The team at Barnacle Systems is proud to now be shipping the BRNKL boat security and monitoring system with 5G connectivity! What does this mean? This means that these new BRNKL devices can connect to global cellular carriers that have deployed LTE Cat-M1 (also known as LTE-M) and NB-IoT networks, these are 5G networks that are optimized for low-data, low-power devices. These new technologies use significantly less power, which means that the BRNKL power draw decreases from an average of 60 milli-amps (0.06A) to 35 milli-amps (0.035A). For regions that don’t have LTE-M or NB-IoT, the BRNKL also supports 2G connectivity (EDGE, GSM, GPRS) which is available around the world as a fall-back infrastructure – particularly in countries with older cellular networks.

Already own a BRNKL and want to upgrade to 5G?

For existing customers that would like to upgrade their 3G hardware to the latest 5G technology, Barnacle Systems is offering a low-cost refurbishment path ($200USD + shipping) where units can be upgraded either at your home or at Barnacle’s headquarters. If you choose to have the system refurbished at Barnacle’s headquarters, we will recycle your old 3G circuit board in order to help reduce the amount of electronic waste (eWaste) in landfills.

Is 3G going away?

Yes, eventually. Carriers around the world are slowly phasing out 3G cellular networks in order to make room for the new 5G infrastructure. All of the BRNKL devices shipped before Feb 1, 2022, have 3G connectivity with a 2G fallback. In regions where 3G is going offline, the BRNKL units will automatically revert to 2G networks (EDGE, GSM, GPRS). The current timelines for the “3G Sunset” with carriers supported by BRNKL are:

• United States
  • AT&T: February 22, 2022
  • T-Mobile: July 1, 2022
  • Verizon: December 31, 2022
• Canada
  • Telus, Bell, and Rogers: December 31, 2025
• Europe
  • Visit this link to view a list of European carriers

What happens if I wait?

If you wait until after the 3G sunset to upgrade your BRNKL, then it will connect to the available 2G networks. If a 2G network is available in your region then the BRNKL will function as normal. Most regions have an active 2G network that contains one of EDGE, GSM, or GPRS technologies that BRNKL supports. 2G is the common fall-back network for 4G/5G systems as well.