Jola Cloud Solutions' Blog

IoT is set to be disruptive and far reaching. It is predicted to transform entire business models and lead to competitive advantage. IoT provides the connective infrastructure, that lets companies collect information from disparate devices, store it, visualise it, analyse it and use it to make smart decisions. Customers looking to invest in IoT solutions are turning to channel partners for help with mobile data. Demand for mobile broadband, 4G back-up, 4G failover and 4G data for M2M devices is increasing. How can the channel benefit from this rise in demand?

Create bespoke solutions

By identifying new requirements from customer bases, resellers can productise solutions to upsell. For example, resellers serving construction companies with a need for fast, reliable 4G, on short-term contracts, are packaging mobile broadband solutions, using robust routers and cost-effective SIM packages. ISPs selling Ethernet and broadband are productising 4G pre-ethernet and 4G failover using Private APNs, routers and flexible SIM packages. Resellers managing logistics companies are providing bespoke 4G data packages for mobile tracking devices.

Promote success

Promote solutions and case studies on websites, via social channels, send customer notifications and write press releases. Use case studies in awards entries and campaigns to help generate leads from existing and new customers.

There are over 200 ISPs in the UK with their own backbone network, but thousands more selling internet services to business customers. End users buy predominately on price and demand a good service from sales, through provisioning to support.

Innovative ISPs are looking for new revenue streams and ways to differentiate their services from the competition. 4G failover is not new, however there are new ways of providing the service to increase resilience, control and security.

ISPs selling Ethernet services with 4G fail-over use private APNs to ensure seamless failover, when connectivity via the primary circuit fails. The issue with setting up private APNs is often the cost, the lead-time and the lack of direct control.

Sponsorship is the financial or in-kind support of an activity. It is used to reach specified business goals and is considered a qualitative rather than quantitative medium, aligning a company with a person, activity or event. In the channel there are plenty of opportunities to sponsor awards and events and there are companies working with well-known sports people.

Enhancing brand image and customer relations

Many companies associate themselves with popular, well-established events, that appeal to their target audience. The objective is to shape buying habits and influence decision making, by creating a positive emotional connection with their target audience.

Building brand awareness

By sponsoring an event you have the chance to get your brand name in-front of your audience at an opportune time. You can often promote your attendance in advance and address your audience directly on the night. The objective is to influence decision makers, so that when they have a need for your services, they remember your brand name and can locate your contact details.

Increasing reach

A good sponsorship opportunity will enable you to reach targets you can’t easily contact through other channels. It can promote positive word of mouth, with potential for positive conversations long after the event. It can generate supporting press and brand coverage, before and after the event.

As a channel, we are uncovering increasing numbers of mobile data opportunities with bespoke requirements for IoT opportunities. You may have a council wanting to measure traffic flow on busy roads or the availability of car parking spaces in the district. You may also have retailers with 4G back-up requirements in 25 countries in or logistics companies with 4G tracking devices in containers travelling to multiple destinations.

You need to get a competitive quote over quickly to stand a chance of winning the business. By choosing a standard mobile data or M2M package which covers all the countries you require and many more is the quickest option, but may not be competitive enough to win the deal. The other option is to go back to your carrier or wholesale service provider and request a bespoke quote for the size of package you need and the exact countries you need the SIM to work in. The problem with option two is the time it takes for the bespoke quote to be compiled, approved and sent back to you. In both cases you run the risk of not winning the deal.

We had a similar situation years ago with leased lines. Today leased line quoting portals are readily available. You add your postcode and receive quotes from all the major carriers in minutes explaining the best speeds and pricing available. Wouldn’t it be great to have something similar for SIMs?

An APN (Access Point Name) is the name given to the gateway within a Mobile Network Operator (MNO) that provides the ability for a device containing a SIM card to access an IP network, such as the internet.  The vast majority of SIMs available on the market will access the internet via the MNO’s public APN.

For some customers and solutions, a public APN isn’t appropriate because it is not secure enough and doesn’t offer enough control. They would choose a private APN.

Customers with a need to increase security

Private APNs can be configured to provide a completely private IP network with no internet access at all. Customers with a need to securely access devices, with a much reduced risk of hacking, choose private APNs.

IPCCTV providers, who want secure access to their devices to upload software or download footage, are moving away from using fixed IP SIMs in devices, which are regularly being hacked. Fixed IP SIMs are typically more expensive, so users are saving money and improving security by using a private APN.

Customers who want more control over their network

By connecting remote 4G devices using a private APN, customers can implement bespoke routing and apply policies, such as content filtering.

