Teltonika RUT981 Global 4G Router

Teltonika RUT981 – Global 4G Industrial Router

The Teltonika RUT981 is a global 4G LTE Cat 4 industrial router built for commercial and industrial deployments that span multiple countries. It uses a Telit cellular modem covering 18 LTE bands, 7 UMTS bands, and 4 GSM bands in a single unit, so the same hardware works in the UK, Europe, the United States, Australia, and across Asia-Pacific without needing region-specific variants. For organisations managing multi-site deployments or remote asset monitoring across different territories, this eliminates the stock management and ordering complexity that comes with regional SKUs.

The RUT981 carries dual physical SIM slots plus an integrated eSIM with Bootstrap provisioning. It delivers WAN failover and load balancing across all three connectivity options, keeping the connection active even if a primary SIM fails or a carrier has an outage. Four Ethernet ports, passive PoE input, digital I/O, and full RutOS with Teltonika RMS support make it a capable and manageable platform for branch offices, retail sites, kiosks, and light industrial applications.

Key Features

• Global 4G LTE Cat 4 via Telit modem – 150 Mbps download / 50 Mbps upload, with 3G and 2G fallback
• 18 LTE bands: B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B7, B8, B9, B12, B13, B14, B18, B19, B20, B25, B26, B28 – covers UK/EU (B20, B8), USA (B2, B4, B12, B13, B25), FirstNet (B14), APT 700 (B28)
• Dual physical SIM (Mini SIM 2FF, external holders) plus embedded eSIM with Bootstrap provisioning – three-layer failover: SIM 1, SIM 2, eSIM
• 802.11b/g/n (Wi-Fi 4, 2.4 GHz), 2×2 MIMO – up to 100 simultaneous clients, mesh (802.11s), and fast roaming (802.11r) support
• 4x RJ45 (1x WAN, 3x LAN), 10/100 Mbps – passive PoE input via LAN1 port (9-30 VDC, Mode B)
• 1x digital input, 1x digital output on 4-pin industrial power connector with I/O juggler for condition-based events
• 9-30 VDC industrial power input, reverse polarity protection, surge protection – power consumption under 4.3 W maximum
• RutOS with OpenVPN, WireGuard, IPsec, L2TP and full routing suite (BGP, OSPF, RIP, EIGRP)
• Teltonika RMS remote management compatible – configure, monitor, and update devices from a central dashboard
• Aluminium enclosure, 110 x 50 x 100 mm, 268 g, IP30, -40 to +65 degrees C
• CE, UKCA, FCC, ISED, RCM certified – UL/CSA Class I Division 2 hazardous location rated
• 2-year manufacturer warranty, UK-based technical support from routerstore.com

What Is the RUT981 Used For?

Retail Branches and Pop-Up Sites

The RUT981 suits retail environments where a reliable, managed 4G connection is needed for payment terminals, EPOS systems, and back-office connectivity. The dual SIM with automatic failover prevents costly downtime at point of sale. Passive PoE input allows powering the router directly from a network switch without a separate power run.

EV Charge Point and Kiosk Connectivity

EV charge points and public kiosks need always-on connectivity for payment processing and remote monitoring. The RUT981 provides a compact, weatherproof-encased cellular gateway with digital I/O for status signalling and three-layer SIM failover. The global band support covers deployments across different countries under a single hardware type.

Construction Site and Temporary Office Networks

Construction sites, temporary project offices, and event infrastructure regularly move between locations and countries. A single RUT981 covers connectivity requirements in multiple markets. The wide 9-30 VDC power input accepts generator or solar power sources, and the DIN rail mounting fits standard site cabinets.

Remote Industrial Monitoring

For SCADA telemetry, substation monitoring, and remote equipment status reporting, the RUT981 provides serial I/O via the digital input and output pins, Modbus support in RutOS, and MQTT for lightweight IoT messaging. The -40 to +65 degrees C range covers outdoor cabinet installations in UK and Northern European climates without active cooling.

