Jola Cloud Solutions' Blog

Jola offers a range of affordable, robust M2M and IoT routers, available to order in Mobile Manager, which will arrive directly at your customers’ sites. The proprietary Jola App, included with all routers, auto-configures the APN and WiFi settings and allows full control over all router settings. Customer configuration is available for suitable projects. The premium models also feature Smart Roaming Technology. Intelligent 4G routers are only to be re-sold with JolaMobile SIMs.

R1510

The R1510 router is a Dual Ethernet port (LAN + WAN) 3G/4G router with advanced software functions at a very competitive price point.

KEY FEATURES

• Highly stable 2G/3G/4G cellular connections
• Ethernet, WiFi and 4G internet connection options with auto-failover
• Fully programmable Linux environment with excellent SDK documentation
• ‘Smart Reboot’ for enhanced roaming SIM management
• Full SMS control for diagnosis and recovery from data network problems
• Very small footprint for space-constrained applications
• Wall-mount and DIN-rail mounting options available

R1520

The R1520 router is a versatile 4G router with 5 Ethernet pots and GPS. It has an E-mark certification, making it suitable for in-vehicle use. Other hardware features include optionally isolated digital inputs and outputs as well as a 10-bit analogue input, capable of interfacing directly with sensors and a range of 0 to 24Vdc or 0 to 20mA.

The R1520(G) model has the same features and specification as the R1520(V) but is supplied with a global PSU and is certified for use in a long and growing list of counties outside of Europe.

KEY FEATURES

• Cost-effective & high performance 3G/4G router
• Rugged design with 9 to 36Vdc power
• E-mark certification for in vehicle use
• Optically isolated digital IO
• 10-bit Analogue interface for direct sensor connections
• Supports Dual SIMs & WiFi/Ethernet as WAN
• Cellular keep-alive and fast failover
• Extensive range of software “apps” for enhanced functionality
• IPsec/OpenVPN/GRE/L2TP/PPTP/DMVPN supported
• Extensive global certifications

The pandemic has changed the way we work and helped us to focus on the best way to interact with our audiences. In the past we favoured face-to-face meetings and have been forced to move to a virtual environment.

It was a great opportunity to consider our content and how it gets delivered. What makes a great webinar and how do you put one together?

Audience

The first thing to consider is your audience. What are their requirements? What would make them give up an hour of their time and spend it on a webinar with you? Once you have worked out your agenda, drafted the content and arranged your speaker, you can start to think about your software.

To get high engagement and great feedback from participants, you need a piece of software that allows interaction. Chat boxes and poll questions are good interactive features.

With the software installed, you can start to plan your invitations. Catch attention, draw the audience in and have a strong call to action to ensure a good response rate. Using your sales team to invite key prospects and promote webinars is useful to get the audience you require.

Create engaging content

Think through your content and make sure it matches your advertised agenda. Use graphics, where possible, and avoid overloading your slides with text and reading from them. Use case studies your audience can relate to and address real problems. Keep your content concise and relevant. Then practice, practice… practice! Make sure your speaker is comfortable with the content and if required has additional resource on hand to answer detailed questions live.

It is worth researching your participants before each webinar and asking a few qualifying poll questions before you start. This way you can make sure your content is relevant. Set up early to test the sound, chat boxes and poll questions. Test your software demonstrations and make sure you have your passwords handy. Switch off phones, notifications and encourage feedback after every webinar. This way you can improve materials for the next one.

Measure your success

How many participants do you want on each webinar? Set this as a target and measure attendees against it. Set targets for engagement and make sure you follow up every question and request for further information. Give out your contact details and encourage participants to invite colleagues to join you for the next session. Don’t be too keen to email out recordings. If you can view a video, do you really need to attend a live event?

Do you serve customers in public or private transportation? Who do they buy their 4G data from? Could they be buying it from you instead?

Like many companies right now, the bus and coach industry are looking to make savings, in addition to creating a safe environment for their drivers and passengers. With the COVID virus transmitted on hard surfaces, as well as being airborne, many companies are looking to reduce cash transactions on-board. New ticketing machines process cashless transactions and contain 4G SIM cards. Many companies also want to include free WiFi as part of their passenger experience, however want to avoid expenses overages.

Jola works with MSPs to help reduce the cost of 4G data SIM estates, in ticketing machines and routers. We work with MSPs to novate SIMs where possible, to avoid the need to swap out SIMs manually. We also provide MSPs and, where required, their end users with access to Mobile Manager, to control their entire data SIM estate in one easy portal.

Jola is an award-winning, channel-only supplier of business communications, specialising in mobile data SIMs. We are a global eSIM MVNO, providing innovative IoT and mobile data solutions to MSPs, ISPs, IT Support companies and Telecommunications Resellers.

Do you serve taxi companies in public or private transportation? Who do they buy their 4G data from? Could they be buying it from you instead?

Taxis use 4G devices to plan their routes, record their fares and process card payments. They need their 4G to be reliable and to work anywhere.

