Let’s tell you how you can check the operation of your new V16 beacon without alerting the DGT. As you know, these beacons have an internal SIM card that connects with the DGT, so that when you activate them because you have an accident or breakdown, they can geolocate you.
But what happens when you just want to check that everything works well on a beacon you just bought? Well, we are going to tell you the amount of time you have before this connection is established. Because in the end, when you have spent money on one, what you want is to see that it works to see if you should return it or keep it.
100 seconds margin
As specified by the DGT in one of his postsV16 beacons and their SIM cards They have a margin of 100 seconds during which no information is sent. This is the time the device has to establish the connection with the mobile network, check its GPS and prepare to send data.
This serves to provide a secure testing window, as well as to prevent false alerts or messages from being sent in error. This means that you can turn on the beacon and test that it works, since will not alert the DGT until 100 seconds have passed. This way, you can see that your light is working and everything is fine.
Remember that you must activate these beacons on the roof of the car if you have an incident. And when they send your position to the DGT after those 100 seconds, it will be able to use the road information panels to warn other drivers, send notices to compatible navigation applications such as Google Maps, and make it easier to locate you. They are mandatory from January 1, 2026.
In Xataka Basics | What to look for in a V16 beacon: requirements and how to check if the one you have or want to buy works for you
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