A mobile starter lets you switch your borewell or submersible pump motor ON or OFF from your phone, from any distance. Fit the BTCO GSM Module to any BTCO starter and it becomes a GSM mobile starter: control it with the free BTCO Starters app or by SMS, get an alert the moment power comes or goes, and keep the full motor protection of your BTCO starter.
4.5 rating on Google Play · 69 reviews · 5,000+ downloads
What is a mobile starter?
A mobile starter is an automatic motor starter with a GSM unit inside it. The GSM unit holds a SIM card, so the starter can receive your commands and send you messages over the mobile network, just like a phone. You do not need to be near the pump: if there is network at the pump and on your phone, you can control the motor.
With BTCO, the GSM unit is the BTCO GSM Module, a 4G module that connects to the MPAU (the control and protection unit) of your BTCO starter. You control it in two ways:
- BTCO Starters app (Android, and a web app for iPhone): ON / OFF, timers, Auto Switch, live voltage and current, alerts and logs.
- SMS from any mobile phone: switch the motor ON or OFF and check its status, even without a smartphone.
Why farmers in Karnataka use a mobile starter
Three phase power for farm pumpsets comes for limited hours, in shifts that keep changing and often fall at night. Without a mobile starter you either wait at the pump house or walk to the field in the dark to check whether power has come. A BTCO mobile starter does the waiting for you:
- Know when power comes: the app alerts you the moment power is restored, and again when it is cut.
- Starts by itself: keep Auto Switch on and the starter starts the motor on its own when power returns, after the auto start delay you set. You can turn Auto Switch on or off from the app.
- Stops on time: Normal, Cyclic, RTC and Scheduler timers in the app run the motor only for the hours your crop needs.
- Tells you why it stopped: dry run, overload and other trips come to your phone with the reason, so you know whether to go to the field.
- Shows what happened: seven days of logs show how many hours the motor ran and how many hours the power was cut each day.
Which BTCO mobile starter do I need?
Choose the BTCO starter for your motor and supply, and add the GSM Module. Every BTCO starter works with mobile control.
| Your motor | Your supply | BTCO mobile starter |
|---|---|---|
| 3 phase, single cable, 3 to 10 HP | 3 phase | DOL starter + GSM Module |
| 3 phase, double cable, 7.5 to 30 HP | 3 phase | Star Delta starter + GSM Module |
| 3 phase, single cable, 3 to 10 HP | 3 phase, 2 phase or juice line | Combined DOL (1/2/3) starter + GSM Module |
| 3 phase, double cable, 7.5 to 25 HP | 3 phase or 2 phase (juice line up to 10 HP) | Combined Star Delta (1/2/3) starter + GSM Module |
| Single phase, 2 to 5 HP | Single phase | Single Phase starter + GSM Module |
Not sure which one fits your motor? Call 08162256789 or WhatsApp 6364767689 with your motor HP and cable type, and we will tell you.
What you can do from your phone
- Switch the motor ON or OFF from any distance, by app or SMS
- Turn Auto Switch on or off without going to the farm
- Set four timer modes: Normal, Cyclic, RTC (up to two sessions a day) and Scheduler (a different plan for each day)
- See live voltage on all three lines and live motor current
- Change the overload trip amps
- Get alerts for power cut, power restored, motor started or stopped, starter offline, dry run and overload
- Check seven days of running hours and power cuts
- Add any number of family members or farm helpers, and up to 100 starters in one app
See every feature with screenshots on the BTCO mobile starter app page.
App or SMS?
GSM Modules bought after August 2025 work with both the app and SMS. Modules bought before August 2025 work by SMS only. Either way, there is no missed-call control. Not sure which module you have? Call 08162256789.
Full motor protection, not just remote switching
Switching the motor from your phone is only half the job. In a BTCO mobile starter, the starter’s MPAU keeps protecting your motor whether you are at the pump or not:
- Dry run protection, with a dry restart time you set so the borewell can refill
- Overload protection
- Single phasing on HT and LT lines (“Mains Problem”)
- Earth fault and current imbalance
- Motor cable and contactor kit faults (“Check Cable/Kit”)
- Auto start delay after power returns
Learn how to set each protection, in Kannada, Telugu and English, on our BTCO starter videos page.
Already have a BTCO starter? Add mobile control
You can add the GSM Module to a BTCO starter bought in January 2024 or later. If your starter is from early 2024 or older, call us on 08162256789 before buying the module, and we will check whether it fits.
Get started in 3 steps
- Buy the GSM Module (or a new BTCO starter with it) from your nearest BTCO Starters dealer and have it fitted with a SIM card.
- Download the BTCO Starters app from Google Play, or open the web app on iPhone.
- Tap + Starter and enter a name for the starter, the GSM Module’s SIM number and the starter type (1Ph, 3Ph or Combined).
Watch: how to use the BTCO mobile starter app
See BTCO mobile starters in action
Farmers already run their pumps with the BTCO Starters app:
4.5rating on Google Play 69reviews 5,000+downloads See it on Google Play →Watch short videos from our YouTube channel:
- Step by step: activate your BTCO mobile control unit
- Control your motor starter from anywhere with the BTCO app
- Auto Switch, now in the BTCO Starters app
- Cyclic timer or dry run restart time: what is the difference?
- Meet the BTCO team at the Krishi Mela in Dharwad
Follow BTCO Starters on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook for new videos and farmer stories.
Frequently asked questions
What is a mobile starter?
A mobile starter is a motor starter you can control from your phone. With BTCO, it is any BTCO starter with the BTCO GSM Module fitted. You switch the motor ON or OFF with the BTCO Starters app or by SMS, and the starter tells you when power comes, when it goes and when the motor stops.
Can I switch the motor ON with a missed call?
No. BTCO mobile starters work with the BTCO Starters app and by SMS. Missed-call control is not available.
Can I use it without a smartphone?
Yes. You can switch the motor ON or OFF and check its status by SMS from any mobile phone.
Which BTCO starters can become a mobile starter?
All of them: DOL, Star Delta, Combined DOL, Combined Star Delta and Single Phase starters all work with the BTCO GSM Module.
I already have a BTCO starter. Can I add mobile control?
Yes, if your starter was bought in January 2024 or later. If you bought it in early 2024 or before, call us on 08162256789 before buying the GSM Module and we will check whether it fits your starter.
Will it work in my village?
The GSM Module works on 4G with a SIM card inside it, so there must be mobile network at the pump. You can control it from anywhere your phone has network.
Will I know when the power comes back?
Yes. The app sends an alert for power cut, power restored, motor started, motor stopped, starter offline, and dry run or overload trips with the reason.
Does it work on iPhone?
Yes. iPhone users use the BTCO web app at app.btcostarters.com. On Android, the BTCO Starters app is free on Google Play.
Can more than one person control the motor?
Yes. Add any number of family members or farm helpers as users of a starter, and one app can hold up to 100 starters.
Is the app free?
Yes, free for life, with no subscription. You only need the GSM Module fitted to your BTCO starter and a SIM card in it.
Does the GSM Module have a warranty?
Yes. The GSM Module is covered by our one-year warranty against manufacturing defects.
Where can I buy a BTCO mobile starter?
At all BTCO Starters dealers. Find your nearest dealer, or call 08162256789 or WhatsApp 6364767689.
Get your BTCO mobile starter
Visit your nearest BTCO Starters dealer, or call or WhatsApp us and we will help you choose the right starter and set it up.
