MultiTech MultiConnect Cell 100 USB 3G modem

MultiTech is a US based manufacturer of telecommunication equipment. The MultiTech modems are readily available in the US and Canada, a welcome situation because modems from other brands that are compatible with Diafaan SMS Server are often difficult to find in North America.

For this review, we tested the USB HSDPA+ version of the MultiConnect Cell 100 modem (MultiTech product code: MTC-H5-B03-KIT). This model works worldwide on GSM based 2G and 3G networks. Other MultiConnect Cell 100 models use a serial port connection instead of a USB port and there are models for use on different cellular networks.

MultiConnect Cell 100 specifications
Connection USB
Frequency bands 850, 900, 1700, 1900, 2100
Network protocols GSM, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA+

MultiConnect Cell 100 USB modem

MultiConnect Cell 100 USB modem

Setting up the MultiTech USB modem

The MultiTech modem came with an antenna and USB cable and was easy to set up. The USB models of the MultiTech modems do not need an external power supply, it is powered by the USB connection. On Windows 10, the modem was immediately recognized by Windows and the appropriate USB serial port drivers were installed automatically. Diafaan SMS Server found the modem without any problems, the modem identifies itself as a Telit HE910-D 2G/3G module.

Daily operation

During our tests the MultiConnect Cell 100 modem worked without any problems. the only issue we saw was that Diafaan SMS Server did not receive the delivery reports from the modem with the default settings of the GSM Modem Gateway. This issue was resolved by changing the 'CompatibilityMode' property in the advanced settings of the GSM Modem Gateway to 'Normal' instead of 'Enhanced'.

The modem supports the full reboot command from Diafaan SMS Server after the 3G modem encounters a problem. It also recovers well after the network connection has temporarily been down.

SMS send speed

Network Vodafone
Signal quality Average
Time to send 500 messages of 160 characters, delivery confirmation enabled. All messages sent to the same number (concurrent send and receive) 11 minutes 20 seconds

Conclusion

The MultiTech MultiConnect Cell 100 3G modem that we tested is an excellent modem for use with Diafaan SMS Server. The easy availability of the modem in North America makes it an especially attractive choice for use in the US and Canada.