Help with gprs data device

[mosjos]

Hi,
I hope I am posting in the right place.

I am not sure if what I need already exists or is easy to do, but I need some help to either point me in the right direction or help me constructing this.

Basically what I need is a desktop device that can communicate via GPRS. So it would have a small LCD (capable of displaying 2 or 3 lines), a numeric keypad and 4 programmable buttons (i.e. accept, Deny, info, help).

So I would send data to the device (via gprs), it gets shown on the screen and then the other person can either accept or deny or enter values). The data would then be transferred to me via gprs.

Does anyone know of a device that does this? could one be made easily?

And before you say it ... I know a mobile telephone has this functionality !! But I am not looking for a mobile telephone. In fact I do not want mobile voice calls to be made from the unit. and the unit should be large enough to sit on a desk.

Many thanks in advance for your help.
jomo

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

GPRS is a mobile phone service, so using a mobile phone is obligatory.

Why do you particularly want to use GPRS?.

 

[mosjos]

Hi

GPRS is a mobile phone service, so using a mobile phone is obligatory.

Why do you particularly want to use GPRS?.

I need a way to communicate with a number of people and get an inmediate response from them. so I just need data communications. A bit like paging, except that the person(s) at the other end would be able to reply back.

So, it is important that it is a wireless solution and that the person at the other end can reply to the sent message. but the voice part of the unit is not required as this is a data only requirement (i suppose you would just not have the speakers and microphone connection)

Thanks in advance for your help

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Is this inside a single building?, or anywhere at all?.

If it's anywhere?, then a mobile phone would be by FAR the easiest and cheapest solution. There may be professional units available to do what you want? - as you say essentially a mobile phone without the speaker and mike, but I would expect them to be VERY, VERY expensive.

 

[mosjos]

It is for use inside a building.

What is important also is that the unit sits on a desk (actually, even SMS only units would do the job)

I found a link to a gprs module and I have enquired about the costs, but as you say, it is likely to be expensive.

https://www.ravirajtech.com/gsmgprsmodule.html

Thanks for your help

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I found a link to a gprs module and I have enquired about the costs, but as you say, it is likely to be expensive.

The real problem is that mobile phones are just so cheap!.

 

[mosjos]

The real problem is that mobile phones are just so cheap!.

But they are not. If you think about a mobile with a large lcd screen it ends up being quite costly. and if you need to get 100+ ... ufff.

Probably a better route would be using 2-way sms .... But then the same problem exists. It would have to be a unit that can only receive/send sms and no voice !

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

But they are not. If you think about a mobile with a large lcd screen it ends up being quite costly. and if you need to get 100+ ... ufff.

It's still INCREDIBLY CHEAP for what you get, but what you're wanting to do isn't going to be anywhere near that cheap unless you just do it with phones.