Unlimited 64kbps IoT data plans (IOTDataWorks, Embedded Works, AT&T)

Raspberry Pi Network HATs
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I’m interested in 64kbps unlimited IoT data plans - there are a few options out there. I’m curious if anybody here has used one in conjunction with any of the sixfab cell module offerings (Quectel EC25-A, Telit LE910C1, Quectel BC95-B20, Quectel BG96).

My IoT application is going to need a trickle of bandwidth on a continuous basis - speed and latency isn’t a big deal, but I will need 10+ gigabytes per month at 5-10kbps.

Plans:



(search amazon for IOTDataWorks 12 Month Service 64kbps)

I understand it “should work”, but please i’m looking for actual experience using these plans with the sixfab modules.

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Hi @Steve,

We have not tested this particular SIM, You may contact the SIM provider for enquiry.
We can confirm, our Sixfab SIM card will work fine with our hardware.

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I have been using the IOTDataWorks SIM 64K and it works fine in both the IoT hat and 4G Base Hat with the Quectel EC25 module. No problems at all.

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tim,
is your IOTDataWorks plan true 64kbps?
I bought two unlimited data plans from them which are suppose to be the cheap/slow type, but each one is super fast at 20-40 Mbit/sec. I can stream youtube no problem. This is obviously a better product than what I paid for so I’m concerned for the longevity of my plan. I’m going back and forth with the Embedded Works people and they can’t seem to help or don’t see a problem.

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I was up on T-Mobile today with a standard off-the-shelf SIM for a phone, basically got kicked off. I phoned T-Mobile and it sounds like they don’t like SIM cards used in gear that isn’t an actual phone. I mentioned “research” and “IoT” options… wouldn’t give me any further information, aside from saying that they would re-instate the SIM and it could be used in a phone actual. Perhaps I need an account/SIM specifically for IoT type devices?

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I’m not aware of T-Mobile selling SIM cards for IoT directly. There are various resellers like Embedded works which sell non SMS/Voice SIMs that use T-mobile cat 1 network. I have straight up asked Embedded works if I could download at 5-10kbps 24/7 (tens of GB per month) and they don’t see an issue.

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@djrogers510 I believe @Steve is correct. T-Mobile has swung deals with other MVNO’s and Providers to resell their service for IoT / Internet-Only SIMS. I think its basically so all of the support for devices, problems etc. is off of their shoulders.

@Steve it is funny you ask… I just discovered I am getting the same kind of speeds with the 64kb plan SIM. I was originally using on the IoT Hat and getting about 64K at best. No surprise there being that Hat only supports Cat-1. I got the 3G/4G Hat and put the SIM in and to my suprise I was getting 10+ Mbps right away. I thought for sure they must have forgot to throttle something on their end. I figured in a few days I would get cut off. That was a week ago and last night I went to Fast.com and it was getting about 12+ Mbps download. I never contacted EmbeddedWorks about it. I guess if you contacted them and they see no problem we might as well ride it as long as we can! :wink: So far it seems to be best deal for a flat-rate 1-year plan.

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Appreciate the insight. I will have to check out the other SIM providers/options available for IoT type devices.

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In the US you will probably find most offering their best deals with T-Mobile. AT&T will likely be next in line. Verizon probably has the best coverage but they are just too expensive I think. T-Mobile seems to cater more to other providers reselling their service. Up until the 1st of this year they were the last of the 2G service providers and they were supposed to sunset their 2G service as of Jan 1. in the US but it seems that in some areas it is still active.

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Check out www.choiceiot.com

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Thanks for this link! Looks like another outfit selling cheap 64kb connections.
Whats your data usage on the 64kb plans? Or did you stick with IOT Dataworks mislabeled plans?

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I was using a Twilio SIM and my usage was several hundred MBs a month and that was getting a bit costly at $10 per 100MB. I switched to the IoTDataWorks and have been using it ever since. They do not have any end-user dashboard or anything where you can log in and monitor your usage. I really have no idea what my usage with it so far has been like. I emailed them and they said at anytime I could email them and request it and they would email me back my usage statistics. I never have yet though.

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Have you had dealings with choice IoT? They seem to only work with businesses, its quite a lengthy application process before they even decide to engage with you. Definitely geared towards business.

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@Steve I have not worked with them as of yet. I was checking them out. They will work with anyone, even individuals. Like most all of them, businesses are primarily their focus. Companies that have a fleet of devices.

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A couple others to check out are hologram.io and soracom.io

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I’ve used Hologram & Twilio IoT and both are terrific. Hologram in particular has a fantastic interface (a little glossy for my tastes)

However, they can both get VERY expensive very quickly if you need 1GB or more per month - especially hologram.

I just ordered the 12 month 64Kbps unlimited sim from IoTdatawork (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JCTZ3BF) for only $40 which seems like an astonishing deal. I’m not expecting much on the signal quality side for some reason.