Jola eSIMs are multi-network roaming SIMs that roam across 450 networks worldwide, including Vodafone, O2, Three and EE in the UK. By proposing Jola eSIMs, partners can provide taxi companies with reliable 4G connectivity anywhere in the UK. Mobile Manager gives MSPs the ability to manage estates of 4G data SIMs in one easy-to-use portal. Jola can provide a content filtering service to prevent drivers removing SIM cards, inserting them into iPads, tablets and phones for personal use in-between pick-ups.

Jola is an award-winning, channel-only supplier of business communications, specialising in mobile data SIMs. We are a global eSIM MVNO, providing innovative IoT and mobile data solutions to MSPs, ISPs, IT Support companies and Telecommunications Resellers.

Many of our partners are thriving rather than surviving at the moment thanks to 4G. When traditional leased line and broadband business dried up during lockdown, companies turned to 4G to meet the current demand.

We are getting used to working from home and many businesses have invested in dedicated 4G routers for their staff to provide continuous access to fast, reliable internet connectivity.

Students are getting used to learning remotely and the government is investing in both devices and 4G connectivity to help.

M2M/IoT is really taking off, with high demand for smart devices such as digital signage and remote tracking and monitoring.

There has been a digital revolution caused by the pandemic. We have been forced into online shopping, remote working and online classes. We have embraced the technology, upgraded our home broadband and created functional spaces to work, rest and play.

The channel had the flexibility to pivot into new products, the expertise to differentiate and the customer service to pull it off.

Jola

Jola supplies a wide range of 4G data including unlimited data packages, multi-network roaming SIMs and eSIMs, fit for purpose. They are keenly priced and designed to work in routers and M2M devices.

Jola offers a range of affordable, intelligent routers, available to order in Mobile Manager. Devices arrive pre-configured with the Jola App, allowing auto-configuration. The premium models also feature Smart Roaming Technology. 

Most successful businesses subscribe to a credit rating agency for their prospective customers, but how many credit check suppliers?

You should, because:

1. If they go bust, they could take you with them.

When a company calls in the administrator, their suppliers will act immediately to mitigate financial risk - often cutting off supply. This may not matter in some industries, but where you have been reselling their service it could be disastrous. In the telecoms and utilities business your customers may suddenly find themselves without service. Not only do you then risk losing them, but you may have breached your own contract and be open to litigation. Even if the administrator is able to sell the contracts to someone else (often another supplier), or where the supplier has step-in, service may still be interrupted, and you may find yourself in a much worse position subsequently.

2. They may be poorly managed.

Excellent employees, with good judgement, do not choose to work for financially unstable employers. If the quality of your suppliers’ staff matters to you (e.g. where they are selling with you), avoid low credit scores. Also poorly managed companies are often difficult to deal with. If the relationship requires regular purchases and joint support of your customers, you may want to find another supplier.

3. They are unlikely to be investing in new products and services.

In many markets, companies without money to invest in product development find their core products are quickly commoditised, and they have to compete on price. Gross margins come under pressure and they are forced to cut cost, often staff, in order to keep going.

4. They may not be in a position to negotiate well.

Their suppliers are not going to be inclined to offer better rates or payment terms to them if they have a poor credit score. More likely they will apply a risk premium to the account, often insisting on payment in advance. This exacerbates the problem of thin margins.

5. They will be less forgiving, supportive and accommodating.

When an organisation is in trouble and operating off minimum margins, bid support suffers. Whilst they would love to help you win large tenders, they simply can’t afford to take the business on at lower margins. Cash flow is likely to be an issue and they will be more inclined to be heavy-handed with late payers. Good suppliers will be understanding if you suddenly encounter a cash flow issue yourselves, and need some time. Financial unstable suppliers cannot afford to, because a couple of late payers could push them into liquidation.

Of course, there may be legitimate reasons for a low credit score. For example, late accounts, and extraordinary write-offs, which will be corrected in due course. Don’t be afraid to ask your supplier. They may not even be aware, and the low score may be due to an error in the interpretation of their filed accounts.

On the positive side, suppliers with a high credit score and good growth may benefit your business, especially where their success depends on yours. It demonstrates they are doing something right with their products, pricing, processes and support. If a supplier is constantly innovating, and negotiating with their suppliers, this means differentiation for you, and lower prices.

Salespeople are like hotels in Monopoly. Buy as many as you can afford because the more you have, the more income you generate.

Of course, it’s never as straightforward as that. Under-performing salespeople are a drain on management time and your biggest mistakes won’t even pay for themselves, let alone make a positive contribution to gross margin.

This is why you need to be hiring all the time, especially if you are a growing business in a growing market. If you wait until the position comes up in the budget, or you lose someone, you are likely to miss the best people. Moreover, because you’re a little desperate, you are likely to compromise, take a risk, and make a bad hire.

Continuous recruitment requires a strategy. The objective is simple; whenever a person that fits your target profile starts to look around, they must know about, and consider, your company. Achieving this is a little more challenging.

