diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 0150732..4ff3999 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ esp-idf-hal = "0.37.4"
 esp-idf-sys = { version = "0.31.5", features = ["binstart", "native"] }
 mqtt-protocol = "0.11.2"
 nb = "1.0.0"
+ublox = "0.4.2"
 
 [build-dependencies]
 embuild = "0.29"
diff --git a/src/gps.rs b/src/gps.rs
index 8bf4812..03115c6 100644
--- a/src/gps.rs
+++ b/src/gps.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 use anyhow;
 
-use std::sync::mpsc::SyncSender;
-use std::thread;
-use std::time::Duration;
+use std::{
+    sync::mpsc::SyncSender,
+    thread,
+    time::Duration,
+    io::Read,
+};
 
 use esp_idf_hal::prelude::*;
 use esp_idf_hal::serial;
@@ -10,10 +13,11 @@ use esp_idf_hal::serial;
 use ublox::*;
 
 use crate::modem::Msg;
+use crate::serial::SerialIO;
 
 pub fn main<T: Sync + Send>(
-    rx: esp_idf_hal::gpio::Gpio32<T>,
     tx: esp_idf_hal::gpio::Gpio33<T>,
+    rx: esp_idf_hal::gpio::Gpio32<T>,
     uart: serial::UART2,
     sender: SyncSender<Msg>,
 ) -> Result<(), anyhow::Error> {
@@ -23,35 +27,46 @@ pub fn main<T: Sync + Send>(
         cts: None,
         rts: None,
     };
-    let _serial: serial::Serial<serial::UART2, _, _> = serial::Serial::new(
+    let serial: serial::Serial<serial::UART2, _, _> = serial::Serial::new(
         uart,
         serial_pins,
         serial::config::Config::default().baudrate(Hertz(9600)),
     )?;
 
+    let (tx, rx) = serial.split();
+    let mut serial_io = SerialIO::new(tx, rx);
     let mut parser = Parser::default();
-    let mut it = parser.consume(&raw_packet);
-
-    loop {
-        match it.next() {
-            Some(Ok(packet)) => {
-                println!("We've received a &PacketRef, we can handle it ... {:?}", packet);
-            }
-            Some(Err(err)) => {
-                println!("Received a malformed packet {:?}", err);
-            }
-            None => {
-                println!("The internal buffer is now empty");
-                break;
-            }
-        }
-    }
 
     println!("entering GPS sender loop ...");
-    for i in 0..20 {
-        println!("sending GPS message ({}) of 20 ...", i);
-        let _ = sender.send(Msg::Location("{\"lat\": 20.4322, \"long\": 44.5432}".to_string()))?;
+    loop {
+        let mut local_buf = [0; 100];
+        println!("reading 100 bytes from serial ...");
+        let nbytes = serial_io.read(&mut local_buf)?;
+        println!("READ: {}", local_buf.iter().map(|&b| char::from(b)).collect::<String>());
+        if nbytes == 0 {
+            println!("received 0 bytes, exiting ...");
+            break;
+        }
+        let mut it = parser.consume(&local_buf);
+
+        loop {
+            match it.next() {
+                Some(Ok(packet)) => {
+                    let msg = format!("We've received a &PacketRef, we can handle it ... {:?}", packet);
+                    println!("{}", msg);
+                    sender.send(Msg::Location(msg))?;
+                }
+                Some(Err(err)) => {
+                    println!("Received a malformed packet {:?}", err);
+                }
+                None => {
+                    println!("The internal buffer is now empty");
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+        }
         thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(2000));
     }
+    println!("exiting GPS sender loop :)");
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 08d6e94..c5fbf50 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -1,22 +1,19 @@
 mod accel;
 mod config;
-mod gps;
-mod modem;
 #[allow(dead_code)]
 mod command;
+mod gps;
+mod modem;
+mod serial;
 
 use anyhow;
-use std::thread::{self, JoinHandle};
-use std::cell::RefCell;
-use std::time::Duration;
+use std::{
+    thread::{self, JoinHandle},
+    time::Duration,
+};
 
 use esp_idf_hal::peripherals::Peripherals;
 
