Cellular-enabled IoT is here — and it’s making long-range connectivity easier and more affordable than ever. Here’s where to start with hardware.
As the Internet of Things has expanded beyond maker workstations — entering parks, streetlights, farmland, and countless other remote locations — it has quickly outgrown the short-range connectivity options we've grown accustomed to (wi-fi, Bluetooth, etc). Building long-range, affordable IoT ecosystems is no small feat—but cellular connectivity is increasingly rising to the challenge.
With nearly no boundaries on your device's location with cellular, choosing the best hardware for an IoT application becomes essential — and factoring in the small details early can mean the difference between POC success or failure.
To help set you up for success in the brave new world of cellular-powered IoT, we put together this list of list of 6 popular cellular-enabled hardware options to guide your choice in hardware in your next IoT application.
Cellular IoT Hardware: Our Top Picks
Looking to go cellular? You’re in luck. Ubiquitous cellular networks continue to expand and, as prices fall (all the way to free, in some cases), leading IoT providers, Twilio, Hologram, and Particle have allowed for affordable IoT applications to go beyond the confines of local area networks. Here’s our short list of top cellular-enabled hardware devices to get you started on your first project.
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Image source: Ericsson.
- Adafruit Feather 32u4 Fona
The Adafruit Feather 32u4 FONAtakes on an "all-in-one" Arduino-compatible + audio/SMS/data capable cellular board. A development board from Adafruit, the Feather is powered by a lipo battery for mobile use and micro-USB port when stationary. Feathers are flexible, portable, and as light as their namesake.
The heart of this board is a GSM cellular module (the latest SIM800) which follows the trusted-and-tested FONA module. Simply stated by Adafruit: "[the Feather] can do just about everything; make and receive voice calls, send and receive SMS messages, send and receive GPRS data (TCP/IP, HTTP, etc.), AT command interface with 'auto baud' detection, and more."
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audifruit specs.pngReference the Adafruit Feather 32u4 Fona website for a complete list of specifications.
- Particle Electron
Particle is a full-stack IoT device platform with device, connectivity hardware, cloud, and even SIMs for cellular products. The Electron is certified FCC/CE/IC/PTCRB, and complies with any cellular standard.
The Electron was efficiently built to reduce data cost with the end customer's wallet in mind. With the Electron, IoT products are not limited to the commonly known smart home or office products but can now remotely monitor environments across 100+ countries' cellular networks.
electron.io.jpegElectron Specs.pngReference the Particle Electron datasheet for a complete list of specifications.
- Hologram Dash
Hologram.io is a cellular connection platform changing the data connection game with a Free SIM card and 1MB of data per month (for life) via their developer plan. Hologram is trailblazing, to say the least, and their platform lets you interact with the devices easily routing incoming and outgoing messages via a secure and scalable API.
In addition to being a cellular connection platform, Hologram offers the Hologram Dash, an Arduino IDE compatible, a cellular board that is pre-certified for end-use, and equipped with the Hologram's networking firmware and OTA (over the air) code updates. Combining tried-and-true telco technology with a next-generation, cloud friendly cellular connection, Hologram’s Dash and SIM allows any customer to connect and send messages for free (up to 1 MB) for life.
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Reference Hologram's Dash documentation for a complete list of specifications.
- Arduino GPRS Shield
Do you already have an Arduino? If so, the Arduino GPRS Shield is a great place to start for your first cellular IoT application. The GPRS shield connects your Arduino to the internet using the GPRS wireless network.
The Shield is compatible with all boards which have the same form factor (and pinout) as a standard Arduino Board. Just plug this module onto your Arduino board, plug in a SIM card from an operator offering GPRS coverage, and launch your IoT application.
You can also make/receive voice calls using the on-board audio/mic jack and send/receive SMS messages. The GPRS Shield is configured and controlled via its UART using simple AT commands. Based on the SIM900 module from SIMCOM, the GPRS Shield is like a cell phone sans the human-machine interface. Besides the communications features, the GPRS Shield has 12 GPIOs, 2 PWMs, and an ADC. And, as always with Arduino, every element of the platform (hardware & software) makes it easy to get started.gprs.jpgGPRS Shield Specs.pngReference GPRS Shield documentation for a complete list of specifications.
- LinkIt ONE
MediaTek LinkIt™ ONE development platform enables you to design and prototype wearable and Internet of Things (IoT) devices, using hardware and an API that is similar to those offered by Arduino boards. The LinkIt ONE development kit includes a development board, a wi-fi and Bluetooth antenna, GSM (2G) antenna, and a GPS/GLONASS antenna, all powered by a Li-battery.
One of the great features of this board is the "All-in-One connectivity," which is based on MediaTek MT2502A SoC, offering comprehensive communications and media options, with support for GSM, GPRS, Bluetooth 2.1 and 4.0, SD Cards, and MP3/AAC Audio, as well as wi-fi and GNSS (hardware dependent). Also, it provides you the LinkIt ONE SDK (for Arduino) offering instant familiarity to Arduino developers and an easy-to-learn toolkit for beginners.
linkitone.jpgLinkitOne Specs.pngReference the LinkIt™ ONE documentation for a complete list of specifications.
- GOBLIN 2
The GOBLIN 2 is a development board designed to be autonomous for the “Internet of Things." Built with a module to control the charge of a Li-Po battery of 3.7V to 4.2V, the GOBLIN 2 charges using a solar cell or a Micro-USB. GOBLIN 2 is compatible with Arduino and ATMEL Studio, making for versatile setup, simple connectivity, and easy remote communication.
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Goblin2 Specs.pngReference the GOBLIN2 documentation for a complete list of specifications.