Piston Labs Network Technology

Last Updated: 2026-01-02
Purpose: Investor/sales reference for connectivity strategy

Executive Summary

Piston Labs uses LTE Cat-M1 devices with Soracom multi-carrier SIMs to ensure 10+ year device lifespan and carrier-agnostic connectivity. This avoids the mass hardware recalls that competitors faced during 2G/3G network shutdowns.

The Problem with 2G/3G

Millions of connected car devices became e-waste when carriers shut down 2G/3G networks. Companies like Bouncie had to execute mass hardware replacements, causing customer churn and significant costs.

Our Solution: Teltonika FMM00A

The Teltonika FMM00A is a professional-grade OBD-II telematics device with future-proof connectivity.

Network Capabilities

Why LTE Cat-M1?

• Carrier commitment: AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon actively investing in Cat-M1 infrastructure
• IoT-optimized: Designed for low-bandwidth, always-on devices (exactly our use case)
• Power efficient: Extends device lifespan, important for OBD-powered devices
• Better coverage: Penetrates buildings/garages better than standard LTE

Our Solution: Soracom Connectivity

Soracom provides carrier-agnostic global IoT connectivity with pay-as-you-go pricing.

Traditional vs Soracom Approach

Network Fallback Chain

Primary:    T-Mobile LTE Cat-M1
    ↓ (no signal)
Fallback 1: AT&T LTE Cat-M1
    ↓ (no signal)
Fallback 2: NB-IoT
    ↓ (international)
Fallback 3: 2G roaming (EU, LatAm where available)

Soracom Beam: Protocol Conversion

Our devices send raw TCP to Soracom Beam, which converts to HTTPS before hitting our Cloudflare Workers:

Teltonika Device → TCP → Soracom Beam → HTTPS → Cloudflare Workers

Benefits:

• No TLS certificates on device (simpler, more secure)
• Protocol conversion at edge (lower device power consumption)
• Easy endpoint switching (no firmware update needed)

Competitive Advantage

Why This Matters to Investors

1. No Mass Hardware Recalls

• Devices won't brick when networks evolve
• Avoids costly swap-out programs competitors faced
• Protects hardware margin and customer relationships

2. Lower Churn

• Customers don't leave because device stopped working
• Service continuity builds trust and retention
• Reduces CAC by avoiding re-acquisition

3. Global Expansion Ready

• Same hardware works internationally (Canada, Mexico, Europe)
• No new SKUs or carrier negotiations for new markets
• Faster time-to-market for geographic expansion

4. Carrier Negotiation Leverage

• Not locked to one provider's pricing
• Can optimize for cost or coverage per-region
• Soracom handles carrier relationships

5. Predictable Unit Economics

• Pay-as-you-go cellular (no contract minimums)
• Costs scale linearly with active devices
• No surprise overage bills

Why This Matters to Customers

Consumer Messaging

Fleet Messaging

Technical Architecture

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    Teltonika FMM00A                             │
│  ┌─────────────┐  ┌─────────────┐  ┌─────────────┐              │
│  │ LTE Cat-M1  │  │ LTE Cat-NB1 │  │  2G GSM     │              │
│  │ (primary)   │  │ (fallback)  │  │ (roaming)   │              │
│  └──────┬──────┘  └──────┬──────┘  └──────┬──────┘              │
│         └────────────────┼────────────────┘                     │
│                          │ Best available network               │
└──────────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────┘
                           │ TCP (Codec8 Extended)
                           ▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    Soracom Platform                             │
│  ┌─────────────┐  ┌─────────────┐  ┌─────────────┐              │
│  │ Multi-IMSI  │  │    Beam     │  │   Console   │              │
│  │ SIM Card    │  │ TCP→HTTPS   │  │ Management  │              │
│  └─────────────┘  └──────┬──────┘  └─────────────┘              │
└──────────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────┘
                           │ HTTPS
                           ▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                 Cloudflare Workers                              │
│         Telemetry ingestion, processing, storage                │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Network Lifespan Projections

Bottom line: Our devices have a 10-15 year connectivity runway before any network concerns.

Cost Summary

See Infrastructure Cost Analysis for detailed breakdown.

Appendix: Soracom Resources

• Soracom Coverage Map: https://soracom.io/iot-connectivity/
• Soracom Beam Docs: https://developers.soracom.io/en/docs/beam/
• LTE Cat-M1 Explained: https://www.soracom.io/blog/what-is-lte-m/

Revision History