-thread_local! {
-    static TLS: RefCell<u32> = RefCell::new(13);
-}
-
-
 fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     esp_idf_sys::link_patches();
 
@@ -36,24 +33,19 @@ fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
 
     let mut threads: Vec<JoinHandle<anyhow::Result<_>>> = vec![];
 
-    println!("Rust main thread: {:?}", thread::current());
+    // Rx/Tx pins for the GPS modem
+    let gps_rx = dp.pins.gpio32;
+    let gps_tx = dp.pins.gpio33;
+    // UART interface for the GPS modem
+    let gps_uart = dp.uart2;
 
 
-    TLS.with(|tls| {
-        println!("Main TLS before change: {}", *tls.borrow());
-    });
-
-    TLS.with(|tls| *tls.borrow_mut() = 42);
-
-    TLS.with(|tls| {
-        println!("Main TLS after change: {}", *tls.borrow());
-    });
-
     let (gps_sender, receiver) = std::sync::mpsc::sync_channel::<modem::Msg>(1);
 
     let accel_sender = gps_sender.clone();
 
-    threads.push(thread::spawn(move || gps::main(gps_sender)));
+    let _ = gps::main(gps_tx, gps_rx, gps_uart, gps_sender)?;
+    // threads.push(thread::spawn(move || gps::main(gps_rx, gps_tx, gps_uart, gps_sender)));
     thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(1000));
     threads.push(thread::spawn(move || accel::main(accel_sender)));
     thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(1000));
diff --git a/src/modem.rs b/src/modem.rs
index b9a59d8..d209211 100644
--- a/src/modem.rs
+++ b/src/modem.rs
@@ -1,15 +1,18 @@
 use crate::command::Command;
+use crate::serial::SerialIO;
 
 use anyhow;
-use std::thread;
-use std::error::Error;
-use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
-use std::sync::mpsc::Receiver;
+use std::{
+    error::Error,
+    io::{Read, Write},
+    thread,
+    time::{Duration, Instant},
+    sync::mpsc::Receiver,
+};
 
 use esp_idf_hal::prelude::*;
 use esp_idf_hal::serial::{self, Rx, Tx};
 
-use embedded_hal::serial::{Read, Write};
 use embedded_hal::digital::v2::OutputPin;
 
 use mqtt::packet::{ConnectPacket, PublishPacket, QoSWithPacketIdentifier};
@@ -20,8 +23,7 @@ const MAX_TCP_MANUAL_REPLY_SIZE: usize = 300;
 pub type Result<T> = std::result::Result<T, ModemError>;
 
 pub struct Modem<UART: serial::Uart> {
-    rx: RxIter<UART>,
-    tx: Tx<UART>,
+    serial: SerialIO<UART>,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
@@ -41,74 +43,10 @@ impl std::fmt::Display for ModemError {
     }
 }
 
-pub struct RxIter<UART: serial::Uart> {
-    inner: Rx<UART>,
-    timeout: Duration,
-}
-
-impl<UART: serial::Uart> RxIter<UART> {
-    fn reset(&mut self, timeout: Duration) -> &mut Self {
-        self.timeout = timeout;
-        self
-    }
-
-    fn clear(&mut self) -> () {
-        println!("clearing serial rx");
-        self.reset(Duration::from_millis(500)).for_each(drop);
-    }
-
-    /// Reads a whole line (that ends with \\n) within the given `timeout` passed on input.
-    fn read_line(&mut self, timeout: Duration) -> Result<String> {
-        let mut line: String = self.reset(timeout)
-            .map(|b| char::from(b))
-            .take_while(|c| *c != '\n')
-            .collect();
-
-        // \r must come right before \n on read; take_while excludes the matched element.
-        if line.ends_with('\r') {
-            line.push('\n');
-            Ok(line)
-        }
-        else if self.timeout.as_millis() == 0 {
-            Err(ModemError::TimeoutError)
-        }
-        else {
-            Err(ModemError::ReadError)
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-impl<UART: serial::Uart> Iterator for RxIter<UART> {
-    type Item = u8;
-
-    /// `nb` returns Ok(byte), or one of Err(WouldBlock) and Err(Other) which isn't of anyone's
-    /// interest, so the retry mechanism is triggered on _any_ error every 200ms until a byte is
-    /// received, or the timeout is reached.
-    fn next(&mut self) -> Option<Self::Item> {
-        let start = Instant::now();
-        loop {
-            match self.inner.read() {
-                Ok(b) => {
-                    self.timeout = self.timeout.saturating_sub(start.elapsed());
-                    break Some(b)
-                },
-                Err(_) => {
-                    if start.elapsed() > self.timeout {
-                        self.timeout = Duration::ZERO;
-                        break None
-                    }
-                    thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(200));
-                }
-            }
-        }
-    }
-}
-
 impl<UART: serial::Uart> Modem<UART> {
     pub fn new(tx: Tx<UART>, rx: Rx<UART>) -> Self {
         Self {
-            rx: RxIter { inner: rx, timeout: Duration::from_millis(0) },
-            tx,
+            serial: SerialIO::new(tx, rx),
         }
     }
 
