Farm Tech Spotlight

An Office in Your Tractor Cab?

The mobile office is moving to the tractor cab thanks to advancing cellular technologies

by Kris Versdahl, President
Kris Versdahl & Associates
kris@krisversdahl.com

Most of us probably use cell phones to make and receive telephone calls on a regular basis. But new technologies now allow you to use properly equipped cell phones to access the internet for news, weather and market information, and to send and receive email messages – all from the seat of your tractor cab or pickup truck.

The Federal Communications Commission has mandated that cellular providers move to all-digital networks by October of 2008. What does this mean to you?

According to Adam Bergman, regional sales manager with Wireless Concepts/Alltel, based in Grand Forks, North Dakota, digital signal is important because it not only provides improved signal, better call clarity, and more efficient battery usage; it also allows access to the internet which requires a digital signal.

Digital cell signal allows for internet connections that are up to four times faster than dial-up connections. But it keeps getting better. There is a move underway to convert regular digital signal to what is called EVDO (Evolution Data Only).  “EVDO allows for internet connections that parallel that of high speed DSL connections,” says Bergman.  “Currently, we have EVDO access available to customers in the larger cities of Minnesota and North Dakota, and along major interstates. But eventually, it should also be available to more remote rural areas.  It’s just a matter of time.”

Bergman says you can tell if you have EVDO signal by looking at your cell phone. Most will display “EV” if you are in an EVDO accessible area.

Either way, both digital or EVDO signal allows cell phones to access the internet – it’s just a matter of how fast the connection will be.

Harnessing the Power of the Internet on Your Cell Phone
Before we get into the specifics of using the internet with your cell phone, let’s first look at the type of phone you’re using.  Cell phones can generally be grouped into three types: standard, advanced and smartphones.

Standard phones are generally used just for making voice calls and basic text messaging (example: Tracfone).

Advanced phones have expanded features, such as Bluetooth (for wireless connections with your laptop or a headset), MP3 capability for listening to music and other audio files, megapixel cameras, and limited internet access capabilities (example: Motorola Razr).

Smartphones are essentially hand-held computers that integrate all the features of the advanced phone along with the ability to synchronize files with your main computer (addresses, calendars, email, documents, etc.) similar to a personal digital assistant (PDA) and also allow you to surf the web and send and receive email (example: Blackberry).

According to Bergman, you can access the internet with either an advanced phone or with a smartphone for an additional monthly charge (Alltel charges $25/month for the feature).  The main difference is that with a smartphone, you will have more expanded internet capabilities than you would with an advanced phone.

But here’s the cool part.  You can use either device (advanced or smartphone) as a wireless “modem” to connect your laptop to the internet for a full-fledged internet surfing experience.  “Both advanced and smartphones generally have Bluetooth technology built in,” says Bergman. “Some laptops also have Bluetooth technology built in, or in some cases you’ll need to purchase an inexpensive Bluetooth USB device. After it’s set up, you can be surfing the internet and sending and receiving email messages.”

To learn more about setting up your tractor cab office, visit with your local cellular phone provider. Who knows? Maybe this spring instead of listening to the steady drone of the tractor engine as you make your way across the field, you’ll be rockin’ out to some streaming audio of AC/DC, checking out the current prices at the CBOT, and monitoring current weather conditions, all from the comfort of your tractor seat!