In many developing countries, the public switched telephone network (PSTN) is not well-established. Building mobile network stations across the country is faster and cheaper than the road and pipe excavation that is required for land lines. In countries that include China, India, and many nations in the Middle East and Africa, people and machines are connected by cell phone.

A large company in the Middle East operates several factories in an industrial park, each of which is isolated from other buildings and independently operated. For situations or locations where landline communication is not available, direct GMS/CSD (circuit switched data) connections are being used to monitor and collect data at each entrance. The OnCell G2150I GSM/GPRS modem connects to the independent surveillance controller at each entrance so it can be wirelessly polled over GSM by the central server. The OnCell also provides additional isolation protection to the device.

Advantages of the OnCell G2150I:

• RS-485 connectivity with 2.5KV isolation
  Most GSM modems are designed for RS-232 communication and would require an additional serial signal converter, such as the Moxa TCC-80, in order to connect to the RS-485-based controller. An additional converter would mean more signal wiring and another power adaptor, increasing the complexity and trouble of installation and maintenance. The OnCell G2150I has a built-in RS-485 terminal block connector and a 120 ohm resistor, so it easily integrates with the controller without requiring an additional serial converter, signal wiring, or power adapter. Moreover, 2.5 KV isolation is provided to protect both the modem and the attached device from ground loops.

• OnCell Configurator
  GSM modems are commonly configured using AT commands, which must be memorized or looked up. With Moxa's OnCell Configurator, users have an easy and convenient alternative to configure the OnCell G2150I. OnCell Configurator is a Windows utility with an easy-to-use wizard and a graphical interface that even first-time users can easily learn. General phone settings and automatic dial-out parameters can be configured without requiring knowledge of the associated AT commands. Not only is modem configuration is easier, mass deployment and pre-configuration are easier as well.