3G Sunset - FAQ

What is 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, etc.

These refer to the speed and sophistication of the various cellular network technologies with the G standing for Generation. The higher the number or generation, the faster and more sophisticated the technology. So 3G is faster and more capable than 2G, 4G is faster and more capable than 3G, and so on.

What is '3G Sunset'?

Cellular networks built on 3G technology are being sunset or de-commissioned. 3G Sunset refers to this.

Why does this impact asset tracking and telematics devices?

Asset tracking and telematics devices use wireless cellular connections to send asset location information. Often, they work (or roam) on multiple networks to gain maximum coverage. So it is important that these devices work on cellular technologies and networks with widespread coverage and consequently lack of network availability will make the devices essentially non-functional.

Why is 3G being sunset?

The wireless/radio signals used for cellular communication, called spectrum, is a limited resource. Periodically, cellular carriers, in coordination with government agencies like the FCC, de-commission or sunset the older networks to free up spectrum and network resources for the newer networks - which take advantage of spectrum more efficiently (allow more data to be sent, more connections to be made). For example, in 2006-2007, analog technology was sunset all over USA by all carriers, and in 2016-2017 AT&T sunset 2G networks

What are the industries affected by this 3G sunset?

3G Sunset primarily impacts IoT/telematics devices as these are installed and operate on the cell networks for much longer periods of time than consumer cell phones. So vehicle/asset tracking devices, alarm systems, agricultural IoT systems, vending machines, industrial IoT systems, and similar systems are impacted.

What is the schedule of the 3G sunset?

Different cellular carriers have different schedules and these schedules are constantly being worked on. In general, by the end of 2021, most if not all of the 2G/3G networks operated by North American cellular carriers will be de-commissioned. Devices working on CDMA-based technology deployed by Verizon or using Verizon CDMA as a roaming partner network may become non-functional (or function at a reduced geographical coverage) earlier.

Should I wait until the announced sunset date to replace my GPS tracking/IoT devices?

We strongly advise against that. In general, based on experience, geographical coverage starts reducing long before the actual date of sunset, as network elements in specific regions get replaced. So to continue to receive optimal coverage and eliminate dead zones, loss of data, loss of communication at critical times, etc. it is important to plan and act promptly. Further, due to the continuing global supply chain issues, a shortage of critical chips is currently impacting all electronics and IoT manufacturing worldwide.  So as we near the deadline, availability of devices may become very uncertain.

How long will the new 4G networks be around?

The replacement devices are based on 4G LTE or 4G LTE-M/NB-IoT technologies and these networks are expected to be operational till 2028. Further, most of these are also brought into the emerging 5G standards and hence overall, devices incorporating these technologies are expected to be supported for a very long time on the cellular network.

I hear about 5G cell phones. Why are the tracking and IoT devices not 5G yet?

Widespread geographic coverage, network availability, robustness and cost are important for IoT and telematics devices. So in general telematics and IoT devices are 1 generation behind consumer-based network technologies. So 5G is just emerging in the consumer phone space and is not yet available as IoT/telematics-based systems.

Where can I read more about the 3G sunset?

https://www.att.com/support/article/wireless/KM1324171

 https://www.verizon.com/support/knowledge-base-218813/

 https://1ot.mobi/resources/blog/a-complete-overview-of-2g-3g-sunsets

Measure

What tools do you have to measure driver safety?   Most basic GPS telematics devices can provide data on speeding, but not all can measure harsh driving such as taking a corner too fast, braking too fast, or accelerating harshly.  Some tracking devices can provide in-cab audible alerts to drivers when it detects a violation.   Are you also looking at seatbelt data?  These days, you would think that everyone wears their seatbelt, but if you're not measuring it, how can you be sure?  And what about distracted driving?  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving claimed 2,841 lives in 2018 alone, and an estimated 400,000 people were injured in crashes involving distracted drivers.  Many companies are turning to video-based safety solutions to combat distracted driving.  No matter what your safety goals or budget are, Fleetilla  can help you make sure you have the right tools to measure driver behavior to ensure a successful safety program.  

Monitor

What issues are a problem for your drivers?  Use the tools at your disposal to monitor your drivers behavior and performance.  Set up reports and alerts to monitor speeding and seatbelt violations, harsh braking, harsh acceleration, and fast cornering. Fleetilla's Driver Score Card report can help you determine where the problems are in your fleet. You can also use a video safety solution to monitor distracted driving like texting or taking eyes off the road and even driving while drowsy.  Analyze the data to determine what areas need improvement.  Fleetilla can help you set up the appropriate alerts and reports at the optimal frequency to monitor your fleet's performance.

Goals

Based on the data you've gathered, what areas need improvement?  Fleetilla can help there too by providing  fleet industry trends for hazardous driving, so you have a baseline to measure your fleet's performance against.   Now you have to set a goal and a timeline.  For example, reduce the number of speeding violations by 5% in 6 months.  Make sure the goal is realistic and measurable.  Communicate expectations to  drivers and consider holding a safety seminar to really get buy-in to the program.  

Implementation

Successful implementation involves continuous monitoring, training drivers, coaching drivers regularly, addressing problems immediately, and rewarding drivers often for achieving goals and improving safety.  

