalling and direct SSH to the gateway from your NOC.
- 4
Central portal + per-vehicle usage alarms
Each SIM appears in the portal with its license plate. Alarms at 70/80/90% of the monthly cap prevent surprise bills when a device goes haywire spamming data.
Indicative data plan
| Device | Typical monthly traffic | Recommended plan |
|---|---|---|
| Basic GPS tracker (lat/lon every 30s) | 10-30 MB/month | Pay-as-you-go or 50 MB pack |
| Tracker + OBD-II/CAN bus telematics | 100-300 MB/month | 500 MB pack |
| Dashcam with event upload | 1-5 GB/month | 5 GB pack / Pooled data |
| Driver tablet (routing + e-paperwork) | 500 MB - 2 GB/month | Pooled data |
Indicative figures for vehicles operating 8-10 h/day. Cameras with live streaming or 1 Hz telematics consume significantly more — request a sizing simulation.
When to use static IP
- The vehicle gateway must be reachable from the NOC for remote diagnosis without an outbound tunnel.
- Your fleet management platform filters incoming requests by source IP (per-plate allowlist).
- Security audit — defense, hazardous goods, cash-in-transit — requires per-IP traceability.
When to use private APN
- Telematics traffic must NOT hit the public Internet — it tunnels straight to your VPC in AWS/Azure/GCP.
- You need RFC1918 private addressing so gateways can see each other without NAT.
- Sector compliance (GDPR for driver data, digital tachograph regulation, ISO 27001) requires strict network segmentation.
Compatible devices
Teltonika FMB / FMC / FMU
GPS trackers with CAN bus, 2FF SIM slot, LTE Cat-M1 support and OTA-configurable firmware. De facto standard in European fleets.
Queclink GV-series
Vehicle trackers with optional eSIM, backup battery and TCP/UDP reporting to your platform.
Ruptela FM-Eco / Pro
Modular gateways with CAN-FD, 1-Wire expansion (fuel probes) and certified firmware for digital tachograph.
Streamax / Howen / Jimi dashcams
Cameras with local recording + cloud event upload. Use significantly more data — reserve a separate plan.
Teltonika RUT240/RUTX10 routers
For service vehicles where technicians need on-board WiFi (ambulances, police, mobile press).
Auxiliary BLE sensors and probes
Driver IDs (iButton/RFID), cold-chain temperature probes, fuel level readers. Connect to the gateway, no SIM of their own.
Frequently asked questions
- Will my tracker keep reporting through border crossings without dropping?
- Yes if the SIM is multi-operator. Switching takes 30 seconds to 2 minutes depending on the device and signal strength of the destination network. With single-operator SIMs you depend on the operator's roaming agreements and the device may stick to a weak network without retrying.
- What happens when a vehicle enters an area without 4G coverage?
- The tracker auto-falls back to 3G or 2G if available, and buffers GPS points until signal returns. Data syncs in bulk once the network is back. Pick a tracker with enough buffer (several hours minimum) and make sure your backend accepts retroactive points.
- Do I need a static IP for my platform to receive data?
- Not to receive — your backend listens on a public IP and trackers push data outbound. Yes to let your NOC connect TO the tracker (SSH, remote config) without setting up an inverse tunnel. Most operators solve this with private APN + platform in the same VPC.
- How do I avoid bill surprises when a vehicle goes haywire?
- Configure usage alarms at 70/80/90% of the monthly cap per SIM in the management portal. The 90% alarm auto-blocks the SIM until the operator authorizes the rest. Cost of a runaway device: zero.
- What do I do about the 2G/3G sunset on my old trackers?
- Read the migration guide at /recursos/guias/sunset-2g. Summary: identify trackers that only support 2G, swap them for LTE-M or NB-IoT (cheaper than classic 4G) before the shutdown date in each country. Spain shuts down 3G in 2025, 2G in 2030 depending on operator.
Pre-deployment checklist
- 1Vehicle inventory: license plate, tracker model, modem (2G/3G/4G/Cat-M1/NB-IoT), SIM format (2FF/3FF/4FF/MFF2).
- 2Country map for circulation — include countries crossed only occasionally.
- 3Per-vehicle or per-type data plan (basic tracker vs camera vs tablet) with 30% headroom over the pilot-measured usage.
- 4Static vs dynamic NAT IP decision — document per-vehicle if not uniform.
- 5Public vs private APN decision and VPC architecture if private.
- 6Usage alarms at 70/80/90% in the portal with a 100% block policy.
- 7Per-vehicle decommission plan for crashes or sales — how is the SIM deactivated and prorated?
- 8Digital tachograph support and local data retention rules (GDPR, RD 1416/2021 for Spain).
- 9Workshop SIM replacement procedure — who orders the new SIM, who activates it?
- 10Pilot with 3-5 vehicles for 4 weeks before full rollout.
Need a printable version? See the pre-deployment guide.
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