1. Maintain an advert constantly – web-site, LinkedIn, Facebook, trade publications. Whatever you use to communicate with your industry. Make people aware that you are growing and always hiring the best people.
2. Write posts, blogs and articles regularly highlighting the successes of your salespeople and (if you’re in the channel) their resellers. You don’t have to use names, but you want to give prospective candidates a feel for what they will be doing, and a confidence that you will provide an environment in which they can succeed.
3. Operate a comprehensive, structured and strict recruitment process. This should have several stages, testing different aspects of the behaviours you desire. Include role plays, behavioural interviews and presentations. Understand the minimum requirement for progression at each stage. Do not truncate the process and do NOT compromise.
4. Make a list of companies where your ideal candidates currently work. Monitor this list for instability: new management, mergers, tough trading conditions. Try and develop contacts in some of these target companies who will let you know when people there may be looking around.
5. Use your existing salespeople. If they are happy and making money, they will be pleased to tell old colleagues with their previous employer and friends working in your target companies. Encourage this and offer an incentive for them to put people forward.

Country-wide schemes, such as the Government’s Smart Metering initiative, have helped drive demand for smart meters in the energy sector, as it helps businesses to track their energy usage and provide more accurate bills. It also helps utility companies to plan resources and improve customer experience.

Smart metering is the collection of remote data using IoT sensors in real-time, without human intervention.

Smart metering provides the tracking of any measurable parameter available on a machine, in a room or an outdoor environment. It is traditionally used to describe the monitoring of utilities such as water, gas and electricity.

 

Who are MSPs turning to for 4G data for smart meters?

Jola offers the widest range of mobile data SIMs from multiple suppliers, which are easy to order and manage via Mobile Manager.  We offer embedded MFF2 SIMs and low-power SIMs for long-life battery powered devices.

Mobile Manager

Mobile Manager is our online management portal for ordering and managing estates of eSIMs. This white label portal communicates in real-time with 4G networks and can be used by both resellers and their end users. Mobile Manager handles SIM activations, ceases, suspensions, reports, alerts and bolt-ons.

MSPs specialising in transport, logistics, utilities and the public sector already have strong relationships with well-known brands in these sectors. They could also be meeting the LPWAN requirements for metering, tracking and monitoring by working with the right wholesale partner.

LPWAN enables IoT connections for remote battery-powered devices such as smart meters, containers in logistics, or critical infrastructure like fire hydrants in cities. IoT Analytics report that in 2020 this market reached 423 million IoT connections and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 43% to reach 2.5 billion IoT connections by 2025.

NB-IoT is a low power wide area network (LPWAN) technology. Narrowband Internet of Things is one of the new breeds of Low Power Wide Area Network (LP-WAN) standards.

It has been developed for devices which have a long battery life. It provides long range communication, with the ability to connect a wide range of assets.

Gas and electric companies are installing hundreds of thousands of smart meters, which require a low power SIM on a long-term contract. Usage is minimal, costs are a few pence per SIM, however the contract length is typically 5 years plus.

To win the business MSPs need to be able to control vast numbers of cost-effective data SIMs over long periods of time.

Jola

Jola is an award-winning, channel-only supplier of business communications, specialising in mobile data SIMs. We are a global eSIM MVNO, providing innovative IoT and mobile data solutions to MSPs, ISPs, IT Support companies and Telecommunications Resellers.

Mobile Manager is our online management portal for ordering and managing estates of mobile data-only SIMs, as well as Voice and Data SIMs. This white label portal communicates in real-time with multiple 4G networks and can be used by both resellers and their end users. Mobile Manager handles SIM activations, ceases, suspensions, reports, alerts and bolt-ons.

LPWAN opportunities are hidden mobile data SIM gems nestled in the customer bases of resellers and MSPs. End-users are going to the networks directly for LPWANs instead of going to their trusted MSP but are disappointed by the lack of control MNOs give them over their SIM estates. These deals can be to supply thousands of devices on long-term contracts and are low-hanging fruit for MSPs with existing relationships and control panels.

Who uses this technology?

It is being used in street lighting, smart bins, smart parking and traffic monitoring, as well as parking sensors. Their devices don’t need much power and have a long battery life. The SIMs required for these smart solutions are low-cost, long-life SIM cards, which can be activated and controlled within a central portal.

This technology is also being used in the consumer space with smart metering. Gas and electric companies are installing hundreds of thousands of smart meters, which require a low power SIM on a long-term contract. Usage is minimal, costs are a few pence per SIM, however the contract length is typically 5 years plus.

Warehouses are adopting smart technologies and there are opportunities for resellers to supply LPWANs in warehouse monitoring, within safety devices such as cameras in lifts used by lone workers washing windows at height and in cranes.

In agriculture, LPWANs SIMs are being used in monitoring devices for animals, crops and soil. They need a SIM card with the same lifespan as their device.

What are LPWANs? 

LPWAN stands for Low Power Wide Area Network. LPWANs are used to deliver IoT connectivity at low cost, over wide geographic areas, often where there is no local power source, so battery life becomes key. LPWAN deployments are often simple and cost-effective, due to device design and long battery life. With efficient power consumption and battery lifetime of up to 10 years, management costs are low.  It also delivers the added benefit of deep penetration into areas such as basements and underground car parks. The protocols used in LPWANs provide much better wireless penetration so it is possible to get a signal where a standard 3G or 4G SIM wouldn’t be able to.