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French to English translations [PRO] Tech/Engineering - Telecom(munications)
French term or phrase:rapatrier
Hello! I am translating a contract for electronic toll collection services. In this system, vehicles have an on-board unit that transmits data to sensors set up along toll roads. I am trying to figure out how to translate "rapatrier" in this context. Basically, they want the system to be able to switch between telecoms operators without having to "rapatrier" the on-board unit. EE = équipement embarqué, or on-board unit. I have it right now as " The System shall be able to switch telecom operators without having to return the OBU," but it sounds off to me and I am not sure rapatrier here means to return, or to return, reprogram and send back out, or something else. I appreciate the help!
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Activation et Paramétrage sans GSM
dito 03 hors test SIM et sans réseau GSM
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Changement opérateur télécom
Le Dispositif permettra de changer d'opérateur télécom sans rapatrier l'EE.
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Activation, Paramétrage, Telediagnostic, Suspension, Killing « over the air », …
Le Dispositif permettra d’effectuer les opérations « over the air » liés à la gestion d’un EE depuis le système de gestion de eurotoll à travers la mise à disposition d’interfaces informatiques temps réel.
You're right, and I went through and changed a lot of the constructions after finishing my rough draft. Took out a lot of the shalls and be able to's and it was a much more coherent document after that. I had been translating for maybe 12 hours straight at that point... I just wanted to get through it! I appreciate the help!
it's not always good to say that an inanimate object is 'able to do' anything; this is one of those instances where I think it's better to turn the sentence round and use something like 'make it possible to' etc.
I appreciate the feedback! It is a UK audience, and a contract, which is why I chose shall. But I do like your "shall be designed to permit" construction better. Thanks!
Not part of your question, but I can't stop myself from commenting that "shall be able" sounds a bit odd, especially for a US audience. Full disclosure -- I do use 'shall' myself, sometimes even in speech -- mostly when asking for approval -- "Shall I open the window?" OR I use in contract -- Company shall provide the following documentation.
But it just sounds odd here. I think US English would generally say "Will be able to..." If you really want to use shall, "Shall be designed to permit the switching.." would be better, I think. Any reactions from UK, where shall is much more common than in North America.
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Answers
6 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +1
return (the unit) to base
Explanation: .
Example sentence(s):
As long as the unit can be attached to the internet via the WIFI access can be made to the unit to solve problems. Most problems can be solved this way and [this] removes the need to return the unit to base.
Explanation: "Return to the manufacturer" might work for "rapatrier" in this context, as in "...without having to return the on-board unit to the manufacturer. It could be that this is a situation similar to having to return a modem to a telecom provider (phone and internet service) once you disconnect that service, because you're moving or you're switching to a different provider. Just a suggestion, based on my partial understanding of the context.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 38 mins (2011-09-22 00:47:56 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Actually, "without having to return the unit to the service provider" would work better in this context, since we (or at least I) don't know whether the manufacturer of the unit is the same as the telecom service provider.
Babar Khan Local time: 07:40 Native speaker of: French, English
The translation workplace 
