Ericsson Cradlepoint R980
#7 in RoutersFull review
For full-time RVers and fleet owners who want a rugged 5G router with eSIM and dual-carrier flexibility.
Amazon $1,025$1,025
The Ericsson Cradlepoint R980 is the better cellular router overall, rated 3.5 to 3.4. The Ericsson Cradlepoint R980 leads on SIM slots, power draw and wiFi. The Teltonika RUTX50 wins on multi-WAN and price. The Teltonika RUTX50 costs $288 less ($737 vs $1,025).
Prices were last checked November 9, 2026. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon or the retailer's site at the time of purchase apply. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Teltonika RUTX50
#11 in RoutersFull review
For a fixed or vehicle install that wants Teltonika 5G with the stronger LTE Cat 20 fallback and wired ports. Check the regional version first.
Amazon $737$737
Which should you buy?
- Choose the Ericsson Cradlepoint R980 for SIM slots (2 SIM slots plus eSIM vs 2 SIM slots), power draw (11 W published vs 16.2 W published) and wiFi (Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) dual-band concurrent 2x2 MU-MIMO vs Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) dual-band, MU-MIMO).
- Choose the Teltonika RUTX50 for multi-WAN (WAN failover and load balancing vs WAN failover) and price ($737 vs $1,025).
Scores side by side
Each factor is scored 0-100 against the same fixed reference points for every routers cellular router; a clear win is highlighted. How we rank explains each one.
| Factor weight | Ericsson Cradlepoint R980 | Teltonika RUTX50 |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 3.5/5 | 3.4/5 |
| Price 20% | 0 $1,025 | 11 $737 |
| Modem speed 15% | 96 3,400 Mbps peak downlink | 95 3,300 Mbps peak downlink |
| SIM slots 8% | 100 2 SIM slots plus eSIM | 50 2 SIM slots |
| Antenna ports 15% | 100 4 external antenna connectors | 100 4 external antenna connectors |
| Multi-WAN 10% | 40 WAN failover | 70 WAN failover and load balancing |
| 12 V input 10% | 100 9-36 V DC input | 100 9-50 V DC input |
| Power draw 10% | 33 11 W published | 0 16.2 W published |
| WiFi 5% | 70 Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) dual-band concurrent 2x2 MU-MIMO | 45 Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) dual-band, MU-MIMO |
| Warranty 7% | 0 warranty not published, scored as none | 0 warranty not published, scored as none |
Specifications
| Ericsson Cradlepoint R980 | Teltonika RUTX50 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cellular | ||
| Modem | 5G sub-6 NSA/SA, LTE Cat 19 fallback (R980-5GD) | 5G SA/NSA, LTE Cat 20 |
| Peak downlink | 3,400 Mbps | 3,300 Mbps |
| mmWave | No | - |
| Bands | 5G n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n13, n14, n18, n20, n25, n26, n28, n29, n30, n38, n40, n41, n48, n66, n71, n75, n76, n77, n78, n79; LTE B1-B5, B7, B8, B12-B14, B17-B20, B25, B26, B28-B30, B32, B34, B38-B43, B46, B48, B66, B71 | - |
| Carriers | AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Telstra certified; FirstNet Trusted, Verizon Frontline | - |
| SIM slots | 2 | 2 |
| eSIM | Yes | - |
| External antenna connectors | 4 | 4 |
| Antenna connector type | SMA | SMA |
| Network | ||
| Ethernet ports | 2 (1 Gbps) | 5 (1 Gbps) |
| WiFi | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) dual-band concurrent 2x2 MU-MIMO | Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) dual-band, MU-MIMO |
| Multi-WAN | Failover | Load balancing |
| Connected devices | - | 150 devices |
| Power and build | ||
| Power input | 9-36 V DC (4-pin Molex Micro-Fit); ignition sensing | 9-50 V DC (4-pin power socket) |
| Power draw | 11 W | 16.2 W |
| Operating temperature | -30 to 70 C (-22 to 158 F) | -40 to +40 C |
| Weight | 601 g | 532 g |
| Released | 2024-09-13 | - |