Jola Cloud Solutions' Blog

Retailers, such as fast-food restaurants, have invested in self-service kiosks to allow customers to order their own meals in-store and have them delivered to their seats. Connected kiosks require gateways, routers and data SIMs. Stores typically have multiple connected devices, which are becoming more complex and expensive to manage.

Self-service kiosks in hotels allow guests to check in and out. They are really useful at peak times to reduce waiting times and improve customer experience. Automating processes help reduce costs for the hotel, which no longer needs to pay employees a premium to work unsociable hours on the front desk. Kiosks are also used to promote upgrades and extras, generating additional revenues.

MSPs installing self-service kiosks in multiple locations must consider electricity points, the availability of connectivity as well as the management of an increasingly complex IT network at each location.

Connected kiosks often require gateways and routers in addition to 4G. Managing multiple connected kiosks in different locations can be costly and complex to manage. Site surveys are often required to establish the strongest 4G signal in each location.

Jola partners offer a unique solution with their Intelligent 4G routers. Our routers are smart and negate the need for a gateway. Jola SIMs are all managed within one easy portal. MSPs can easily manage and monitor data usage across sites. We offer multinetwork roaming data across all four major mobile networks, and our routers arrive preconfigured. 

Suitable for mobile broadband and large-scale IoT rollouts, our routers run a unique operating system allowing apps to be installed alongside the core routing software. There is a range of off-the-shelf apps that add several other capabilities. To help accelerate IoT projects, Jola can develop apps on a consultancy basis.

Pooled data is the ability to have mobile data, that can be shared across more than one associated SIM card. Pooled data plans are popular in both consumer and business markets to help negate overage charges.

What problems does pooled data solve?

Business customers find data usage difficult to predict, especially in phones and tablets, as so many factors can influence excess usage. If usage notifications from the carriers are late or not received, both customers and resellers are unaware of the data overage charge, until the bill is received. This has put many resellers off selling mobile data, as the bill shock caused by overages has upset their customers.

What types of pools are available?

Fixed pools are available for resellers who know how much data they need for their customer. Their monthly data usage is predictable, and the customer wants to pay for an amount of data each month, which can be shared across multiple users.

Aggregated pools are available for resellers whose customer’s SIM estates are growing or shrinking. The pool increases or decreases every time a data SIM is added or removed.

Buffer pools are available to help negate overage charges at an account and network level. You need to buy separate buffer pools for each carrier network, however you can use the buffer to negate any overage charge from that carrier in your estate. It can reduce the data overage cost significantly.

Data Buckets allow you to buy data that can be used over a period of time.

Public sector services in healthcare and blue light services are being encouraged to ‘go digital’ to become more efficient and get the most out of their budgets. MSPs are helping to provide innovative and cost-effective solutions such as;

Smart Devices

Ambulance crews are using tablets containing 4G SIM cards to access online information about medical and traumatic conditions and treatment on the move. They are completing incident forms online and accessing ePCRs and information about healthcare providers and plans.

Police Officers are able to record arrests on body cameras and send content in a live stream to officers nearby for assessment and support.

Smart Communications

Ambulance crews can electronically send details about the patient to the emergency department including appropriate photographs from the scene of the incident e.g. road traffic collision or electrocardiogram readings, to help doctors determine the extent of injury that may have been sustained. This allows staff in the hospital to prepare and be ready to act when the patient arrives.

Mobile forensics

Police are now using mobile fingerprinting systems that allow them to check the identity of an unknown person against a database of 12 million records in less than a minute. Many officers carry hand-held scanners connected to their 4G smartphone, allowing them to scan fingertips. The scans are checked against the database.

Digital interviewing

Many police forces are using digital audio-visual interview equipment and touch screens for custodial interviews. These provide improved access to recording for police, legal representatives and suspects.

Push to Talk Radio

Two-way walkie-talkie radio technology is being upgraded to 4G. This has created an opportunity for partners, who are already familiar with selling 4G data solutions.

Are you rolling out solutions that require 4G data in multiple locations? Could you benefit from direct control over SIM assets and the ability to aggregate data across sites?

The challenges

Managing multiple carriers, manual processes, the lack of direct control, the high cost of site surveys and monitoring data usage can all be challenging. MSPs will not always know how much 4G data has been used in each location, especially when used as part of a 4G backup solution. Corporate clients often complain about data overage charges they do not expect.

Jola

Jola has a network of just under 1,000 partners, with a 95% approval rating, made up of global MSPs, specialists and resellers. MSPs say they choose Jola for their differentiated and cost-effective product range, management portals and excellent service. 

We work with global MSPs with offices in the UK and abroad. Our MSPs service well-known brands in multiple sectors and countries. We provide bespoke solutions that cannot be bought directly from mobile carriers, giving MSPs complete control over their global estates of SIMs and some connected devices.

What is a Private APN?

A private APN (Access Point Name) is a point of entry onto an IP network for a mobile device. Private APNs allow connections to a corporate network simply and securely over a Private IP address range, without touching the Public Internet. This is done without the need for multiple VPNs, additional hardware and additional overheads.

What are the benefits? 

• Devices are connected to a private network, avoiding the public internet, therefore increasing security. Secure internet break-out options are usually available.
• Data security is increased as low level malware cannot bypass the APN.
• Jola’s Private APN is self-built solution within a white label portal, with extensive management tools, so resellers retain complete control.

Security – IoT LTE devices can be configured to use a Private APN. Using a Private APN in conjunction with a Fixed Private IP VPN solution terminating at a customer’s data centre, an organisations' data remains on the customer’s private data network.

