Overview
One of the best things about XOGO digital signage is the fact that users can log into XOGO Manager and control their screens from anywhere in the world. Since your player devices are Internet-connected, they will automatically receive and play the content that you send them via the manager app. But what happens if your players have connectivity issues?
Connectivity Challenges
Sometimes digital signage is set up in challenging environments. Your media players may be in a location that's not conducive to running ethernet cables, or your WiFi connection may be weak or intermittent. In some locations (i.e. corporate retail environments) devices like digital signage players may even be prohibited from joining the network. In these instances, a different sort of connectivity solution is required - this is where LTE comes in.
About LTE Connectivity
Cellular connectivity has become much more affordable and commonplace in recent years. Manufacturers like Netgear now offer LTE modems for as little as $150, which are compatible with all of the major cellular providers and offer the same sort of lightning-fast cellular data that your phone uses. They can be used as a primary Internet connection, or as a fail-back solution (meaning that the LTE connection kicks in automatically whenever the primary connection is not available for some reason).
Cellular providers like T-Mobile offer enterprise data plans that are priced according to the amount of data required, and the number of devices that a customer plans to deploy. Generally speaking, users can expect to pay anywhere from $20-40 per modem per month. XOGO Player uses very little data for the player heartbeat (online status) so you just need to purchase enough data to cover the playlist updates (images and video) that you will push to your players via the cloud. We have one large customer running over 1500 XOGO players with LTE modems across the United States, and they pay a little over $10 per line per month.
Sourcing LTE Modem Hardware
A quick Google search will point you to lots of commercial-grade LTE modems from companies like Sierra Wireless and Cradlepoint. It's worth contacting your cellular provider in order to ask not only about their LTE data pricing and geographical coverage, but also to find out what they currently offer in terms of LTE modems. If your deployment is fairly small, Amazon is also a great source for affordable LTE modems - just bear in mind that you'll need to insert a SIM card from your cellular provider into any LTE modem in order for it to connect to the Internet.
Summary
If your digital signage players are having trouble connecting to the Internet due to wiring issues, weak WiFi signals or other issues, it may be time to look into LTE connectivity. The hardware and service pricing has become quite affordable in recent years, and it can eliminate headaches stemming from media players becoming disconnected.
Feel free to contact us if you have questions about how to use LTE modems with your XOGO media players. Are you already using LTE connectivity in your signage deployment? We'd love to hear which LTE modem and cellular provider you're using!
