Many buyers contacting an industrial router manufacturer in China send a short message: "Please quote 200 industrial 5G routers." Several replies come back, each describing a different model, with different accessories, different assumptions about bands and certificates, and different shipping terms. Comparing them becomes guesswork, and the real differences only appear after the order, when the routers do not connect to the local network or arrive without the right power supplies.
A well-written request for quotation (RFQ) prevents this. It tells each manufacturer exactly what the project needs, asks for answers in a consistent form, and makes it obvious when a reply leaves something out. This article sets out the ten sections of a good RFQ for industrial cellular routers, with example wording, and shows where E-Lins's published information fits in.
Start With the Application, Not the Model
Before listing any technical requirement, describe what the routers will do. One paragraph is enough: the type of site, the devices to be connected, the data involved, the power available, the environment, and whether anyone will be on site. A manufacturer who understands the application can suggest a more suitable model than the one you guessed, and can flag problems you may not have considered.
The Ten Sections of a Good RFQ
1. Application and site conditions
State the site types, temperature range inside the enclosure, mounting method, and power supply. Example: "Unattended roadside cabinets, internal temperature up to 60°C in summer, DIN-rail mounting, 24V DC supply."
2. Functional requirements
List what the router must do rather than naming a model: cellular technology (4G, 5G RedCap or full 5G), number and type of Ethernet ports, serial interfaces, digital I/O, Wi-Fi, GPS, single or dual SIM, VPN protocols and management protocols.
3. Country, operator and bands
State the destination countries and, if known, the operators. Ask the manufacturer to confirm that the proposed variant supports the LTE and 5G bands those operators use, and whether 5G standalone (SA), non-standalone (NSA), or both are required.
4. Certifications and documents
List the approvals the destination market requires, such as CE for the European Union, UKCA for Great Britain, or FCC for the United States, and ask for the declaration of conformity and test reports for the exact variant. In the EU, ask how the cybersecurity requirements of the Radio Equipment Directive, applicable since 1 August 2025, are addressed.
5. Variants and options
Many industrial routers come in variants. Specify which options are needed, such as RS232 or RS485, PoE In or PoE Out, GPS, Wi-Fi standard, and wide-voltage input, so that every supplier quotes the same configuration.
6. Accessories
Ask exactly what is included: antennas (number, type, cable length), power supply or terminal block, mounting kit, cables, and documentation. Missing accessories are one of the most common sources of delay at installation.
7. Configuration and labelling
If routers should arrive pre-configured, describe the settings: APN, VPN profile, management server, firewall rules, SIM policy. State any labelling or packaging requirements, such as asset labels, serial number lists or private-label branding.
8. Quantities and schedule
Give the sample quantity, pilot quantity and volume forecast, with dates. Manufacturers plan production differently for a single order than for a rolling programme.
9. Shipping and Incoterms
State the delivery address and the Incoterms rule you prefer. Under Incoterms 2020, rules such as FOB and CIF apply only to sea and inland waterway transport, while FCA, DAP and DDP can be used for any mode, including air freight and express. Ask for the HS code the manufacturer uses for export documents; industrial routers are commonly classified under subheading 8517.62, although final classification is a matter for the importer and customs.
10. Warranty, support and firmware
Ask for the warranty period and options to extend it, the support channels and hours, how firmware updates are delivered and for how long, and how returns are handled.
|
RFQ section |
Example wording |
Why it matters |
|
Bands |
"Confirm support for the LTE and 5G bands used by our two national operators" |
Prevents routers that cannot connect |
|
Certificates |
"Provide the DoC and test reports for the quoted variant" |
Speeds customs and compliance checks |
|
Accessories |
"List antennas, power supply and mounting kit included" |
Avoids installation delays |
|
Configuration |
"Default APN, VPN and management server pre-loaded" |
Reduces on-site work |
|
Incoterms |
"Quote FCA and DAP to our warehouse" |
Makes delivery terms comparable |
|
Warranty |
"State standard warranty and extension options" |
Clarifies long-term cost of ownership |
Questions to Add When the Manufacturer Is in China
Some questions help distinguish manufacturers from traders and show how a supplier will behave over the long term. Ask who designs the hardware and writes the firmware, where production takes place and under which quality certificates, how component changes are communicated, which time zones the support team covers, and which deployments the company can document.
How E-Lins Information Maps to an RFQ
Buyers who include E-Lins in a tender will find much of what an RFQ asks for in its published information:
Range: 4G routers from the compact H685t to the dual SIM H900t; dual LTE models H700 and H750tt; 5G routers such as the H685f and H900f; RedCap models including the H685frc, H900frc and H820frc; serial modems such as the M300 and M400; outdoor CPE; and embedded boards.
Variants: for example, the H685t lists optional RS232 or RS485, two I/O, PoE, GPS and Wi-Fi, with 5 to 40V DC input by default and a 5 to 50V DC option.
Certifications: CE, FCC and UKCA, with RoHS compliance, and ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 for the company.
Mounting: desktop, wall-mount and DIN-rail kits.
Configuration and branding: customisation can cover firmware behaviour, labels, packaging and private-label presentation, so default settings and branding can be agreed in advance.
Supply: stock for standard models typically prepared in 1 to 2 business days, a reported 98.5% on-time delivery rate for volume projects, and monthly capacity of tens of thousands of units in its own Shenzhen factory.
Support and warranty: 7x24 remote technical support by email, phone, WhatsApp, and WeChat, with an average response time of 10 minutes during business hours; configuration manuals and video tutorials; lifetime free firmware upgrades; a standard one-year warranty that can be extended, up to five years for the H685t.
Reading the Replies
When the answers arrive, put them side by side in the same structure as the RFQ. Mark every assumption a supplier has made that differs from your request, and every question left unanswered, and send those back before comparing anything else. Then confirm the most important points, such as band support, power behaviour, and VPN interoperability, with samples on your own network. An RFQ that took an afternoon to write can save weeks of correction after delivery.
The Manufacturer
Shenzhen E-Lins Technology Co., Ltd. has built industrial cellular equipment since its industrial roots in 1999 and supplies customers in more than 150 countries and regions from its headquarters and factory in Shenzhen. Whichever industrial router manufacturer in China you approach, a clear RFQ is the quickest route to answers you can actually compare.
https://e-lins.com/
Shenzhen E-Lins Technology Co., Ltd.
