Cellular Coverage FAQ and Troubleshooting
What: Our trackers rely on a cellular signal to communicate to the Tenna platform. Learn how to test the cellular signal in your project area and troubleshooting techniques for issues with cellular coverage.
In this article:
Which cellular carriers are supported by Tenna?
Do all Tenna trackers support both carriers?
Can I switch my trackers to a different carrier?
How do I test the cellular coverage in my area?
What should I do if my tracker has poor cellular signal?
Will my tracker still communicate when there is no cellular signal?
Which cellular carriers are supported by Tenna?
Tenna’s primary cellular carrier is AT&T. Tenna offers Verizon as an alternative only when AT&T is not an option for the customer based on cellular coverage. No other carriers are supported at this time.
Do all Tenna trackers support both carriers?
All of Tenna’s trackers support AT&T. Only TennaFLEET II and TennaCANbus trackers support Verizon and AT&T.
Note: TennaCAM 2.0 supports Verizon only, but it's TennaFLEET tracker can be AT&T or Verizon. Therefore, there may be instances where the camera is experiencing an outage but the fleet tracker is not, and vice-versa.
Can I switch my trackers to a different carrier?
No. Trackers are manufactured with the carrier-specific SIM card, so existing/installed trackers cannot switch carriers.
Can I use multiple carriers?
Yes, you can have a mix of network providers within your fleet. However, you must pick one provider per tracker type.
For example, all of your TennaFLEET II trackers must be Verizon or AT&T, not half and half. However, you can have TennaFLEET II trackers on Verizon and TennaMINI Plug-In Solars on AT&T.
How do I test the cellular coverage in my area?
It is important to check your service area before installing any Tenna hardware so that connectivity issues are avoided. There are a few ways to do this:
- Ask your IT department who your carrier is, as well as if they know of any coverage dead spots or reliability issues.
- Verify cell coverage using the FCC Coverage Map
- Enter the address of project site (where your assets will be regularly located).
- Select the carrier and coverage type (AT&T or Verizon, and LTE Data).
- Use a testing device (such as the Siretta Sniffer) at your project sites to verify coverage. Follow the detailed instructions that come with the device.
NOTE: Ensure that you purchase a Siretta Sniffer that supports CAT-M. Ensure that you select CAT-M from the Sniffer menu while testing. Tenna recommends this model.
- Discuss your findings from the above methods with your Tenna Rep.
What should I do if my Tracker has poor cellular signal?
If you are not able to verify coverage at your site, you may consider installing a cellular repeater (also known as a booster). The repeater extends cellular coverage to locations in which existing coverage is negatively affected due to weak signal conditions. The components of a cellular repeater typically include:
- A cell tower-facing antenna
- An amplifier driving an antenna intended to service the target area with weak signal conditions.
- A return path amplifier to boost signals from equipment in the targeted service area sufficiently so that they can be received satisfactorily at the cell tower
Learn more about Cellular Repeaters: What They Are and How They’re Used.
Will my tracker still communicate when there is no cellular signal?
In instances where cellular signal is out or the asset is driven way from reliable signal, our trackers will store data that will be pushed to the platform once cellular signal is restored
NOTE: Trackers will not communicate or store additional data if the battery dies. All data stored prior to the battery dying should remain until the battery charges, the tracker connects again, and the stored messages are forwarded.
To learn more about assessing your tracker’s cellular signal strength, visit Tracker Insights Overview.
NOTE: The below values are the max amount of messages that can be stored within each tracker. If cell signal is not available for a long period of time and the storage capacity is full, the tracker will delete the LATEST message at each ping. The tracker will still report the max amount of messages once signal is restored, but it will be the most recent messages.
The timeframe for the stored messages depends on the ping rates of the specific tracker. For example, 32 messages stored in a TennaMINI Battery could be ~31 days of data (as TennaMINI Battery trackers ping once every 23 hours). View Tracker FAQs for more information on Ping Rates.
| Tracker | No Cellular Signal Message Storage |
|---|---|
| TennaMINI Battery | Up to 32 messages |
| TennaMINI Solar | Up to 32 messages |
| TennaMINI Plug-In | Up to 32 messages |
| TennaMINI Plug-In Solar | Up to 32 messages |
| TennaMINI 2.0 Plug-In Solar | Up to 32 messages |
| TennaFLEET II | Up to 250 messages |
| TennaCANbus | Up to 250 messages |