Raspberry Pi Pico 4G/2G Expansion : Expectations vs. Reality

 The Raspberry Pi Pico may now have cellular and GPS connection thanks to a new Pico 4G/2G Expansion. The board has a tiny LCD screen for good measure, and the data transmission speeds should be sufficient for most applications. There's also a version for 4G.

SB Components the Authorised Raspberry Pi Resseler & Design Partner has started a Kickstarter campaign Pico 2G and Pico 4G extension boards for the Raspberry Pi Pico. The Pico 2G and Pico 4G provide cellular communication on the Pico, allowing you to deploy the single-board computer remotely, as their names imply. SB Components has also included a GPS module, antennae, and an audio connection in case you need them.

Both Pico 4G/2G Expansion boards include 1.14-inch LCD displays, USB 2.0, UART, and GPIO connections, and size 119.6 x 68 mm. Bluetooth 3.0, as well as integrated TCP and UDP protocols, are all supported. SB Componnets hasn't said what software will come pre-installed on its Pico extension boards, which is unfortunate. SB Components will provide code samples and source code on a related Github repo. 

The IoT is at the heart of this surprisingly inexpensive feature-packed expansion board.

In a nutshell, it's a well-equipped carrier board for the Raspberry Pi Pico that can handle a wide range of tasks — and more, owing to extension options like an analogue audio interface. However, there's a catch: It relies on the 2G GSM cellular network, which is being phased out in a number of areas, with most operators in the UK, where SB Components is located, planning to phase out their 2G networks by the end of the decade.

• Module for M2M and IoT applications based on LTE Cat 4 technology.
• Coverage of LTE, UMTS/HSPA+, and GSM/GPRS/EDGE globally
• For applications, a multi-constellation GNSS receiver is offered.
• In any situation demanding quick and precise fixes
• Support for DFOTA*, eCall*, and DTMF* has been improved.
• MIMO technique satisfies data rate and connection requirements.
• Wireless communication systems with modems provide a high level of dependability.

The Pico 4G/2G Expansion board is presently being crowdfunded through Kickstarter. The Raspberry Pi Pico and antennae for the GPS and GSM radios are included in both levels.

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