Before getting Nofence
Mobile service and connectivity
Mobile service and connectivity
Nofence collars use a mobile connection to receive updates and commands from your app on your phone or tablet. This means you need a mobile connection to update pastures remotely, check locations, or receive alerts. All collars will automatically pick the strongest signal and communicate on that network.
However, your animals will remain contained even in areas with little to no mobile service, thanks to GPS and our HerdNet™ technology. Below, we'll explain how this works.
Move your herd to a new pasture or update boundaries from anywhere across the globe
See each animal's latest location update and latest welfare and activity data
Check the battery status of your collars
Get alerts when something needs attention, like reduced activity from a collar, or if an animal escapes the boundary
Contain your livestock in the virtual boundary using GPS and other GNSS satellites rather than cell towers
Remove pastures from the collar using Bluetooth connectivity
Locate collars using an audio locate feature over Bluetooth
Understanding what coverage levels you have in your area can help you know what to expect from your Nofence system.
Strong coverage (80%+)
Updates from the entire herd every 15 minutes. Welfare and escape alerts arrive immediately.
Suited for: Target grazers, goats for hire, precision grazing.
Patchy coverage (around 40%)
Updates from the herd every 30 minutes. Welfare and escape alerts when in coverage. The virtual fence works regardless of connection.
Suited for: Most operations with mixed coverage.
Minimal or none (0-10%)
The virtual fence still works using GPS. You'll get infrequent updates, and can remove livestock using Bluetooth from your phone when on-site.
Suited for: Large pastures with seasonal moves (40m²+).
In Ireland, Nofence collars connect to Vodaphone, 3, and EIR. The collar automatically selects the network with the best signal in your area. However, we know that coverage can be patchy in some rural and remote areas.
With our HerdNet™ technology, only one collar in the entire herd needs a connection to receive and share updates to the entire herd.
The collars don't need a mobile connection to enforce boundaries. They only need it to receive changes you make in the app, or to send information back to you. GPS always keeps the virtual fence active. For live updates on health and other notifications, some amount of mobile coverage will be needed.
Connectivity explained
Nofence uses 3 technologies for the best possible experience and to provide a reliable service even in the most difficult environments.
GPS enables the virtual boundary. GPS runs 24/7 from satellites in space. So reliable, even with no mobile service, livestock is contained.
When both the herd and your device have a mobile connection, you can view live data, move livestock, and edit pastures.
A fallback for the most remote and harsh terrains. With Bluetooth you get core functionality from up to 46 metres away, even with no mobile service.