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OVMS - 2G being turned off in US by AT & T

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ibcs

Member
Jan 31, 2010
782
221
Ohio
I just got a letter from AT & T. They are turning off 2g in 2016 which is used by the OVMS? Can the OVMS use bluetooth to send information instead of having a simm card in it?

Thanks in advance. The system is working perfectly at the moment.
 
OVMS is not BlueTooth capable. Even if it was Bluetooth does not have sufficient range to support a good connection for regular normal use. Best to find another provider.

Okay, I already have an iPhone 4G in the car, so I was hoping I could use it to provide connectivity. T-Mobile may be the only choice. No chance the OVMS is 3G compatible?
 
Someone on another thread recommended Consumer Cellular. I did some research and ended up buying a T-Mobile SIM from them -- they offer T-Mobile or AT&T SIMs. I put it in my daughter's old cell phone for a month to test connectivity, member service, true cost, etc. All went well. I put that SIM in my Roadster and switched my phone to CC. No problems. CC caters to retired people so their customer service reps are particularly patient, friendly, and articulate. All the literature is in nice big print. The bill is surprisingly easy to read. It's like dealing with the exact opposite of AT&T. We went from $215 / mo for my family of four + Roadster, to $120 / mo. We went from 15GB to 8GB, and 750 minutes to 500 minutes, but we never used up either on AT&T, so no problem. I know you can get cheaper than $10/mo with H2O, but I like it all in one spot.
 
Someone on another thread recommended Consumer Cellular. I did some research and ended up buying a T-Mobile SIM from them -- they offer T-Mobile or AT&T SIMs. I put it in my daughter's old cell phone for a month to test connectivity, member service, true cost, etc. All went well. I put that SIM in my Roadster and switched my phone to CC. No problems. CC caters to retired people so their customer service reps are particularly patient, friendly, and articulate. All the literature is in nice big print. The bill is surprisingly easy to read. It's like dealing with the exact opposite of AT&T. We went from $215 / mo for my family of four + Roadster, to $120 / mo. We went from 15GB to 8GB, and 750 minutes to 500 minutes, but we never used up either on AT&T, so no problem. I know you can get cheaper than $10/mo with H2O, but I like it all in one spot.

A lot of us went H2O at $10 every 3 months, that's closer to $3.33 a month. I suspect I would stay on that until 2G is killed off or when OVMS upgrades to LTE, even with the latter, I don't see H2O having a problem with LTE.
 
OVMS Future

Here's the official statement - or as close to official as Open Vehicles gets ;-)

We are aware of the upcoming decommissioning of 2G GPRS systems by some regional carriers. Today, there are millions of 2G M2M (machine-to-machine) devices in the field today, and it will take some time to upgrade those devices to 3G/4G, and some may simply never be upgraded. The approach taken by most is to switch carrier to one still supporting 2G GPRS.

The SIM908 module we currently use for OVMS is already past end-of-life and remaining stocks are extremely limited and expensive. There is a replacement SIM808 radio module, with similar specification to SIM908 but that requires modifications to our board layout. We are currently out of stock of OVMS v2 modules (using SIM908), and trying to arrange a final batch (v2.5) using SIM808 modules. Hopefully this final batch will be available during March 2016 timeframe. OVMS v2 is a 2G system, without WIFI or BLUETOOTH.

Longer term, we are working hard on the OVMS v3 system. Specifications and timeline are subject to change, but the following notes on OVMS v3 may help:

  • We will use 32bit ARM architecture, support multiple CAN buses, and be very extensible. We are trying to get as much RAM and FLASH memory as possible, to avoid the limitations of the OVMS v2 architecture.
  • We anticipate being able to maintain the same DB9, antenna, and GPS connectors, so as to be a simple plug-in replacement.
  • Apps will be backwards compatible (supporting both OVMS v2 and v3 modules).
  • The design is for a base module to support at least 2 CAN buses, with SD card, USB, WIFI and BLUETOOTH connectivity as standard.
  • 3G/4G connectivity will be provided by an optional plug-in module (with different modules available for different regional requirements, and making it easy to replace the module without having to replace the entire OVMS system).
  • Expansion will be via plug-in modules, and expansion connectors.
  • Firmware will be all new, based on a multi-threaded embedded RTOS.
  • The base module will be able to perform CAN bus logging over USB, WIFI and/or BLUETOOTH.
  • The base module will also be able to perform the usual OVMS functionality (but you will need a 3G/4G radio module if you want to be able to receive alerts or check vehicle status when out of WIFI/BLUETOOTH range).
  • We anticipate having an extremely limited number of development boards available 2016Q2, for firmware developers.
  • The OVMS v3 production modules should be available sometime during the second half of 2016.

I hope that the above helps.

Regards, Mark.
 
Here's the official statement - or as close to official as Open Vehicles gets ;-)

We are aware of the upcoming decommissioning of 2G GPRS systems by some regional carriers. Today, there are millions of 2G M2M (machine-to-machine) devices in the field today, and it will take some time to upgrade those devices to 3G/4G, and some may simply never be upgraded. The approach taken by most is to switch carrier to one still supporting 2G GPRS.

The SIM908 module we currently use for OVMS is already past end-of-life and remaining stocks are extremely limited and expensive. There is a replacement SIM808 radio module, with similar specification to SIM908 but that requires modifications to our board layout. We are currently out of stock of OVMS v2 modules (using SIM908), and trying to arrange a final batch (v2.5) using SIM808 modules. Hopefully this final batch will be available during March 2016 timeframe. OVMS v2 is a 2G system, without WIFI or BLUETOOTH.

