Native connectivity will typically provide access to only one network. It has been built to reach as much of the population as possible, rather than as much of the geography as possible. To better understand when native connectivity is the best option, continue to read this blog post below.
Getting a Bad Rap
Many IoT Service Providers will warn you that buying your data connectivity from a Mobile Network Operator (MNO) is a bad idea. They will point out that native connectivity often only allows access to one network. And since consumers are their primary customers, the MNOs principal goal is to serve as many people as possible rather than every square mile.
This results in network coverage reaching 95% plus of the population, but less than 70% of the total geography. This leaves some rural areas exposed.
That’s certainly a limitation. But it’s only relevant if your device is mobile and likely to be taken to remote rural areas. Even then, national MNOs like AT&T have agreements with regional MNOs who extend coverage into more remote areas.
It’s also only relevant if your device needs to communicate in real-time or near real-time. If, for example, it sends data once every 10 minutes or has the ability to store and forward data when a network connection is available, then a temporary gap in network coverage might not be an issue at all.
If the device is stationary and located in or near any town or city, the likelihood is that one or all of the major MNOs’ networks will offer strong coverage there. This obviates the need for a solution to the “problem”.
Native Connectivity: Pros and Cons
There is only one cook in the kitchen, the MNO. The more parties are involved in providing a service, the greater the possibility that an error will be made. This can unwittingly resulting in an outage.
This might never happen, but the likelihood is greater.
MNOs like Verizon and AT&T tend to offer very reliable network services, with very few if any outages.
There are other disadvantages to dealing directly with an MNO, especially if you are a small or medium sized business. Like like high pricing and less than perfect customer service.
But these limitations can be overcome by working with an IoT Service Provider like Trafalgar Wireless, who can offer you the best of both worlds: The reliability of a national MNO like Verizon or AT&T, combined with concierge customer service and competitive pricing. As well as a powerful yet intuitive management platform.
We are network agnostic and offer a full range of connectivity services, not just native ones. So we are not partial toward these. It’s just that their merits can sometimes get lost in all the hype from some quarters regarding their latest products.
So if you are considering the merits of native data connectivity compared to alternatives, please drop us a line. We would be happy to discuss the pros and cons with you.
