Short answer
2GIG panels reach the monitoring company through a plug-in cell radio. A communication trouble usually means a weak signal, an inactive service plan, or an old 3G radio that stopped working when carriers retired 3G. The fix is the correct LTE radio for your panel and service provider (GC2 and GC3 radios are not interchangeable), plus an attic antenna if the signal is weak.
On this page
Know your panel
- GC2 (Go!Control 2): the older 7-inch panel. Takes GC2 cell radios.
- GC3: the newer 7-inch panel with a different internal layout. Takes GC3 cell radios.
- Edge: 2GIG's newer panel. Check its documentation for its own radio and antenna options.
See the product pages for the GC3 and Edge.
Signs of a cellular problem
- A communication or cellular trouble alert on the panel.
- The service provider's app (for example Alarm.com) shows the panel as offline or not communicating.
- The monitoring company has not received recent signals.
See also communication failure.
The 3G shutdown
US carriers turned off their 3G networks during 2022, and 3G radios in many GC2 panels stopped working. Canadian carriers are retiring 3G as well, which affects radios such as the 3G radio on Telus. If your radio is 3G, it has to be replaced with an LTE model.
Choosing the right LTE radio
Radios are specific to both the panel and the service platform your dealer uses (Alarm.com, SecureNet, and so on). Ask your monitoring company which platform your account is on before ordering.
| Panel | LTE radio options |
|---|---|
| GC2 | GC2 LTE Cat1 radio for Alarm.com, GC2 LTE radio for SecureNet, GC2 4G LTE cell radio |
| GC3 | GC3 4G LTE cell radio with Alarm.com |
After installing a new radio, the dealer has to activate it on their platform and swap it onto your account. A radio bought on its own will not communicate until they do.
Weak signal: add an antenna
Panels mounted in basements, metal-sided homes, or far from towers may have poor LTE signal. 2GIG makes attic antennas that run a cable from the radio to a better location:
- 2GIG-ANT5XL-GC2 for the GC2.
- 2GIG-ANT5XL-GC3 for the GC3 and Edge.
The panel and the service provider's tools can usually show signal strength. Check it before and after fitting the antenna.
Other GC2 and GC3 troubles
- Sensor low battery or supervision: see sensor low battery.
- AC power loss and panel battery: see power outages. GC2 and GC3 use their own internal battery packs, not generic SLA batteries.
- Installer code: the factory default is
1561. See installer and master codes.