Longer term, we are working hard on the OVMS v3 system. Specifications and timeline are subject to change, but the following notes on OVMS v3 may help:

  • We will use 32bit ARM architecture, support multiple CAN buses, and be very extensible. We are trying to get as much RAM and FLASH memory as possible, to avoid the limitations of the OVMS v2 architecture.
  • We anticipate being able to maintain the same DB9, antenna, and GPS connectors, so as to be a simple plug-in replacement.
  • Apps will be backwards compatible (supporting both OVMS v2 and v3 modules).
  • The design is for a base module to support at least 2 CAN buses, with SD card, USB, WIFI and BLUETOOTH connectivity as standard.
  • 3G/4G connectivity will be provided by an optional plug-in module (with different modules available for different regional requirements, and making it easy to replace the module without having to replace the entire OVMS system).
  • Expansion will be via plug-in modules, and expansion connectors.
  • Firmware will be all new, based on a multi-threaded embedded RTOS.
  • The base module will be able to perform CAN bus logging over USB, WIFI and/or BLUETOOTH.
  • The base module will also be able to perform the usual OVMS functionality (but you will need a 3G/4G radio module if you want to be able to receive alerts or check vehicle status when out of WIFI/BLUETOOTH range).
  • We anticipate having an extremely limited number of development boards available 2016Q2, for firmware developers.
  • The OVMS v3 production modules should be available sometime during the second half of 2016.

I hope that the above helps.

Regards, Mark.

Thank you Mark. I will wait until the new version is available. Hopefully, AT & T will hold out until you are ready. I do appreciate you letting us know your plans. I simply love the OVMS for the Roadster.

---Kent
 
Thank you Mark. I will wait until the new version is available. Hopefully, AT & T will hold out until you are ready. I do appreciate you letting us know your plans. I simply love the OVMS for the Roadster.

---Kent
Some UK providers (Three) never had 2G so I will welcome the chance to move to a v3 OVMS box. Think of all the extra functionality we might be able to get with the extra memory too!
 
Think of all the extra functionality we might be able to get with the extra memory too!

In particular, some sort of scripting ability in the box (taking over from the experimental ACC code). I'm thinking that events are triggered, and scripts can handle those events to do things. ACC is cool, but with only enough EEPROM space for 4 'rules', and limited functionality.
 
I've read through this thread and I'm not sure if the original question really got answered.

Until the "4G LTE with wireless 7G BrownTooth super mama-jamma" version of the OVMS module comes out, what are folks doing?

I'm the DC Metro area, and the AT&T sim in my OVMS stopped working a couple of weeks ago (I was on the more-expensive plan so was not initially affected by the super-low-cost-plan issues earlier).

OVMS is still working...in that SMS works fine. But, the 2G data seems to be dead. My account looks current so, not sure what to do at this point.

Some have suggested switching to H2O but, it's my understanding that they're a virtual carrier, using AT&Ts hardware so, I don't see how that would gain me anything.

Does anyone know which (hardware) carrier is planning to be LAST with shutting down their 2G network?

Should I look into a prepaid carrier that uses T-mobile's network?
 
So far, AT&T hasn't physically shut down 2G - they just won't let you have it enabled on your account.

H2O is inexpensive and still serves up 2G, even though they are an MVNO using AT&T's network.

It's anybody's guess which will be the last to allow 2G. No network has stepped up so far to claim this tiny market.

For now, I'm staying with H2O until I need to find something else.
 
Had something disturbing happen at 11:32PM last night. I got a SMS from a phone number I don't recognize on the SMS message from my OVMS! It was a text that said "WHO is this" !! I don't think my car just got AI so this is kinda scary. If they can post a message thru the OVMS does that mean they can send commands to my car???


Don't want to answer text but how could a message get to my iPhone thru the phone number for my OVMS?
 
Had something disturbing happen at 11:32PM last night. I got a SMS from a phone number I don't recognize on the SMS message from my OVMS! It was a text that said "WHO is this" !! I don't think my car just got AI so this is kinda scary. If they can post a message thru the OVMS does that mean they can send commands to my car???


Don't want to answer text but how could a message get to my iPhone thru the phone number for my OVMS?

If OVMS doesn't know what to do with a text/command it receives, it simply forwards it to the registered phone (yours). That's what happened in your case.

Also, if someone tries to send a command to OVMS (that's not from the registered phone), the OVMS password is required.
 
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If OVMS doesn't know what to do with a text/command it receives, it simply forwards it to the registered phone (yours). That's what happened in your case.

Also, if someone tries to send a command to OVMS (that's not from the registered phone), the OVMS password is required.

I don't currently own an OVMS, but was considering getting the new one when it comes out.

This is a little scary... So, if someone were to spoof the callerID of the text message (which I hear is easy to do), they could send commands to your car? Your only security, then, is the obscurity of what number to call (for the car) and what number to send it from (your phone). Admittedly, with so few of these in the installed base, it's not a big target, but IoT Hacking seems to be the new upcoming sport.

Can OVMS be configured to require the password (which can be changed periodically)? The forwarding is good, as it provides a record of any failed break-in attempts, assuming a valid command from a wrong phone number would be forwarded too.
 
I don't currently own an OVMS, but was considering getting the new one when it comes out.

This is a little scary... So, if someone were to spoof the callerID of the text message (which I hear is easy to do), they could send commands to your car? Your only security, then, is the obscurity of what number to call (for the car) and what number to send it from (your phone). Admittedly, with so few of these in the installed base, it's not a big target, but IoT Hacking seems to be the new upcoming sport.

Can OVMS be configured to require the password (which can be changed periodically)? The forwarding is good, as it provides a record of any failed break-in attempts, assuming a valid command from a wrong phone number would be forwarded too.
It's hard to spoof the originating ID of a text message as it's handled by the network. Any other sender needs your password.