Teltonika RUT986 Global 4G Router

Teltonika RUT986 – Industrial Global 4G Router with Serial and GNSS

The Teltonika RUT986 is a global 4G LTE Cat 4 industrial router built for SCADA, energy, utilities, building automation, and any deployment that requires serial connectivity alongside cellular. It combines a Telit modem covering 18 LTE bands worldwide with RS232 and RS485 serial ports, a multi-constellation GNSS receiver, comprehensive digital and analog I/O, Micro SD local storage, and the full suite of industrial communication protocols including Modbus, DNP3, OPC UA, and BACnet. For teams moving from the RUT956, the RUT986 is the direct global replacement – same 110 x 50 x 100 mm footprint, same DIN rail mounting, same cabling, with the addition of global bands and eSIM.

The RUT986 replaces regional hardware variants with a single globally-certified unit. The Telit modem covers Band 20 and Band 8 for UK and European networks, Bands 2, 4, 12, 13, and 25 for US carriers, Band 14 for FirstNet, and Band 28 for APT 700 deployments across Asia-Pacific. Dual physical SIM slots plus an integrated eSIM with Bootstrap provisioning support up to 7 eSIM profiles – useful for deployments across multiple carrier territories managed through Teltonika RMS.

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, US, FirstNet, APT 700 with a single SKU
• Dual physical SIM (Mini SIM 2FF) plus eSIM with Bootstrap provisioning – supports up to 7 eSIM profiles, auto-failover across SIM 1, SIM 2, and eSIM
• RS232 (DB9, RTS/CTS flow control) and RS485 full duplex and half duplex, 300-115200 baud – serial functions include Serial over IP, Modbus gateway, NTRIP client
• GNSS: GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, and QZSS – geofencing, NMEA 0183, NTRIP, TAVL and RMS server support
• 4 inputs: digital dry (0-3V), digital galvanically isolated (0-30V), analog 0-24V with 4-20 mA capability, digital non-isolated on power connector
• 3 outputs: digital open collector (30V, 250mA), SPST relay (40V, 4A), digital open collector on power connector
• USB-A port for external storage or additional modem; Micro SD slot up to 2 TB for local data logging
• Industrial protocols: Modbus TCP/RTU, DNP3, OPC UA (client and server), BACnet (MS/TP to IP), DLMS/COSEM for smart metering
• 4x RJ45 10/100 Mbps Ethernet, passive PoE input via LAN1, VRF support for SCADA traffic segmentation
• RutOS with OpenVPN, WireGuard, IPsec, full routing suite, Teltonika RMS compatible
• -40 to +65 degrees C, IP30, aluminium enclosure, CE, UKCA, FCC, ISED certified, 2-year warranty

What Is the RUT986 Used For?

Solar and Battery Energy Storage (BESS) Monitoring

Solar inverters, battery management systems, and energy meters commonly communicate over RS485 Modbus RTU. The RUT986 bridges this to Modbus TCP over cellular, forwarding real-time generation and state-of-charge data to a SCADA platform. The GNSS receiver provides precise time synchronisation for power quality logging, and Micro SD storage retains data locally if the cellular link drops.

EV Charging Infrastructure

EV charge point controllers typically use OCPP over Ethernet or RS232 for back-end connectivity. The RUT986 provides the cellular uplink with dual-SIM failover to keep payment processing and load management active. The digital relay output can signal charger status or fault conditions to a local alarm system, and GNSS enables asset tracking for mobile charging deployments.

Water and Wastewater Treatment

Water treatment sites use DNP3 and Modbus for PLC and RTU communications. The RUT986 supports both protocols natively, with galvanically isolated digital inputs for pump status and flow meter signals, and relay outputs for remote valve actuation. VRF in RutOS keeps SCADA traffic separate from management traffic on the same device.

