SIM cards for GNSS receivers

IMPORTANT: if you previously purchased DAC cards from iGage, they will continue to operate normally until the end of the existing contract period. If you would like to extend service through DAC, we will assist you in transferring your existing card from our account to your account. Call us prior to the end of existing service expiration.

simbase is 3 to 20 times less expensive than DAC, has automatic triple carrier coverage (including Verizon) and is easier to administer.

[ How much data does a GNSS receiver use? ]

[ Getting started with simbase ]

iGage highly recommends that you provision cellular SIM cards from [ simbase.com ]. iGage no longer resells data plans.

The advantages of simbase cards include:

$0.01 per day ($3.65 / year) for ATT activation (multiple coverage notes)
$0.01 per megabyte of data ($10 / gigabyte)
Low card cost ($40 for 10-cards)
Data is not lost at the end of the month, granular billing: 1 cent per megabyte
Devices automatically select the strongest carrier when powered on
Self administration of all billing, activation, usage limits
Auto-top-up when balance drops
Cards can be disabled and enabled at any time, activation takes about 15-seconds
Administrative console allows naming of cards, displays location of device, last IMEI and allows remote reset
Static IP's can be assigned as needed for $0.30 per day (not needed with iGage or CHC equipment for Base Rover network connections)

How much data will my receiver use?

A highest data use scenario is a fully enabled network base broadcasting RTCM3.3 MSM4 tracking 35 satellites. This configuration will transfer ~750 bytes of correction data per second:

Use	Bytes	Data Cost
1 minute	45,000	$0.00045 / minute
1 hour	2,700,000	$0.03
8 hours	21,600,000	$0.22
20 8-hour days per month	432,000,000	$4.32 / month
1 24-hour day	64,800,000	$0.65 / day
31 24-hour days	2,008,800,000	$20.09 / month

Most users will use significantly less than $3.00 worth of data for a GNSS receiver per month plus $0.60 per month activation. In other words: a card placed into a GNSS head, used Monday through Friday for 6-hours per day will cost less than $50 per year.

If a card is installed in a data collector, the collector may use substantially more data for email, file synchronization, updates and other internet use.

Getting started

Click [ simbase.com ] to open a new window.

Create a new account.

Purchase SIM cards, they will ship from Phoenix Arizona and should arrive quickly. We recommend purchasing enough cards to put a card in every receiver and every data collector that you own, that way you won't need to move cards between devices. Disabled cards cost nothing, enabling a card takes less than 15-seconds.

When the cards arrive, log back in to simbase and register the cards to your account. If you purchase 10 or more cards, there will be a single batch code that attaches all of the cards to your account in one operation.

Add some $ to your simbase account:

Enable auto-top-up:

Set the cards to USA (AT&T only) coverage:

(See multiple coverage notes for details on Verizon and T-Mobile.)

Enable the cards you want to use:

It takes less than 15-seconds to enable a card.

Name the cards to help keep track of which card is where:

Insert the SIM card into your receiver:

Set the APN in the receiver or data collector to simbase, User Name and Password blank:

Cycle the power on your receiver, or the internal modem after changing the APN to reset your local network towers:

After a minute, the simbase Overview page will show your newly registered device:

Fine Print

Service is not provided, billed, or supported by iGage. iGage does not receive a commission from simbase.

iGage will not support you other than to help you change the APN in receivers that we have sold.

Triple Coverage

CHCNav and iGage receivers use the Quectel EG25-G modem (as do most other receivers from GNSS equipment manufacturers.) These modems are approved by Verizon for use on the Verizon network, however the white list at Verizon appears to be incomplete. This is why you can not provision our devices on Verizon using the IMEI numbers. If these devices attempt to connect to the Verizon network, they typically cannot consume data.

On or around August 8th 2024, simbase changed from a ATT + T-Mobile plan to a ATT + Verizon plan. It is probably better to change to the ATT only plan to insure continued service.

If you select the triple coverage plan option (ATT + Verizon + T-Mobile), simbase claims that non-white listed devices will automatically switch from Verizon to T-Mobile or ATT. Our current experience is this does not actually happen and the coverage is hung on Verizon with no data.

We recommend using the ATT only plan until this is worked out by simbase.