Monitoring and reporting system using cellular carriers

A vending machine (2, 4, 6) capable of communicating with a central station (8) using any one of multiple cellular carriers includes a telemetry device (22). The telemetry device includes a cellular transceiver, a digital signal processor-based modem (44), and memory (42) storing software corresponding to protocols for each of the cellular carriers. The telemetry device (22) can be reconfigured, in response to signals received from the central station (8) using a first one of the cellular carriers, to transmit and receive signals subsequently using a second one of the cellular carriers. Software code residing in memory associated with a subunit of a vending machine can be upgraded or otherwise modified by transmitting segments of software code from a remote station to the telemetry device using a cellular carrier, assembling the segments of software code in the telemetry device, and routing the assembled software code to a designated one of the sub-units.