Adafruit FONA 3G Cellular Breakout - European version

by Adafruit

For those who want to take it to the next level we now have a 3G Cellular Modem breakout!

The FONA 3G has better coverage, GSM backwards-compatibility and even sports a built-in GPS module for geolocation & asset tracking. This all-in-one cellular phone module with that lets you add location-tracking, voice, text, SMS and data to your project in a single breakout.

This module measure only 1.75"x1.6" but packs a surprising amount of technology into it's little frame. At the heart is a powerful GSM cellular module (we use the latest SIM5320E) with integrated GPS. This module can do just about everything

  • Quad-band 850MHz GSM, 900MHz EGSM, 1800MHz DCS, 1900MHz PCs - connect onto any global GSM network with any 2G SIM.
  • This is the European Version - with dual-band UMTS/HSDPA 900/2100MHz WCDMA + HSDPA
  • Fully-integrated GPS (Qualcomm PM8015 GPS) that can be controlled and query over the same serial port
  • Make and receive voice calls using a headset or an external 8Ω speaker + electret microphone
  • Send and receive SMS messages
  • Send and receive GPRS data (TCP/IP, HTTP, etc.)
  • AT command interface can be used with 300, 600, 1200, 4800, 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600, 115200, 230K, 461K, 961K, 3.2M, 3.7M and 4.0Mbps
  • Native USB support - plug it into a computer and you'll get serial ports for AT commands, GPS NMEA as well as a modem (note we've only tried out the AT&NMEA ports on Windows)

Here's the GPS specifications:

  • 16 acquisition channels
  • GPS L1 C/A code
  • Sensitivity
    • Tracking: -157 dBm
    • Cold starts : -144 dBm
  • Time-To-First-Fix
    • Cold starts: 100s (typ.)
    • Hot starts: 1s (typ.)
  • Accuracy: approx 2.5 meters

We strongly recommend using an active antenna with the GPS, while you can get a fix with a passive antenna it takes a long time.

Please note! Adafruit had a lot of requests for a 3G cell module and they're happy to oblige but this module has many small differences between it and the FONA 800 and 808, so it is not a drop-in replacement! In particular the data functionality is not as easy to use. Adafruit are adapting their FONA library to support the 3G chipset and right now they have SMS, calling, and basic functionality working but it will be a while until they get full GPRS TCP/IP and HTTP support. Also, the GPS is not as fast and low-power as the one on the FONA 808. We recommend this module for people who are able to handle a more advanced experience. Beginners will like the FONA 80x series more.

Sounds great, right? So Adafruit kitted out this fine module onto a little breakout with all the extras you need to make your next project shine

  • Onboard LiPoly battery charging circuitry so you can take your project on the go. Use any 500mAh+ LiPoly or LiIon battery and recharge over the MicroUSB when necessary. Two LEDs let you know when its charging and done
  • Standard 4-pole TRRS headphone jack. Use any 'Android' or 'iPhone'-compatible headset with mic
  • Breakouts for external 8Ω speaker and electret mic if you don't want to use a headphone
  • Level shifting circuitry so you can run it with 2.8V to 5V logic.
  • uFL connections for external antennas
  • Indicator LEDs for power and network connectivity
  • Standard SIM slides into the back

On its own, this module can't do anything. It requires a microcontroller to drive it! We suggest and use an Arduino but any 3-5V microcontroller with a UART can send and receive commands over the RX/TX pins.

You will also need some required & recommended accessories to make FONA 3G work. These are not included!

  • Required SIM Card! A 2G or 3G Mini SIM card is required to do anything on the cellular network.
  • Required Lipoly Battery - 500mAh or larger!
  • MicroUSB cable for charging the battery and communicating with the module over USB
  • External uFL GSM Antenna - this slim one works great (or, if you want to us an SMA antenna - a uFL to SMA adapter cable.)
  • External Active GPS Antenna (needs a uFL to SMA adapter too) - like this one!
  • TRRS 4-Pole Headset - Not required but it'll be tough to make a phone call without it. Any 'iPhone' or 'Android' compatible (but not iPhone original) should work. Adafruit tried about 10 different ones, and basically the more expensive once are more comfortable and louder but their official iPhone headset mic did not work.

Check out the tutorial with schematics, wiring diagrams, datasheets and more here!

TECHNICAL DETAILS

2 customer reviews

6 years ago
Having mastered the FON808 (2G) variant, I thought that given the demise of the 2G network in the UK, we really should look at something a little more recent. hence buying the Fona808 3G. The package is pretty much the same as the 2G version, however the pins are in a slightly different order. Onto the modem, I found that it took a long time to register on the mobile network, probably around 45 seconds. Possibly that is something to do with the 3G network. Not ideal, but certainly not a major issue. However, my real stick point with this has been the GPS. These guys were out of stock of the active GPS antenna, so I purchased one from from another supplier instead. With the unit on my desk and the bias link on the board soldered, I rarely get a GPX fix. All the other IOT devices I have played with have no problem. Putting the unit on the window shelf is better, but still it took a good 2 minutes of searching before the SIMCom application found itself. I did look at assisted GPS, but there appears to be no definitive instructions on how to make this work. I have tried "googling" and came up with a few references, but the AGPS servers seem to of long since disappeared. I am a bit stuck now , the board is ideal, but without a reliable GPS its a bit of a chocolate teapot. Construction wise, couldn't fault it and the Adafruit libraries worked with a tweak or two. If you intend using this device outside, all should be well, but for a modern GPS receiver, the results have been poor.
by Mike about Adafruit FONA 3G Cellular Breakout - European version via REVIEWS.io
8 years ago
The Fona 3G is a very complex beast and has a myriad of settings available from AT commands via serial (using puTTy, for example) and not available from the library (last time I looked). SIMCom, the manufacturer of the cell phone module used in the Fona, produce a wealth of documentation but the coverage is patchy with some circular references. Also the library is not fully developed. I used a SIM from GiffGaff and the was no problem setting up the account. If you have a mobile also on GiffGaff, you can make test calls to and from your Fona for free. The worst problem has involved a very loud buzzing on audio. This occurs when the phone is set for "speaker phone", using microphone and speaker connected to the Fona pins rather than the jack socket which is meant for a headset. To cut a long story short, the interference pick up seems to be much less about the length of leads and their screening, twisting, or lack of it, used to connect speakers and microphone to the module but much more about the electret microphone used. The only one of many I tried which worked was extracted from a ВЈ3.99 eBay headset! There are some other problems that I have yet to get over. For example, the Fona does not reliably hang-up under program control. Any project using the Fona should have a readily accessible reset button. This module is a bit of a curate's egg, good in parts and perhaps not for the faint-hearted or those without a lot of spare time!
by Julian about Adafruit FONA 3G Cellular Breakout - European version via REVIEWS.io