Purchasing the Teltonika TMT250 Tracker and SIM Card¶
The Teltonika TMT250 is a small waterproof tracking device that transmits its location via the mobile network. Just like the Karttahimmeli app on your phone, but this gadget weighs less than a packet of yeast and is smaller than a matchbox.
You will need the TMT250 tracker and a SIM card.
Buying the Tracker¶
These small miracle devices, costing around €50, can be purchased from various retailers. I recommend buying the device without a contract, for example:
- From Dustin
- From Data-Systems
- From Elisa's store when purchasing, note the following:
- The device is by default connected to Elisa tracking
- In the expensive monthly subscription device-net tracking plan, text messages may be blocked!
- The device is connected to Elisa's remote management, which can be good for software updates, but it may also reset the settings.
- From Karttaselain's store
- Hobby Hall also advertises these, but it is no longer the same store as before. Warranty service may be a challenge...
It is also worth checking offers from European online stores, especially when making group orders. For example:
Germany's voip-world has been a reliable operator, and the package arrives via UPS in about a week. Warranty replacement has also been successful.
For attaching the tracker, you can use, for example, Musti and Mirri's Elisa tracker pouch. Teltonika's own attachment system may be a bit cumbersome for charging, as the tracker is not easily removable from the mount.
Buying the SIM Card¶
The tracker requires its own SIM card. The cheapest possible SIM card is suitable for this use, as only a few hundred kilobytes of data are transferred per tracking day.
Telia's €4.90 pre-paid SIM is currently the cheapest option, as data transfer costs are based on usage, not on usage days, as with DNA. When purchasing the subscription, you get 6 months of usage time. Before that time expires, you need to load new credit with ten euros, making the SIM active for another 12 months. So little data is sent that the credit hardly gets used up.
I have also used Telia DOT SIMs, as these offer unlimited data for eight euros per month. A suitable "device-net SIM" intended for IoT use is also suitable, but these usually cost around five euros per month per card.
Do not buy Elisa or DNA pre-paid SIMs, as their data pricing is ten times higher. There may also be a minimum charge per usage day.