1. What a parcel locker reports
A parcel locker covers compartment management, drop-off and pickup, and remote maintenance. 4G carries compartment state, pickup codes, and faults. OTA is how firmware gets updated. A compartment is one slot that holds a parcel. SimtoLink supplies 4G to courier and logistics companies, with a data pool, a private APN, and an API into the locker platform.
2. Drop-off, pickup, and the camera
Drop-off, pickup, and maintenance do not ask the same thing of the link. A pickup code has to be checked immediately. A firmware job can wait.
Drop-off and compartments
The locker reports compartment state over 4G so a courier can drop a parcel, the system can assign a slot, and a full cabinet raises a warning.
Pickup and the code
The pickup terminal checks the code over 4G. Notices go by SMS or push, with a reminder when a parcel sits too long and a holding fee when it does.
Camera and disputes
The camera sends video over 4G for proof of drop-off, an alert when something looks wrong, and a record if a pickup is disputed.
Remote maintenance and OTA
The locker takes firmware and a remote diagnosis over 4G, which is how a fault gets checked without opening the cabinet first.
3. What the locker link has to do
- Sites with no fixed line: Lockers stand in residential compounds, offices, and campuses. Most have no Ethernet. 4G is what keeps them online day and night.
- Compartments and pickup: Compartment state, the pickup-code check, and the open command have to move immediately. Pickup notices, overdue reminders, and holding fees need that same link to stay up.
- Camera: Video is the proof of drop-off, the abnormal alert, and the record for a dispute. A stream uses more data than status messages.
- Remote maintenance: Firmware, remote diagnosis, and fault checks ride on 4G, so many cabinets can be watched from one desk.
- Courier platform: The locker platform manages many cabinets and the operating figures. The API is how those records stay together.
4. Which SIM fits which part of the locker
The controller, the camera, and the firmware job do not need the same bandwidth. The table is a starting point:
| Use | Recommended network | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Cabinet controller and compartments | 4G | Compartment state, pickup check, and the open command |
| Camera | 4G | Proof of drop-off, abnormal alerts, and video |
| OTA and remote maintenance | 4G | Firmware and fault diagnosis |
5. How much data a locker uses
One locker typically uses about 50–200MB a month, mostly status and transactions. Pool SIMs by site, keep 20%–30% spare, and put the cabinets on a private APN.
6. Security and compliance
Treat parcel lockers as medium security. Sessions need TLS/SSL, a private APN, and an IP allowlist. SimtoLink completes real-name registration for the SIMs.
7. What SimtoLink would deploy
For the cabinet controller and the camera, use a 4G IoT SIM. The locker has to report opens and pickups as they happen, and it has to take remote maintenance and OTA. SimtoLink plans for 99.9% network availability, a data pool, and an API into the courier or station platform.
8. Putting lockers in
Rollout:
Size the plan to the number of sites, and check coverage in the compound or the office building. Set the APN and IP allowlist, and alert at 80% of the data allowance. SimtoLink stays with the project from the first cabinet through the wider network. Contact us for a plan built around those sites.