Multi-Country Enterprise Deployments

For IT teams deploying branch connectivity across the UK, Europe, and North America, the single global SKU removes the need to maintain separate regional hardware variants. One order code, one firmware, one RMS management account – regardless of which country the device is installed in.

Hazardous and Classified Location Installations

The RUT981 holds UL 121201 and CSA C22.2 No. 213-17 certification for Class I Division 2 and Zone 2 hazardous locations. This makes it suitable for oil and gas installations, chemical processing environments, and mining sites where standard commercial routers are not permitted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the RUT981 support dual SIM?

Yes. The RUT981 has two external Mini SIM (2FF) slots plus a built-in eSIM – three connectivity paths in total. WAN failover and load balancing in RutOS handle automatic switching between SIM 1, SIM 2, and the eSIM based on signal quality, data usage thresholds, or carrier availability. The eSIM also includes a Bootstrap provisioning profile, which lets you download a carrier eSIM profile remotely without needing physical access to the device.

What LTE bands does the RUT981 support and why does that matter?

The RUT981 covers 18 LTE bands: B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B7, B8, B9, B12, B13, B14, B18, B19, B20, B25, B26, and B28. This single band set covers all major UK and European networks (including Band 20 at 800 MHz and Band 28 at 700 MHz), US carriers including FirstNet Band 14, and APT 700 deployments across Asia-Pacific. For buyers who previously had to stock multiple regional variants, the RUT981 replaces all of them with one part number. If you are sourcing IoT SIM cards to go alongside the router, we stock both UK fixed IP SIMs and global roaming SIMs matched to this hardware.

Does the RUT981 support eSIM?

Yes – the RUT981 includes an integrated eSIM on eSIM-variant hardware. The eSIM comes pre-loaded with a 10 MB Bootstrap profile that provides limited connectivity specifically for downloading a full operator eSIM profile on first setup. This means eSIM profiles can be provisioned remotely without a physical SIM card present. Read our eSIM router explainer for more on how eSIM works in practice.

What is Teltonika RMS and does the RUT981 support it?

Teltonika RMS (Remote Management System) is a cloud-based platform for monitoring, configuring, and updating Teltonika devices. The RUT981 is fully RMS-compatible. From a single dashboard you can view signal strength, run remote configuration changes, push firmware updates, and set up alert rules for connection events. Read our Teltonika RMS explainer for a full overview.

Can I power the RUT981 via PoE?

Yes – the RUT981 supports passive PoE input via the LAN1 port (Mode B, 9-30 VDC). Note that this is passive PoE, not compatible with IEEE 802.3af, 802.3at, or 802.3bt standards. You need a passive PoE injector supplying 9-30 VDC. The standard power input is a 4-pin industrial DC connector accepting 9-30 VDC from a dedicated supply or the included 9W PSU.

Does the RUT981 support VPN?

Yes. RutOS on the RUT981 includes OpenVPN, WireGuard, IPsec/IKEv2, L2TP, PPTP, SSTP, GRE, and ZeroTier. VPN is commonly used to establish secure tunnels to a central office or cloud infrastructure, particularly when a fixed IP SIM is in use for the cellular connection. See our VPN on cellular routers explainer for guidance on which VPN type suits which use case.

Related Products and Further Reading

The RUT981 sits within the Teltonika 4G router range alongside the RUT951 and RUT956. For deployments where Docker container support and Wi-Fi 6 are required, the Teltonika RUTC40 is the edge computing alternative. Pair the RUT981 with a compatible 4G antenna for outdoor and in-cabinet installations where the bundled stub antennas are insufficient – a well-matched external antenna can deliver 10-15 dB more gain than a stub in a marginal signal environment. For the SIM card, our IoT SIM connectivity range covers fixed IP SIMs for VPN and remote access applications and global roaming SIMs for multi-country deployments.