UNSPSC 43222628: Modems

A modem modulates outgoing digital signals from a computer or other digital device to analog signals for a conventional copper twisted pair telephone line and demodulates the incoming analog signal and converts it to a digital signal for the digital device. An electronic device for converting between serial data from a computer and an audio signal suitable for transmission over telephone lines. In one scheme the audio signal is composed of silence (no data) or one of two frequencies representing 0 and 1.

UNSPSC 43222628 Modems (Commodity) covers cellular and fixed modems that state and local governments procure for remote telemetry, water system monitoring, wireless network infrastructure, and fleet connectivity applications. Recent solicitations show active purchasing of both branded equipment (Semtech RV55 cellular modems) and integrated modem services embedded within larger telecommunications and SCADA system contracts. The issuing bodies span water management districts, transportation authorities, school districts, and colleges across multiple states, reflecting widespread adoption of remote monitoring and mobile connectivity infrastructure in public-sector operations. Modems appear in two distinct procurement patterns: standalone equipment bids issued by special-purpose districts and utilities seeking specific models on a consumable basis, and embedded services within larger system integration or telecommunications contracts where modems are specified as component equipment rather than standalone procurements.

The St. Johns River Water Management District (Florida) issued an IFB in April 2026 to procure approximately 100 Semtech RV55 cellular modems through a three-year price agreement with an estimated annual spend of $35,000 (bids due April 22, 2026). The City of Flowery Branch, Georgia solicited SCADA system equipment upgrade and maintenance services in May 2026 that explicitly required cellular-based remote telemetry units with upgraded hardware as a system component, with a mandatory pre-bid meeting June 3, 2026 and proposals due June 30, 2026. The Texas Department of Information Resources posted a multiple-award indefinite-quantity contract (TEX-AN-WPS) on May 26, 2026 for cellular, wireless, and satellite voice and data services including related equipment, with responses due July 23, 2026 and evaluation emphasis on past performance (45%), technical approach (40%), and account organization (15%). Florida and Texas dominate recent activity, with secondary opportunities in Georgia. The code shows steady but narrowly focused procurement—modems are rarely the primary commodity in state and local RFPs, but instead appear as specified equipment within larger telecommunications, water infrastructure, and IT systems contracts where connectivity and remote monitoring drive the requirement.