Cellular gateway
A mobile radio gateway or mobile radio terminal ( GSM / UMTS / CDMA2000 gateway / terminal) is a device for the stationary network termination of mobile radio connections , on which telephone systems , landline telephones / end devices or local computer networks can be operated. If only the connection to computer networks is made available, one speaks of a UMTS router .
Cellular gateways have the same cellular modules as are used in cell phones . The devices also have screw-on or external antennas. As a rule, any SIM cards from different network operators can be used.
In some cases, as with a hands-free system , the existing cell phone module of a cell phone (i.e. the complete cell station ) is also used / controlled by the gateways - for example with the Siemens products 2phone, home station (coupling in each case using a proprietary cell phone interface) and SX353 (coupling via Bluetooth ). The advantage of this variant is that it enables the mobile and stationary mixed use of a mobile radio connection without an additional SIM card.
Companies that use these GSM gateways mostly use embedded systems, so-called appliances, in which the mobile radio terminal is already installed. It is usually a GSM module without a display and without a keyboard. Up to 32 GSM modules can be installed in a 19 "device. Some gateways also allow the use of several SIM cards per GSM module. This means that you can automatically switch to the cheaper provider in each case (for example, alternating between a prepaid - and a postpaid provider to take advantage of free minute contingents).
Professional gateways allow a two-step voting process. Cell phone users can dial in here and receive a second dial tone. You can then enter the actual destination number using tone dialing. The gateway then connects there via another GSM module or via a landline connection. This procedure, called call through , is offered as a service by several telecommunications companies. Features as they are known from common telephone exchanges can usually also be used with gateways (toggling, three-way conference, etc.).
target group
- Private customers who want to do without a landline connection at home (especially when using home zone or flat rate tariffs) can continue to operate their existing stationary end devices (e.g. landline telephones, fax machines , (W) LAN computer networks) via the cellular connection with mobile communications gateways . For this purpose, z. B. Vodafone the "WLAN EasyBox" from Astoria or from Huawei the router "B970"; O₂ the Surf @ Home box as a UMTS router.
- For reasons of seriousness or to save customers high call costs, many company owners switch to a landline number and not a mobile number as a company telephone number . If you then forward these numbers to the cell phone via the telephone system or network operator, high costs quickly arise. To avoid this it makes sense to use a GSM gateway.
- For larger companies, a GSM gateway is a way of making inexpensive calls between employee cell phones and the telephone connections on the telephone system of the company branch. If possible, the employee cell phones should be from the same cell phone network operator.
- The bypassing of the interconnection charges via GSM gateways has also become very popular on a large scale in several European countries with the help of so-called E1 GSM gateways (SIM box; gateways for 30 simultaneous calls). This way of lowering the international termination rates, which are paid by network operators, is illegal in some countries, in others it is prohibited by the network operator's terms and conditions. There is an exception in Great Britain. In principle, GSM gateways are permitted here, provided they do not impair the network quality of the network operator. Most GSM gateways meet this requirement.
Web links
HowTo: Operation of a GSM gateway on the FritzBoxFon (PDF; 1.7 MB)