Jola Cloud Solutions' Blog

The advertising world has changed dramatically in the last 20 years with social media platforms competing directly with traditional media companies, forcing them to innovate to survive. One of the biggest transformations is in digital signage, which is now one of the fastest growing media markets in the world.

However digital signage has its own challenges. Interactive signs need to be updated remotely with software and messages but often connecting them to a fixed internet connection is impractical and expensive. Where they use 4G/5G, the network has to prevent anyone hacking into the devices as well as protect them from DDOS attacks, which would take them offline.

The routers containing the SIMs must be robust, secure and capable of being provisioned and reconfigured remotely.

Jola’s Solution

We invented an intelligent 4G solution for digital signage, which arrives ‘plug-and-play’ at the customer’s site. It will work anywhere with an electrical socket, can be managed remotely via a portal and is protected from threats at both device and network levels.

Un-steered multi-network SIMs negate the need for expensive site surveys as they connect to the strongest signal and switch automatically if the primary network becomes unavailable.

 The Opportunity

• Connectivity for digital advertising boards in the UK
• Scalability, reliability and ability to deploy rapidly across the country
• Control and ease of connectivity management

 The Solution 

• Robustel R1510, preconfigured with device security
• Aggregated 2GB MultiNet SIMs

 The Outcome

• Dramatically reduced operational overheads
• Great support from Jola development team in building the bespoke configuration
• Reduced costs, increased revenue, improved margin
• Complete control over the SIM estate via Mobile Manager®

100% SLAs backed by compensation SLGs are a key differentiator in an increasingly competitive fibre Ethernet market. However, ISPs offering a fixed line backup run the risk of a cable cut or exchange failure taking both primary and secondary routes. Until recently 4G/5G failover was expensive, slow, and only a partial solution but Jola has solved this problem with a multi-network Layer 2 product costing only a few pounds a site.

The Jola management team ran Griffin Internet so we understand the challenges facing ISPs and we have the technical expertise to design and manage solutions. Connecting at Layer 2 means that all services failover seamlessly and multi-network ensures against coverage issues and mobile mast/network failures. This is not a hybrid VPN solution so there are no speed or routing problems.

ISPs cross-connect at Layer 2 directly into the Jola platform and, although a fairly new innovation, some of the world’s largest ISPs are using it, so it is tried and tested. ISPs control every SIM through Jola’s real-time, automated white-label portal, Mobile Manager®️.

4G/5G L2TP is inexpensive, reliable and easy to set-up and it gives ISPs full control over routing and IP addressing.

Jola is a multi-award-winning MVNO and mobile data aggregator, which means we offer services from all the major UK networks and hundreds of networks globally. We sell a wide range of options, including Fixed IP and Private APN, and we are a well-established, channel-only company. On average, we launch two new products and product extensions every month, so you will always have a differentiated offering to resist being commoditised. We have our own IP addresses and number ranges, and our superfast HA network runs over Cloudflare, the world’s #1 DDOS protection company.

A shift towards online shopping has driven demand for fulfilment and distribution centres. These new spaces require reliable connectivity. Where no existing fibre is available, MSPs are turning to 4G.

MSPs are quoting online retailers for bespoke 4G connectivity packages that meet their exact requirements. They are offering solutions that can be preconfigured and delivered to multiple locations to meet tight deadlines.

MSPs are turning to Jola for their multinetwork roaming SIMs controlled in Mobile Manager.

MSPs partnering with Jola are offering multinetwork solutions. Data is managed within Mobile Manager, an online management portal for ordering and managing SIM estates globally.

Are you thinking about adding a 4G connectivity solution to your proposition? Are you being asked about it from customers, or are you looking to enhance service or reduce risk for your clients?

4G primary is often called mobile broadband and is used for both temporary and permanent connectivity solutions. Resellers can often provide temporary connectivity until a broadband or Ethernet circuit goes live and can also be used as a 4G failover solution should the primary circuit fail.

4G backup is commonly used to back up primary networks to add an extra layer of resilience; however, managing 4G can be challenging for the reseller and expensive for the client. You need to consider applications that work perfectly well over Ethernet or broadband, which need to work equally well over 4G should the primary network fail. You also need to consider the cost of using 4G data should the primary network fail and the ongoing cost of a 4G solution that no one is using whilst the primary connection is stable.

Need Fixed IP or L2TP?

Many MSPs require one or more Fixed IP addresses on their SIMs. ISPs often require SIMs to be using L2TP so they can control the IP addressing and routing. Jola can supply both.

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.

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.