Matt McPherson, Wireless Logic’s Sales Manager explains why the M2M/IoT connectivity market is changing:
As markets evolve, changing needs means there’s a constant need for change. That’s no different for the world of connected devices within the M2M sector. In 15 years the Wireless Logic offering has changed significantly – from simple connectivity to a diverse portfolio of value add services.
What we’ve recognised is our customers’ desire to have a single partner for associated services that are offered in seamless packages. By achieving this, we are ensuring that costs are managed through an OPEX model as opposed to a CAPEX one. By using connectivity as a subscribed cost, we now integrate services that are relevant to M2M communication, and billed as a monthly contracted fee. In many cases, such services may have been cost-prohibitive if they’d been purchased separately. An example of this is DevicePro, Wireless Logic’s device management tool. The newly developed tool is device agnostic, delivering a range of module/device services including management and control, remote diagnostics, network management and a dynamic knowledge bank resource. Combined with connectivity, cloud-based DevicePro provides a level of application functionality designed to save time and increase efficiency across entire device estates, regardless of module or type.
The world of connectivity is also not as straightforward as it once was. European and global programmes require borderless solutions. More and more, we are working with customers who have a range of networks connecting devices and assets. And it is in these scenarios that the market is demanding universal platforms that can integrate network services through one window. Overlaying the likes of Jasper, Ericcson, Transcend etc makes operational sense. Wireless Logic’s ONE platform achieves this through APIs to create one window which can provision, manage and control multiple networks and tariffs, regardless of whether the SIMs themselves are contracted through Wireless Logic.
Seeing the ONE platform in action, we are about to implement its operation managing four European networks with up to 50,000 connected assets as part of rapidly growing mobilisation application. Combined with our VPN, the customer will consolidate the entire estate giving complete control, tailored billing by asset/user group, and significant savings through the subscribed cost per asset. And importantly, the customer will retain relationships with the MNOs where contracts dictate.
As a global partner to all of the major MNOs, managed services providers like Wireless Logic are overlaying what are already excellent offerings to deliver communication platforms that precisely meet customers’ requirements. Whether it is through the provision of private IP over our NetPro VPN or MapPro mapping solutions in partnership with Google and HERE, we are demonstrating to the market that M2M connectivity in its simplest form is simply not enough.
With the M2m/IoT market heading for more data rich and business critical applications, the focus on resilient and service-focused connectivity is key. Overlaid managed services will continue to grow to meet the demands of this this hi-tech industrial revolution. We will continue to push the boundaries to ensure the world of connected devices is better connected.