Results

Compare the data from day 1 of the program (before setting goals, training, and coaching) to now.  Are you seeing changes?  Are they in the positive or negative direction?  If your goal was to reduce speeding violations by 5% in 6 months, did your fleet achieve the goal?  If not, why?   Was the goal unrealistic?  Is your violation criteria too strict or not strict enough?  Do your drivers understand the expectations?  Did you train and coach them along the way?  Are there other metrics you should be measuring?   Did you reward drivers for good performance?  If the goal was achieved, congrats!  It's time to set a new goal! 

In the end, a successful safety program benefits everyone.   The safety of your drivers and other drivers on the road is improved, most importantly.  Reduced accidents means less liability and insurance costs for the company.  Safer driving also means less wear and tear on vehicles, which means less down time and less costly repairs.  When the company saves money, employees reap the benefits.  It's a win-win for everyone. 

Have you had to answer questions like these?  

•  Truck #72 has a damaged bumper and fender. Who drove it last? What happened?
• We received a customer complaint that vehicle #859 was speeding on a residential street at 4 PM today.  Who was driving at that time? 
• What time did Joe's shift start and end on Wednesday? 

If you can relate to any of the above scenarios, you know how important it is to be able to identify who was driving a vehicle at any given time so you can resolve these issues quickly.  Many companies have multiple drivers using the same vehicle.  This can make it challenging and time consuming  to address driver performance, pay drivers for hours worked, address customer complaints, and hold drivers accountable.  Here we discuss some of the possible solutions offered by Fleetilla to solve the problem of assigning drivers to vehicles using GPS tracking.   

Last month we gave you the top 5 reasons to ditch paper forms and go digital.  Hopefully that got the wheels turning.  This time, let me give you some specific examples from various industries on how to implement the FleetFORMZ solution to reduce waste, costs, and downtime, and improve efficiency and customer service. 

Electronic Vehicle Inspection Report

Have you ever rented a car or moving truck?  Typically they have a paper checklist of items that should be inspected prior to the rental and when you return the vehicle, so you're not held responsible for pre-existing damages.  It also helps to ensure the vehicle is safe to operate before it goes out on the road.  This type of checklist is used in many industries, not just car and truck rentals.  Using FleetFORMZ we were able to create an electronic version of the vehicle inspection checklist that integrates with the GPS tracking platform.  Each company can configure the components in the checklist according to their company policy.  Different vehicles or asset types can have a different set of components that need to be inspected.  The driver or operator would complete the pre-trip and post-trip inspection on a mobile device (android, iphone, or any mobile device with a web browser).  The driver selects the vehicle or asset from the list and the set of components that need to be inspected for that type of equipment appears automatically.  The driver or operator would note any defects, include images, and submit the report.  The fleet manager,  supervisor, and maintenance technician will have a dashboard where they are alerted of any failed inspections and can take corrective action. 

Installation Forms

You can easily track the details of an installation using FleetFORMZ.  It can be a simple form where installers note the customer, what was installed, and keep track of parts, material and labor.  It could also be more complex and integrate with existing inventory software so the installer can see what parts are available and when parts are used for an installation they're automatically removed from inventory.   

Equipment Maintenance 

When a vehicle or equipment goes down you're not just paying for the cost of the repairs, you're paying for opportunity costs.  Downtime means less work is performed which results in decreased revenue.  Unfortunately, we can't completely stop equipment malfunctions, but we can use electronic forms to streamline the process and get your vehicles and equipment back in operation sooner.  

Work Orders & Dispatching Jobs

Creating jobs and work orders and dispatching those to your mobile team can be made easier using FleetFORMZ.  You can enter the customer name, address, time, description of work that needs to be done, and push that information to field workers.  Field workers can then add parts or materials to the work order and update the status of the job.  The supervisors or dispatchers can easily view the status of any job and which technicians are currently available to dispatch new jobs accordingly.  This makes it easier to provide accurate information to customers and maximizes efficiency.

Fuel Purchases

How much is fuel costing your company each week/month/year?   Many business owners, managers, and analysts don't know the answer.  Keeping track of fuel purchases can be a time consuming process - tracking down all the paper receipts and entering the data, then finding a way to sort, filter, and analyze the data.  FleetFORMZ could solve a lot of problems and help companies better track their fuel spending.  Fuel purchase information including gallons/liters, cost, vehicle odometer, location of purchase, date/time, and more can be entered using the FleetFORMZ app. and a photo of the receipt could also be uploaded.  All of the fuel purchase data could be analyzed in a dashboard and reported on in the FleetFACTZ platform and could even be integrated with telematics data to provide even more useful information like fuel consumption and efficiency rates. 

You may have already noticed that we have been making minor changes to our Fleet Management Platform, FleetFACTZ. This week you'll have 2 new features in the Monitoring Dashboard. 

• First, we're adding the ability to filter the Dashboard by date or date range.  The filter only applies to the tables with historical data, not live data. 
• Second, we are increasing the number of units you can select for mileage and fuel consumption comparison to 10 units.  Previously you could only compare 5 units at a time. 

We hope you like the changes!  Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter to ensure you don't miss these important updates.