Tips on getting a SIM card for a CHIPnTRAC tracker

Guide to setting up and using the CHIPnTRAC tracker
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Full set up guide
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Guide to installing the CHIPnTRAC tracker
Installation guide
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Take care when opening the tracker



Updated: 150803 Posted: 150720
Getting a SIM card deal for the tracker
As a long term mobile phone contact customer of Vodafone I visited the local high street shop to get a SIM card for my tracker. I found I needed to make two visits because the SIM card package I obtained on my first visit providing data and texts was not enough - the tracker needs a SIM which will also recognise incoming calls because it's your call from your mobile phone to the tracker that which wakes up the tracker so it will respond by sending you a text message with its location data. So I had to make a second visit and get my SIM card service modified to include the call function in addition to data and texts. When you get a SIM card you need to ensure during your discussions with the counterstaff that the package you sign up for provides two services - a text message service so the tracker can receive and send text messages and also the function of receiving calls.

With my Vodafone SIM package (see the account details above), when I phone the tracker it's clear the tracker is designed to recognise a call has been made although it does not answer the call but instead an ansafone service comes in inviting you to leave a message. At that point you simply cut the call because by then the tracker has been woken up by the call and is in the process of responding to the call by sending you the text message with its location data.

What about a SIM only PAYG card deal?
The alternative of a SIM only PAYG card providing both a text and call service will work but the drawback is that often you have to make at least one call every four weeks to maintain the availability of the card failing which the PAYG credit can be wiped and the number closed. As you can see from the initial account statement above even though I have made three or four calls in order to test the tracker will respond and send me text messages with its location data, it seems those calls have not been technically "received" and shown as "minutes used". So to make a call you might have to remove the SIM card once every four weeks and pop it into a mobile phone to make a recorded call. The combination of remembering to do that periodic call and the effort of extracting, transferring and returning the SIM card is a tiresome prospect with a high risk that the diary entry will be overlooked! So a contract SIM card for the tracker seems a safer bet.
Victor Smith