I like to collect some data form sensors and sent them several times per day to a web server or web service. But now I hesitate by the choice of a proper GSM / Cellular shield. I fond:
Next time a new GSM/GPRS-Modul will be available direct from Arduino. It's a cooperation with Telefonica. Pre-series samples of the board were presented on the "Campus Party Berlin" in August 2012. Unfortunately the Bluevia / Telefonica site reports only "coming soon" for "buy shield & sim" https://bluevia.com/en/page/tech.arduino and there is no exact date when the shield will be available.
Is the library and other stuff compele new or is the shield compatible to other libraries? Seems that nearly every shield has its own library. :-/
Have a look at the second picture! It becomes a "belly-SIM"!
Btw. the Bluevia / Telefonica shield mentioned in reply #2 in this thread will be "available in the following days." -- This was a information from the BlueVia Community Support.
FWIW, I have had very good luck with the Seeedstudio version. Geekonfire also has a model.
Whatever module you want to consider, research the underlying chip and libraries! For the sim900 there are a number of libraries and examples out there that you can follow along. The AT manual also gives you the commands you'll need to use in order to start a GPRS connection, send an SMS, etc
Also, depending on where you live, it might make sense to use a M2M Sim card, ie one designed specifically for applications like this one. I had good luck with the unit from embedded works.
I asked BlueVia / Telefonica about the deliver date of the new Telefonica-Arduino-GSM shield again. Announcement / purchase see: https://bluevia.com/en/page/tech.arduino
The really friendly support told me they had some problems with the launch and the release date got delayed. If everything goes as expected, the new release day is the 22nd October. I assume 2012, the year was not specified explicit.
Again one month is gone and still no shield available neither by bluevia nor by an other distributor. :-/ Will this shield also be available in the official Arduino store http://store.arduino.cc (without SIM)?
PaulS:
Seems unlikely, since the shield is not made by the Arduino people.
At http://labs.arduino.cc/GPRS/Index David Cuartielles and Gianluca Martino are mentioned as key people in the GPRS shield development and they are also labeled as "co-founders of the Arduino project" - so I thought the hard- and softwarepart would be covered by Arduino people. But perhaps this is an old level of information.
Now - 23rd Dec - the "coming soon" bage on the bluevia website is gone and the buy button is linked to the Arduino store. But there is no product page, no price, no order info for the GSM shield. Has anybody from the Arduino team further information what's going on in this case?
All I can say is that the SIM900 shield from SEEEED works great. Why keep waiting when there are quad-band alternatives out there that will work pretty much world-wide?
I emailed BlueVia last week regarding availability in Australia for their new Arduino GSM shield, the reply I received indicated that it was only available in certain international locations: http://bluevia.com/en/page/tech.arduino.service and when it becomes available the shield can be purchased through the Arduino Store.
I was given no indication of eta but I was told that using a SIM card other than the one supplied from BlueVia would not be supported.
