IoT connectivity consultancy

IoT connectivity consultancy: 4G/LTE, satellite, GNSS, Wi-Fi and LoRaWAN

Independent advice on the network mix behind telematics, video telematics and asset-tracking products — coverage, cost per device, power budget and lifetime, decided before the hardware is locked in.

Why connectivity is a product decision

The bearer you choose sets your margin, battery life and coverage promise

Connectivity is usually the second-largest recurring cost in a telematics or asset-tracking business after the platform itself — and for video telematics it can be the largest. It also determines where your product works, how long a battery-powered tag lasts, and what you can honestly promise in a tender.

We have specified and negotiated connectivity for large device estates across cellular, satellite and low-power networks. We help clients choose the right bearer for each use case, design hybrid architectures where one network is not enough, and structure SIM and data contracts that scale.

What we advise on

4G/LTE, LTE-M and NB-IoT device and network strategy
Satellite IoT, including Iridium short-burst data and LEO services
GNSS positioning: multi-constellation, dual-band and dead reckoning
Wi-Fi positioning and depot Wi-Fi offload for video upload
Bluetooth Low Energy and LoRaWAN tags, gateways and private networks
Multi-network SIM, eSIM/eUICC, roaming and private APN commercials
Data-usage modelling and connectivity cost per device per month

Technology comparison

Matching the bearer to the use case

A simplified view of how we position each technology. Real recommendations depend on your assets, territories, data model and commercial targets.

Technology	Best suited to	Data & latency	Power profile	Key considerations
4G / LTE (Cat 1 – Cat 4+)	Vehicle telematics, video telematics, live camera streaming, in-cab devices	High bandwidth, low latency	Vehicle-powered	2G/3G sunset migration, multi-network roaming, video data costs, LTE band coverage by country
LTE-M / NB-IoT	Battery asset trackers, sensors, trailers, non-powered equipment	Low to moderate, tolerant of delay	Multi-year battery with PSM/eDRX	Roaming agreements still maturing; NB-IoT mobility limits; module and firmware maturity
Satellite IoT (Iridium SBD, LEO/GEO services)	Remote plant, agriculture, marine, rail and pipeline assets, high-value cross-border cargo	Very low payload, minutes of latency	Higher transmit power; needs sky view	Cost per message, antenna placement, usually paired with cellular as fallback; NTN standards emerging
GNSS (GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou)	Positioning for every device class	Positioning only — not a communications bearer	Continuous vs duty-cycled fixes drives battery life	Antenna design, urban-canyon accuracy, dead reckoning, jamming and spoofing resilience
Wi-Fi	Indoor and urban positioning; depot offload of large video files; in-vehicle hotspot	High bandwidth when in range	Moderate	Positioning database quality, offload scheduling, security and credential management
Bluetooth Low Energy	Indoor and yard asset tags, tools, driver ID, sensors read by a vehicle unit or phone	Very low, proximity-based	Coin-cell, multi-year	Needs a gateway (vehicle unit, fixed reader or app); beacon density and RSSI accuracy
LoRaWAN	Long-range, low-power tags on sites, ports, depots, campuses and estates	Very low payload, seconds to minutes	Multi-year battery	Public vs private network, gateway placement, regional frequency plans, positioning method

Hybrid architectures

When one network is not enough

The strongest asset-tracking and telematics products combine bearers. These are patterns we design and validate for clients.

Cellular with satellite fallback

Plant, agricultural and marine assets that leave coverage keep reporting via Iridium or LEO services, switching automatically when cellular returns.

Tags read by the vehicle

BLE or LoRaWAN tags on tools, trailers and containers are read by the cellular vehicle unit — one SIM, hundreds of tracked items.

Private LoRaWAN on site

Gateways across a depot, port or construction site give multi-year battery tracking with no per-tag airtime, feeding your platform over a single backhaul.

Wi-Fi offload for video

Cameras record continuously, upload event clips over LTE and bulk-transfer footage over depot Wi-Fi — cutting data cost without losing evidence.

Connectivity commercials

SIM strategy, contracts and cost per device

We help you decide between mobile network operators and IoT-specialist MVNOs, structure multi-IMSI and eSIM strategies for international estates, negotiate pooled data and roaming terms, and model consumption so that per-device margin survives real-world usage — especially for video.

Where a client is migrating from legacy 2G/3G devices, we plan the hardware refresh, SIM swap and customer communication so that the estate does not go dark.

Data-usage modelling by device class and use case
Multi-network, multi-IMSI and eUICC strategy
Permanent-roaming and regulatory constraints by country
Private APN, VPN and device security architecture
SIM lifecycle, suspension and reactivation processes
Contract terms, minimum commitments and price-down schedules

Questions we're often asked

IoT connectivity FAQ

Which connectivity is best for GPS asset tracking?

It depends on how often the asset moves, how long the battery must last and where it operates. Powered vehicles and trailers usually justify 4G/LTE; long-life battery tags on containers, plant or tools lean towards LTE-M, NB-IoT or LoRaWAN; assets that leave cellular coverage — marine, remote plant, high-value cargo — need satellite or a hybrid cellular-and-satellite design. We model data volume, power budget and coverage before recommending anything.

Is 2G or 3G still viable for telematics devices in the UK and Europe?

No for new deployments. UK 3G networks have been switched off and 2G is being retired; European operators are on similar timelines. New hardware should be LTE Cat 1 or higher for vehicle and video applications, with LTE-M or NB-IoT for low-power devices, and we help clients plan the migration of legacy 2G/3G estates.

When does satellite IoT connectivity make sense?

When an asset's value or safety criticality justifies the cost of always-on visibility outside cellular coverage: construction and mining plant, agricultural machinery, marine and offshore assets, rail and pipeline infrastructure, and cross-border high-value cargo. Iridium short-burst data and the newer low-earth-orbit IoT services are typically used as a fallback bearer alongside cellular rather than as the sole link.

What is the difference between LoRaWAN and cellular for asset tracking?

LoRaWAN is a licence-exempt, low-power, long-range technology ideal for multi-year battery tags on sites, depots, ports and campuses, with no per-device airtime fee where you run your own network. Cellular offers ubiquitous public coverage and higher data rates at a recurring per-SIM cost. Many of the best asset-tracking products combine the two — LoRaWAN or BLE tags read by a cellular-connected gateway or vehicle unit.

Can you help us negotiate IoT SIM and data contracts?

Yes. We advise on multi-network and multi-IMSI SIMs, eSIM and eUICC strategies, pooled data plans, permanent-roaming restrictions, private APNs, SIM lifecycle management and the data-usage modelling that underpins a sustainable per-device margin — particularly for video telematics where data consumption drives the P&L.

Related expertise

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