If you do the math, running at full speed of 64Kbps all the time means 5.5GBs (86400 seconds times 64Kb) per day of available traffic. Less than $4 for 150+ GB/month seems like a typo.

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I am using the Embedded Works now and on the 4G hat. Sometimes i get speeds up to 8mbps. Blazing fast for something that is supposed to be 64k limit. I contacted them about that and they could not find any problems and it was all good. I get good Tmobile where i am in Florida.

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Thats insane. At this point maybe the bigger concern is that they go under because I can’t imagine they’re making money selling these plans. Enjoy it while it lasts I suppose!

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Quick update, I just got my IoTDataworks 64kbps unlimited sim today via Amazon and it came with a business card with an email address to request activation. Good news, they responded and activated within minutes.

I do see strong signal on t-mobile via modemmanager package and the mmcli -m 0 command, but no connection unfortunately. Besides the APN did you guys have to do any other settings on the hardware side to get up and running?

root@b28bfe6:~# mmcli -m 0

  General  |               dbus path: /org/freedesktop/ModemManager1/Modem/0
           |               device id: [REDACTED]
  -----------------------------------
  Hardware |            manufacturer: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
           |                   model: QUECTEL Mobile Broadband Module
           |       firmware revision: EG25GGBR07A08M2G
           |          carrier config: Commercial-TMO_VoLTE
           | carrier config revision: 05010505
           |            h/w revision: 10000
           |               supported: gsm-umts, lte
           |                 current: gsm-umts, lte
           |            equipment id: [REDACTED]
  -----------------------------------
  System   |                  device: /sys/devices/platform/scb/fd500000.pcie/pci0000:00/0000:00:00.0/0000:01:00.0/usb1/1-1/1-1.3
           |                 drivers: option1, qmi_wwan
           |                  plugin: quectel
           |            primary port: cdc-wdm0
           |                   ports: cdc-wdm0 (qmi), ttyUSB0 (qcdm), ttyUSB2 (at), wwan0 (net), 
           |                          ttyUSB1 (gps), ttyUSB3 (at)
  -----------------------------------
  Status   |                    lock: sim-pin2
           |          unlock retries: sim-pin (3), sim-puk (10), sim-pin2 (10), sim-puk2 (10)
           |                   state: registered
           |             power state: on
           |             access tech: lte
           |          signal quality: 62% (recent)
  -----------------------------------
  Modes    |               supported: allowed: 2g; preferred: none
           |                          allowed: 3g; preferred: none
           |                          allowed: 4g; preferred: none
           |                          allowed: 2g, 3g; preferred: 3g
           |                          allowed: 2g, 3g; preferred: 2g
           |                          allowed: 2g, 4g; preferred: 4g
           |                          allowed: 2g, 4g; preferred: 2g
           |                          allowed: 3g, 4g; preferred: 4g
           |                          allowed: 3g, 4g; preferred: 3g
           |                          allowed: 2g, 3g, 4g; preferred: 4g
           |                          allowed: 2g, 3g, 4g; preferred: 3g
           |                          allowed: 2g, 3g, 4g; preferred: 2g
           |                 current: allowed: 2g, 3g, 4g; preferred: 4g
  -----------------------------------
  Bands    |               supported: egsm, dcs, pcs, g850, utran-1, utran-4, utran-6, utran-5, 
           |                          utran-8, utran-2, eutran-1, eutran-2, eutran-3, eutran-4, eutran-5, 
           |                          eutran-7, eutran-8, eutran-12, eutran-13, eutran-18, eutran-19, 
           |                          eutran-20, eutran-25, eutran-26, eutran-28, eutran-38, eutran-39, 
           |                          eutran-40, eutran-41, utran-19
           |                 current: egsm, dcs, pcs, g850, utran-1, utran-4, utran-6, utran-5, 
           |                          utran-8, utran-2, eutran-1, eutran-2, eutran-3, eutran-4, eutran-5, 
           |                          eutran-7, eutran-8, eutran-12, eutran-13, eutran-18, eutran-19, 
           |                          eutran-20, eutran-25, eutran-26, eutran-28, eutran-38, eutran-39, 
           |                          eutran-40, eutran-41, utran-19
  -----------------------------------
  IP       |               supported: ipv4, ipv6, ipv4v6
  -----------------------------------
  3GPP     |                    imei: [REDACTED]
           |             operator id: 310260
           |           operator name: T-Mobile
           |            registration: home
  -----------------------------------
  3GPP EPS |    ue mode of operation: csps-1
  -----------------------------------
  SIM      |               dbus path: /org/freedesktop/ModemManager1/SIM/0
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I should add that I’m using the Raspberry Pi 4G/LTE Modem Kit - Sixfab HAT on top of the power hat. Perhaps that changes the equation?