US Patent 7869805 Method of selecting data communication provider in a field device

A method and apparatus are provided for allowing a field device to select a data communication provider among a plurality of available data communication providers. Preferably, the method includes periodically, or selectively, assessing the strengths and efficacy of data communication on one or more alternate data communication providers. The data communication provider with the strongest signal and/or most effective data communication is selected for use by the field device. Preferably, the field device logs events where it switches among data communication providers.