I'm trying to connect one of my projects to a mobile phone network for data transfer - small data volume, a few MB per month at most, speed is not really important.
For now I'm working with the popular and pretty cheap SIM800 modules but those are 2G (GPRS) only, and more and more 2G networks are being shut down. I'm afraid that in a few years from now there's no more 2G network available, and the project stops working altogether.
So I'm reaching out for suggestions on alternatives. I have found a number of options (SIM5320, SIM5360, SIM5215/6, SIM7100) but all of them only do 3G and cost 5-10 times the price of the SIM800, which is just too expensive - that's about half the price of a basic mobile 4G enabled phone, and in most cases not even as Arduino compatible breakout modules but just as the bare chip. Other than that I'm pretty much coming up empty.
I'm hoping to find something that's at least 3G compatible, preferably 4G, at a price not that much more than the SIM800 modules. Something that's a bit easier on the power supply would be great, too (the SIM800 needs a 3.8-4.2V supply... very inconvenient, ideally working at 3.3V but 5V would be fine, too).
Perehama:
I have no experience with it, but the GPy looks priced fair and 4G.
Ouch... at that price...
Maybe I should have added: those SIM800 modules cost about USD 4 a piece, and for both the C version (with bluetooth built in) and the L version (with FM built in). I'm expecting to pay no more than USD 6-8 for a more up to date module that can do 3/4G.
A complete mobile phone doing 4G, comes with high res screen, lots of memory, pretty fast processor, camera, various other sensors, etc costs about E120 brand new. I can't imagine 1/3 of that cost having to go to the mobile network connectivity hardware.
lastchancename:
Tinysine SIM5320 modules are decent and reliable.
I've seen those, as plain chip I see them listed at about USD 20-25 on Taobao, quite a bit more for breakout module with SIM holder and so. As breakout module (always with GPS - I don't need that) the price is over USD 43. Just too expensive.
I'm afraid I have to stick to 2G, at least for now...
I'm hoping to make a sensor network, so a few more than just a one off. Using an old phone is an option of course, if nothing else works... It appears indeed there are simply no inexpensive 3G/4G modules out there.
3G is good enough - actually 2G is good enough for the data amount but the networks are slowly being taken down, for the technology is obsolete, especially with 5G networks under construction.
I'm not so much after the data rate, more after it being available for quite some time to come in the first place.