Previous vs Current GPS Tracking Device: Why the Older Model Was Retired and What the New One Added

The previous-generation tracking device, introduced in the mid-2010s, was the device most fleets first met the platform on: a plug-in telematics unit for the OBD-II or J1939 port with GPS, an accelerometer, engine data support and the IOX expansion port that later devices kept. Most previous-generation tracking devices used 3G cellular networks, with LTE variants arriving late in the model's life. It did the job well enough that many fleets ran the same units for seven or eight years.

Carriers shut down their 3G networks — in the US through 2022 and in Canada by 2025 — and a 3G previous-generation tracking device with no network is a device that logs but cannot report. Support for the previous-generation tracking device ended as the sunset arrived, and fleets replaced them under swap programs. A previous-generation tracking device still in a vehicle today is either an LTE variant near the end of its supported life or a device that has not reported in a long time; either way it is not a device to build a compliance program on.

The GPS tracking device, current since 2019, moved to 4G LTE with LTE-M and Cat-1 variants that will outlast the 3G sunset by many years. Its GNSS receiver uses multiple satellite constellations rather than GPS alone, which fixes position faster and more accurately in cities and under tree cover. A faster 32-bit processor with more memory runs the curve-logging algorithm and firmware features the previous-generation tracking device could not, and the engine data support is broader, including electric vehicle state of charge and more OEM protocols. The IOX port is unchanged, so add-ons carry over. The GPS tracking device is certified as a Canadian ELD with the driver app; the previous-generation tracking device never received that certification because the Canadian mandate arrived as it was being retired. The GPS Tracking Device Plus adds built-in Wi-Fi hotspot capability and more processing for camera and add-in workloads.

Replace them. The swap is a plug-out, plug-in on most vehicles, the High Point GPS platform database and rules carry over, and the vehicles' history stays attached to the units. A reseller does the swap at the yard and confirms each new device is reporting and, where it matters, on the certified ELD version. High Point GPS runs swaps from the previous-generation device to the current one for fleets in Quebec, Ontario and the northeastern US.

A swap is a device change, not a platform change, and it is easier than a first installation. The High Point GPS platform database, the vehicles, the groups, the rules and the history all stay; the new device takes over the vehicle's record so the trip history is continuous. The work is physical: unplug the previous-generation tracking device, plug in the GPS tracking device, move any IOX accessories across, and confirm the device is reporting before the truck leaves. A fleet of fifty takes an installer two to three days in the yard, a few vehicles at a time. Fleets usually pair the swap with a review of the rules that were set years ago and a check that every vehicle's profile, odometer and driver assignment is current, because the swap is the one moment everything is touched. High Point GPS schedules swaps for fleets in Quebec, Ontario and the northeastern US and returns the old devices for recycling.