Configurability – Private APNs offer customers the ability to configure settings such as IP address ranges, static or dynamic addressing, as well as authentication. No VPN specific hardware or client software is required.

Cost-Effectiveness – Private APNs offer a cost-effective mobile VPN solution which allows deployment of corporate security policies on mobile devices.  It allows fast distribution of routing changes to connections to the LTE network. 

Coverage – The EE UK/EU/US M2M SIM allows for access across the UK, Europe and the US.  For VPN applications, it translates into seamless access to all the organisation’s applications and data, conveniently and securely, virtually anywhere in the world.

There are many reasons MSPs decide to migrate mobile databases. It is often driven by the needs of their end user. Because of the hassle of potentially swapping out thousands of SIMs, the decision is usually not made lightly. However, there are driving forces such as the need to access newer technologies, the need for a better deal and the flexibility to change suppliers and not be tied in.

4G is preferable for M2M and IoT customers because of its speed, but moving to 4G may involve switching thousands of SIM cards deployed globally and upgrading devices, which is an operational headache with a large associated cost.

The ability to manage data estates directly to track usage is also preferable. End users do not want to run the risk of regular data overage charges and need to know that they can upgrade and downgrade their data SIMs to meet their specific requirements.

No one wants to be tied into a long-term contract with fixed pricing. The ability to protect margins and remain competitive is essential to MSPs, and end users require solutions to be flexible.

Mobile data collection solutions deliver a broad range of positive results and are implemented for different reasons. Often, both internal and external pressures can drive business needs, which demand immediate resolution. 

Mobile data collection solutions are often brought in to solve one of the following problems:

1. Inefficient manual processes

Spending too much time and resources gathering and reporting data may affect the supply chain and incur additional costs if teams are being asked to wait around for supplies to be delivered, leading to delays in the construction process.

2. Market forces

With high competition in the market, revenues may be affected, causing a need to streamline the business. Adopting new technologies may increase efficiency and cut costs.

3. Infrastructure limitations

Where fixed-line connectivity is slow or unavailable, mobile data is often the next option. 4G devices can be deployed quickly and are easy to set up and use.

4. Need to leverage existing systems

Data collected on site can be fed into existing systems and analysed in real time allowing further actions to be taken, which can improve efficiency and reduce operational costs. 

5. Need for compliance

As new regulations come in, they need to be implemented and monitored to ensure compliance. 

Mobile data opportunities in construction are plentiful, as companies look to improve their waste management, reduce their construction costs and improve employee safety.

Tool Handling

On a construction site, an array of tools are used by trained operatives to complete jobs at each stage of the project. Cranes, for example, need to be fitted with data loggers to record key operational parameters so lifting operations can be reviewed and monitored.

Equipment Monitoring

Asset-tracking devices can now be glued to almost any construction tool. Bluetooth technology combined with an app on a smartphone allows for a near-real-time tracking of location. It also records where the device was last seen should it go missing.

Worker Safety

Push-to-talk radios, monitoring and recording devices all help improve communications and support safe systems of work.

Site Monitoring

CCTV cameras as well as intrusion alarm systems are often used to monitor sites remotely.

Partners who sell solutions to the construction industry are partnering with companies such as Jola for a wide range of 4G data packages and preconfigured 4G routers. Data SIMs with static IP addresses allow users to access their CCTV camera footage when fixed-line connectivity is not available. M2M/IoT SIMs are used in tracking devices.

Many operators have announced dates for closing down their 3G networks.  For some customers this means that they will need to swap out their SIMs.  Of course, this is a huge expense and inconvenience which is causing many of those affected to now research the market for alternative suppliers.

What is the opportunity?

4G is preferable for M2M and IoT customers due to its speed, however moving to 4G may involve switching thousands of SIM cards deployed globally and upgrading devices, which is an operational headache with a large associated cost. Timing is key, especially for tracking and monitoring devices, smart signage, kiosks and ANPR cameras, as they gather data 24/7/365.

End users may take this opportunity to analyse their requirements and may search the market for an alternative. Will they find a Jola Partner? Do you have mobile data packages promoted on your website? It may be worth putting out an email to your customer base to remind them that you can help:

• Review requirements
• Offer a wide range of solutions including multi network SIMs, 5G and NB-IoT
• Help swap out legacy EE SIMs
• Manage SIM estates to avoid overage charges
• Provide a management portal to view data usage

Are you rolling out solutions that require 4G data in multiple locations? Could you benefit from direct control over SIM assets and the ability to aggregate data across sites?

The challenges

Managing multiple carriers, manual processes, the lack of direct control, the high cost of site surveys and monitoring data usage can all be challenging. MSPs will not always know how much 4G data has been used in each location, especially when used as part of a 4G backup solution. Corporate clients often complain about data overage charges they do not expect.

Jola

Jola has a network of just under 1,000 partners, with a 95% approval rating, made up of global MSPs, specialists and resellers. MSPs say they choose Jola for their differentiated and cost-effective product range, management portals and excellent service.

We work with global MSPs with offices in the UK and abroad. Our MSPs service well-known brands in multiple sectors and countries. We provide bespoke solutions that cannot be bought directly from mobile carriers, giving MSPs complete control over their global estates of SIMs and some connected devices.

Our solutions

Jola provides a wide range of data-only M2M/IoT SIM packages including multinetwork roaming SIMs with pooled data options. MSPs only need to contract with one supplier. They have access to an automated management portal and complete visibility and control over their entire SIM estate.