ISPs selling Ethernet services with 4G fail-over use private APNs to ensure seamless failover, when connectivity via the primary circuit fails.

For applications where it is critical to have a strong 4G internet connection at all times, businesses are opting for multi-network roaming SIMs. Both steered and un-steered solutions are available, but what’s the difference?

Steered SIMs

Steered SIM cards prioritise one primary network over all other available networks. This is not an issue for customers with a preferred network and strong UK coverage, unless the local mast fails and connectivity is lost.

Some SIM cards force devices to stay connected to the primary network even if the signal is poor. This presents a problem for solutions that need fast, reliable connectivity, such as trackers and monitoring devices.

Un-steered SIMs

This solution is much more flexible and effective, as it doesn’t have a primary network. Since no single network is prioritised, devices can roam to the strongest signal seamlessly.

Having a SIM card that can switch between networks enables businesses to get more from their M2M device. Devices are less likely to stop working due to poor signal. Un-steered SIMs are important for M2M monitoring and tracking devices, mobile WiFi, CCTV and 4G back-up.

Experts like McKinsey are suggesting 5G will have the most impact in four key areas; mobile broadband, IoT, mission-critical control and fixed wireless access.

Enhanced mobile broadband

Faster speed, lower latency, and greater capacity could enable on-the-go, ultra-high-definition video, virtual reality, and other advanced applications.

Internet of Things

5G will unlock the potential of IoT by enabling more connections at once at very low power. This could create additional monthly revenues, but average IoT revenues will be a fraction of those for mobile broadband because of low usage.

Mission-critical control

As connected devices become increasingly central in applications that demand absolute reliability, like medical devices and vehicle safety systems, latency will serve as a limiting factor. Because 5G has the potential to deliver significantly lower latency, it opens the door to opportunities in healthcare, utilities, and other time-critical contexts.

Fixed wireless access

Fixed wireless access has existed for years, primarily in areas with no viable wired broadband. 5G is capable of delivering speeds of more than 1Gb/s to the home, making it a viable alternative to wired broadband in many markets, especially in markets without fibre.

According to a recent report by Reuters, the global digital signage market is due to grow to £24 billion by 2023, from £15 billion in 2017.  Growth is being driven by innovation in display technology

Retail

Retailers are early adopters of new display technology, as signage can be changed quickly without going to site. The ability to run vivid content, such as music and video appeals to this market, who are looking to differentiate themselves, based on their in-store shopping experience. Using 4G, signs can be placed where they are needed without relying upon the availability of fixed broadband connections. 

Jola

Jola offers a wide range of 4G SIM tariffs suitable for digital signage. Our SIMs are available on 30-day terms. Fixed IP, Private APN and pooled data options are available. We partner with MSPs and Solutions Providers to provide the right package for their solution.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is making parking in major cities a lot easier. IoT parking solutions provide information such as available parking spaces to connected users. Information is collected, analysed and personalised for users in real-time. Intelligent parking, as well as traffic monitoring, has helped to reduce congestion and improve traffic mobility, in major cities in Europe such as Barcelona and Madrid.

County councils are investing in technology to help reduce pollution and increase traffic throughput in major cities. Intelligent parking apps are available to keep commuters informed of available parking spaces in their area.

IoT parking solutions offer a few key benefits as follows:

1. Less time spent in vehicles helps to improve the productivity of commuters and the lower volume of traffic circulating helps to reduce the number of road accidents.
2. A high volume of vehicles circulating at low speed creates traffic congestion, which contributes to higher levels of gas emissions. More fluid traffic helps to reduce fuel consumption and the build-up of road traffic air pollution.
3. Parking sensors are autonomous, wireless devices, which are easy to install. Entrance and exit of vehicles in parking spaces and duration of parking is monitored in real-time. Data is sent to an application, so that all users can track free parking spaces efficiently and parking costs are calculated accurately

All resellers have customers in contract for mobile services. They want the flexibility of changing suppliers, but not the hassle of changing SIMs in all the devices.

The biggest challenge organisations face is bill shock from employees going over their monthly data allowance, in the UK and abroad. They have no visibility of data usage for their SIM estates until it is too late. Finance Directors are keen to save money, however face the challenge of swapping SIM cards in every employee device for a better deal.

Jola partners are offering their corporate customers the ability to migrate existing Vodafone and O2 SIMs to Jola packages seamlessly. Our SIMs are managed within Mobile Manager and fixed data pools can be allocated so estates can share data. We also send out data usage alerts so partners can manage usage and add backdate-able bolt-ons as required. Our SIM packages are on 30-day terms, so partners can move them to better deals, when they become available.