@@ -158,7 +96,7 @@ impl<UART: serial::Uart> Modem<UART> {
 
         loop {
             let timeout = timeout.saturating_sub(start.elapsed());
-            let line = self.rx.read_line(timeout)?;
+            let line = self.serial.read_line(timeout).map_err(|_| ModemError::ReadError)?;
             print!("Read {} bytes from serial: {}", line.len(), line);
             response.push_str(&line);
             if line.contains("ERROR") || line.contains(&match_text) {
@@ -169,36 +107,31 @@ impl<UART: serial::Uart> Modem<UART> {
         }
     }
 
-    #[inline(always)]
-    fn send_bytes(&mut self, payload: &[u8], eos: Option<u8>) -> Result<()> {
-        //self.rx.clear();
-        for b in payload.iter() {
-            nb::block!(self.tx.write(*b))
-                .map_err(|_| ModemError::CommandError(format!("error writing {} to serial", b)))?;
-        }
-        eos.map(|b| nb::block!(self.tx.write(b)));
-        Ok(())
-    }
-
     fn send_command(&mut self, cmd: Command) -> Result<String> {
         println!("-----------------------------------------------------------");
         println!("Sending {} ...", cmd.text);
-        let _ = self.send_bytes(cmd.text.as_bytes(), Some('\r' as u8))?;
+        let _ = self.serial
+            .send_bytes(cmd.text.as_bytes(), Some('\r' as u8))
+            .map_err(|_| ModemError::SendDataError)?;
         self.read_response(cmd.contains, cmd.timeout)
     }
 
     fn tcp_send_data(&mut self, buf: &[u8]) -> Result<String> {
-        let _ = self.send_bytes("AT+CIPSEND".as_bytes(), Some('\r' as u8))?;
-        let send_request: String = self.rx.reset(Duration::from_millis(3000))
+        let _ = self.serial
+            .write("AT+CIPSEND\r".as_bytes())
+            .map_err(|_| ModemError::SendDataError)?;
+
+        let send_prompt: String = self.serial.rx.reset(Duration::from_millis(3000))
             .map(char::from)
             .take_while(|c| *c != '>').collect();
 
-        if send_request != "\r\n" {
-            println!("{:?}", send_request.as_bytes());
+        if send_prompt != "\r\n" {
+            println!("{:?}", send_prompt.as_bytes());
             return Err(ModemError::SendDataError);
         }
-
-        self.send_bytes(buf, Some(26))?; // 26_u8 = Ctrl+z - to end sending data
+        self.serial
+            .send_bytes(buf, Some(26))  // 26_u8 = Ctrl+z - to end sending data
+            .map_err(|_| ModemError::SendDataError)?;
         self.read_response(Some("SEND OK".to_string()), Duration::from_millis(3000))
     }
 
