AirLink Warranty Changes

Sierra Wireless announced that their products can no longer be purchased without ALMS services attached. In addition to that, product warranty lengths will be tied directly to the term of the devices AirLink services plan - up to 5-years.

So while many devices had previously been sold with a 3-year standard warranty, they now only come with a 1-year warranty, tied to the basic 1-year AirLink Complete (or Premium) subscription sold in tandem with the device. To extend that warranty, purchasers only need opt for a longer AirLink services subscription (options are 1, 3, and 5 year).

Most security-related problems cellular router and gateway users experience, regardless of device manufacturer, have to do with a failure to keep those devices up to date with the newest patches and fixes. Maintaining device security is an ongoing process that all technology manufacturers must incorporate into their product lifecycles.

Hackers and others with malicious intent are constantly developing new ways to penetrate system defenses, and device manufacturers are similarly developing new ways to stop them in their tracks. New patches and software updates help ensure your devices are continuously protected against new bugs, viruses, and third-party threats.

It's in everyone's (Manufacturers, Value-Added Resellers like USAT, and End Users) best interest  to tie AirLink Services to warranties to ensure that those services are always current and the devices that utilize them are always up-to-date and ready to fight external threats to your communications infrastructure.

No, devices will still operate, have the ability to be configured locally, and have access to critical security patches. But they will no longer have access to remote management, fleet-wide management, support teams, value-added services, or extended warranties. 

That said, most organizations utilizing AirLink devices purchased them because of their remote management capabilities and additional services that make administering their fixed and mobile communications infrastructure easier. Ultimately, it's in users best interest to keep these services active for as long as their devices are in use.