Yes, we provide tape/silicone tubes necessary for the deployment as well as any other necessary materials: neoprene pads to elevate the devices and separate them from the animal's body, metal clips, etc.

We advise at least 2 weeks for testing the devices. This way you can familiarise yourself with the system and the devices' functionalities and allow enough time for us to act in the event of any malfunctions. If replacements are needed to resolve the issue of your transmitters, we might not be able to deliver them within 2 weeks, but we will put every effort to accomplish that.

Remember that the order might take up to 5-6 weeks for manufacturing and delivery, so plan all the orders accordingly.

Store the device in an environment with a temperature of max. 35°C. Avoid exposing the device to extreme temperatures below -20°C or above 60°C, as this may cause permanent damage.

Ensure the device is kept away from magnetic or electric fields, such as those generated by transformers.

Store the device in a secure location to prevent it from falling onto hard surfaces, which could result in damage.

Charging the devices periodically is also a crucial step:

• For ULTRA and NANO P1 Lite devices, please charge the device at least once every 2 weeks for 1-2 days in the sun for proper maintenance.
• For the NANO, MINI, INTERREX and FLEX II devices, please charge the device at least once a month for 1-2 days in the sun for proper maintenance.
• For FLEX II Argos, FLEX II MAX, FLEX and LEGO devices, please charge the device at least once every 8-12 weeks for 1-2 days in the sun for proper maintenance.

Find more information here: Device maintenance

No, these two processes are totally different.

Activating a device means enabling data services depending on the status that you choose. This process is conducted via the Ecotopia website. Find more information here: Data subscription status management

Switching the device on means enabling the device to collect the data, receive the settings through cellular networks and connect to the server. This process is conducted via the Ecotopia phone app. Find more information here: Switching the device on

Remember that checking the current battery status of the device is possible only using the Ecotopia phone app through bluetooth connection.

The status of the battery visible on the Ecotopia website is the status of the battery detected by the device at the time of the device's last transmission. Please, mind that checking the real-time battery status after the deployment is not possible.

It all depends on the project and the needs of a specific study. However, there are several universal tips:

• Avoid too short working intervals - drastic battery drain can happen, which will lead to missing important data and losing communication. And lighting condition is unpredictable in the wild, which means you don’t know when the battery will go up. So, too frequent working intervals are very risky.
• Remember to leave BOOST enabled - it will allow more data collection and transmission and not overburden the battery.
• If you decide to use the on-time schedule, remember to set the device to transmit the data at hours that will ensure as much sunlight availability as possible.

Find more information here: Proper settings management

Your device will receive the settings as soon as it connects with the servers using 2G/4G/5G, depending on the model.

For INTELINK models, the device needs to connect to a HUB or you need to deliver the settings manually, using your Ecotopia phone app.

ODBA is an index calculated using the accelerometer data. It indicates the level of animals' activity and is able to determine if the animal died or the device was dropped. Find more about ODBA here: What is ODBA?

Please, remember to switch ODBA on before deploying the device as it is oftentimes a necessary factor in determining what happened to a device that sends unclear GPS positions. The first year of ODBA subscription is included in the standard data service fee and later on it costs no more than 1 EUR/month/device. Subscribing to ODBA is easy, just follow the manual here: ODBA subscription

Yes, you can. Bear in mind that only one Ecotopia account can be synchronized with one study in Movebank. Find a step-by-step manual on how to synchronize your devices to Movebank here: Movebank

If you terminate your device, the data synchronized with Movebank will not be lost.

Yes, for different models with different transmission methods, battery capacity, etc., tests have been carried out and optimized working voltage thresholds have been set.

There are two important thresholds: one for data transmission and one for data collection. This is very important as you need to remember that the fact that the device stopped sending data does not mean that it stopped collecting it. The threshold for data transmission is higher, so if the battery drops below it, the device will prioritise collecting data and will send it as soon as the battery level is high enough again.

Find more information here: Working thresholds for the devices

Firstly, please verify if the following are possible:

• The device entered an area, where the availability of cellular networks is limited.
• The device was dropped or the animal died, which will be indicated by low ODBA values and a notification next to the device ID on the list.
• The last data provided indicates that the battery levels were around the threshold value, which will indicate that the device will prioritise collecting data and will send it when the battery reaches a high enough level.

If you think that all of the above are false, contact us at michal@interrex.pl and we will advise.

If you are sure that the device is not functional anymore and you do not intend to use it, it is advised to change its data subscription status according to your needs. This way, you will be able to reduce the costs that the 'active' devices generate while being on the account. Below, find different data statuses and the costs that the devices generate:

• ACTIVE: The device is fully functional, will collect and send data, you will be able to look into every piece of data on Ecotopia.
  • Generates 9.99 EUR/month/device for 2G/4G/5G devices
  • Generates 3.99 EUR/month/device for INTELINK devices
• SUSPENDED: When a device is newly purchased and you have no plan to use it soon, you can keep it at SUSPENDED
  • Generates 0.99 EUR/month/device for 2G/4G/5G/INTELINK devices
• INACTIVE: When a device has collected some valuable data but you don't expect further useful data from the device for various reasons (for example, the study case closed, the device dropped, the animal died or went missing), you can set it to INACTIVE to keep using our data platform to view or analyze the collected data.
  • Generates 2.99 EUR/month/device for 2G/4G/5G/INTELINK devices
• TERMINATED: If you want to remove a device from your account, you can set it to TERMINATED. The device will no longer generate costs but will also not be visible on your account.

Bear in mind, that switching the device's status to terminated means that you will not be able to view the data it collected. If you intend to do that, download the device's data before. Find more information here: Data downloading

Before using Renewal Plan, please contact us at michal@interrex.pl to establish if the devices are definitely not functional.

After that, please follow this simple instruction: Renewal Plan's activation. Afterwards, please send us the list of devices for which you used the Renewal Plan and inform us how soon you need the replacements. Bear in mind that at least a month should be allowed for us to deliver the devices.

To do that, please contact our ring and flag specialist, Alicia, using her e-mail address: alicia@interrex.pl

All the rings and flags you order with Alicia can be included in the package alongside GPS devices.