@@ -321,7 +254,7 @@ impl<UART: serial::Uart> Modem<UART> {
         let _ = self.send_command(Command::http_set_content("application/json"));
         let _ = self.send_command(Command::http_set_ssl(true));
         let _ = self.send_command(Command::http_post_len(content.len(), 100000));
-        let _ = self.send_bytes(content, Some(26));
+        let _ = self.serial.send_bytes(content, Some(26));
         let _ = self.send_command(Command::http_post());
         self.send_command(Command::http_read_response())
     }
@@ -362,16 +295,20 @@ impl<UART: serial::Uart> Modem<UART> {
 
     fn file_write(&mut self, buf: &[u8], path: &str, append: bool, input_time_sec: usize) -> Result<()> {
         let cmd = Command::fs_file_write(path, append, buf.len(), input_time_sec);
-        let _ = self.send_bytes(cmd.text.as_bytes(), Some('\r' as u8))?;
-        let send_request: String = self.rx.reset(Duration::from_millis(3000))
+        let _ = self.serial
+            .send_bytes(cmd.text.as_bytes(), Some('\r' as u8))
+            .map_err(|_| ModemError::SendDataError)?;
+        let send_prompt: String = self.serial.rx.reset(Duration::from_millis(3000))
             .map(char::from)
             .take_while(|c| *c != '>').collect();
 
-        if send_request == "" {
+        if send_prompt == "" {
             return Err(ModemError::SendDataError);
         }
 
-        self.send_bytes(buf, None)?;
+        self.serial
+            .send_bytes(buf, None)
+            .map_err(|_| ModemError::SendDataError)?;
         let _ = self.read_response(Some("OK".to_string()), Duration::from_millis(3000));
 
         Ok(())
@@ -451,9 +388,27 @@ impl<UART: serial::Uart> Modem<UART> {
     }
 }
 
+impl<UART: serial::Uart> std::io::Read for Modem<UART> {
+    fn read(&mut self, buf: &mut [u8]) -> std::io::Result<usize> {
+        self.tcp_receive(buf).map_err(|_| std::io::Error::from(std::io::ErrorKind::ConnectionAborted))
+    }
+}
+
+impl<UART: serial::Uart> std::io::Write for Modem<UART> {
+    fn write(&mut self, buf: &[u8]) -> std::io::Result<usize> {
+        self.tcp_send(buf)
+            .map_err(|_| std::io::Error::from(std::io::ErrorKind::ConnectionAborted))?;
+        Ok(buf.len())
+    }
+
+    fn flush(&mut self) -> std::io::Result<()> {
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+
 pub enum Msg {
     Location(String),
-//    Movement(String),
+    Movement(String),
 }
 
 pub fn main<T: Sync + Send>(
@@ -472,8 +427,6 @@ pub fn main<T: Sync + Send>(
         rts: None,
     };
 
-    // Create the serial and panic with a message ... if we can't create the serial port, then we
-    // can't communicate with the sim800l module, hence we don't run anymore.
     let serial: serial::Serial<serial::UART1, _, _> = serial::Serial::new(
         uart,
         serial_pins,
@@ -522,13 +475,6 @@ pub fn main<T: Sync + Send>(
     };
 
     if is_connected {
-        //println!("connecting to server!");
-        //if !mdm.tcp_is_ssl_enabled()? {
-        //    let _ = mdm.tcp_ssl_enable()?;
-        //}
-        //if mdm.tcp_is_ssl_enabled()? {
-        //    let _ = mdm.tcp_ssl_disable()?;
-        //}
         let device_id = "c36a72df-5bd6-4f9b-995d-059433bc3267";
 
         let _ = mdm.tcp_set_quick_mode(false);
@@ -543,7 +489,6 @@ pub fn main<T: Sync + Send>(
             let _ = mdm.mqtt_publish(device_id, &msg)?;
         }
 