Building Management Systems

BACnet MS/TP runs over RS485 in most commercial HVAC and building automation systems. The RUT986 operates as a BACnet router, bridging MS/TP devices on the RS485 port to BACnet/IP over the cellular WAN. This allows central BMS platforms to reach distributed building controllers over 4G without additional protocol conversion hardware on site.

Smart Metering and Utility AMR/AMI

DLMS/COSEM is the dominant smart meter communications protocol in European utility deployments. The RUT986 supports DLMS/COSEM client operation over RS232, RS485, and TCP, making it a direct fit for advanced metering infrastructure and automated meter reading applications. The analog 4-20 mA input handles pulse output meters that do not have a serial interface.

Remote Substation and SCADA Telemetry

Remote substations and field-mounted RTUs require reliable cellular backhaul with deterministic serial connectivity. The RUT986 provides both, with DNP3 support for standard SCADA protocols, dual-SIM failover, VPN tunnelling for secure communications, and the -40 to +65 degrees C operating range for unheated outdoor cabinets and kiosks.

Frequently Asked Questions

What serial interfaces does the RUT986 have?

The RUT986 has one RS232 port (DB9 socket with RTS/CTS flow control) and one RS485 port (6-pin industrial socket, full duplex 4-wire and half duplex 2-wire, 300-115200 baud). Serial functions available in RutOS include Console, Serial over IP, Modem emulation, Modbus gateway, and NTRIP client. There is also a USB-A port that accepts a USB-to-serial adapter if an additional serial connection is needed.

Does the RUT986 support DNP3 and OPC UA?

Yes. RutOS on the RUT986 includes DNP3 support for SCADA and utility applications, OPC UA client and server for Industry 4.0 interoperability, BACnet for building automation (bridging MS/TP over RS485 to BACnet/IP), and DLMS/COSEM for smart metering deployments. Modbus TCP and RTU are also supported as standard.

What is the GNSS capability on the RUT986?

The RUT986 includes a full multi-constellation GNSS receiver supporting GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, and QZSS. Coordinates are accessible via WebUI, SMS, TAVL, and RMS. The device supports NMEA 0183 output, NTRIP for differential correction, and configurable multi-zone geofencing. QZSS support improves positioning accuracy in Asia-Pacific deployments.

What is Teltonika RMS and does the RUT986 support it?

Teltonika RMS is a cloud platform for remote monitoring, configuration, and firmware management of Teltonika devices. The RUT986 is fully compatible. RMS also supports remote eSIM profile management, allowing carrier profiles to be pushed to the integrated eSIM without on-site access. Read our Teltonika RMS explainer for a full overview.

Does the RUT986 support eSIM and how does the Bootstrap profile work?

Yes – the RUT986 includes an integrated eSIM supporting up to 7 stored profiles. The eSIM comes pre-loaded with a 10 MB Bootstrap profile that provides limited connectivity for downloading a full operator profile on first setup, without needing a physical SIM present. This enables zero-touch deployment at scale. Read our eSIM router explainer for more on how eSIM works in practice.

What SIM card do I need for the RUT986?

For SCADA, remote monitoring, and VPN applications, a fixed IP SIM is the standard choice – it gives your router a consistent public IP address so you can establish inbound VPN tunnels or remote access sessions. For multi-site or international deployments, a roaming SIM covers multiple networks and countries from a single contract. We supply both alongside the RUT986 and can advise on the right option for your application.

Related Products and Further Reading

The RUT986 sits at the top of the Teltonika 4G router range for deployments requiring serial interfaces and industrial protocols. For branch office and commercial applications where Wi-Fi client capacity matters more than serial ports, the Teltonika RUT981 is the appropriate alternative. Most RUT986 installations in outdoor cabinets require a properly matched external antenna rather than the bundled magnetic-mount units – browse our 4G antenna range for panel, omni, and specialist options suited to utility enclosures. Pair with a fixed IP IoT SIM for VPN-based SCADA connectivity, or a roaming SIM for multi-country deployments. For guidance on securing the cellular link, see our VPN on cellular routers explainer.