-
         let _ = mdm.tcp_close_connection()?;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/serial.rs b/src/serial.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1fbc629
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/serial.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,137 @@
+use std::error::Error;
+use std::io;
+use std::thread;
+use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
+use embedded_hal::serial::{Read, Write};
+use esp_idf_hal::serial::{self, Rx, Tx};
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub enum SerialError {
+    ReadError,
+    WriteError(String),
+    TimeoutError,
+}
+
+impl Error for SerialError {}
+
+impl std::fmt::Display for SerialError {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        write!(f, "{:?}", self)
+    }
+}
+
+pub type Result<T> = std::result::Result<T, SerialError>;
+
+pub struct RxIter<UART: serial::Uart> {
+    inner: Rx<UART>,
+    timeout: Duration,
+}
+
+impl<UART: serial::Uart> RxIter<UART> {
+    pub fn reset(&mut self, timeout: Duration) -> &mut Self {
+        self.timeout = timeout;
+        self
+    }
+
+    fn clear(&mut self) -> () {
+        println!("clearing serial rx");
+        self.reset(Duration::from_millis(500)).for_each(drop);
+    }
+}
+
+impl<UART: serial::Uart> Iterator for RxIter<UART> {
+    type Item = u8;
+
+    /// `nb` returns Ok(byte), or one of Err(WouldBlock) and Err(Other) which isn't of anyone's
+    /// interest, so the retry mechanism is triggered on _any_ error every 200ms until a byte is
+    /// received, or the timeout is reached.
+    fn next(&mut self) -> Option<Self::Item> {
+        let start = Instant::now();
+        loop {
+            match self.inner.read() {
+                Ok(b) => {
+                    self.timeout = self.timeout.saturating_sub(start.elapsed());
+                    break Some(b)
+                },
+                Err(_) => {
+                    if start.elapsed() > self.timeout {
+                        self.timeout = Duration::ZERO;
+                        break None
+                    }
+                    thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(200));
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+pub struct SerialIO<UART: serial::Uart> {
+    pub rx: RxIter<UART>,
+    pub tx: Tx<UART>,
+}
+
+impl<UART: serial::Uart> SerialIO<UART> {
+    pub fn new(tx: Tx<UART>, rx: Rx<UART>) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            rx: RxIter { inner: rx, timeout: Duration::from_millis(0) },
+            tx,
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn send_bytes(&mut self, payload: &[u8], eos: Option<u8>) -> Result<usize> {
+        //self.rx.clear();
+        for b in payload.iter() {
+            nb::block!(self.tx.write(*b))
+                .map_err(|err| SerialError::WriteError(format!("Error writing '{}' to serial, Original error {}", b, err)))?;
+        }
+        eos.map(|b| nb::block!(self.tx.write(b)));
+        Ok(payload.len() + if eos.is_none() { 0 } else { 1 })
+    }
+
+    /// Reads a whole line (that ends with \\n) within the given `timeout` passed on input.
+    pub fn read_line(&mut self, timeout: Duration) -> Result<String> {
+        let mut line: String = self.rx.reset(timeout)
+            .map(|b| char::from(b))
+            .take_while(|c| *c != '\n')
+            .collect();
+
+        // \r must come right before \n on read; take_while excludes the matched element.
+        if line.ends_with('\r') {
+            line.push('\n');
+            Ok(line)
+        }
+        else if self.rx.timeout.as_millis() == 0 {
+            Err(SerialError::TimeoutError)
+        }
+        else {
+            Err(SerialError::ReadError)
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<UART: serial::Uart> io::Read for SerialIO<UART> {
+    fn read(&mut self, buf: &mut [u8]) -> io::Result<usize> {
+        let buf_size = buf.len();
+        let count = self.rx.reset(Duration::from_millis(1000))
+            .enumerate()
+            .map(|(i, b)| {
+                buf[i] = b;
+                i
+            })
+            .take_while(|i| i < &buf_size)
+            .count();
+        Ok(count)
+    }
+}
+
+impl<UART: serial::Uart> io::Write for SerialIO<UART> {
+    fn write(&mut self, buf: &[u8]) -> io::Result<usize> {
+        self.send_bytes(buf, None)
+            .map_err(|_| io::Error::from(io::ErrorKind::Other))
+    }
+
+    fn flush(&mut self) -> io::Result<()> {
+        self.tx.flush()
+            .map_err(|err| io::Error::from(io::ErrorKind::Other))
+    }
+}