Jola Cloud Solutions' Blog

M2M and IoT have created smart factories in the manufacturing industry. This is having a positive impact on productivity and profitability alike. As the cost of smart sensors has reduced, the use of them for gathering information on factory floors has increased.

According to a recent McKinsey study, the greatest value from IoT for manufacturers will be in operations optimisation, making the various processes within the factory more efficient. This includes using sensors, rather than human judgment to adjust the performance of machinery and data collection from production to amend processes. Essentially, by remotely tracking and monitoring machinery, output can be optimised, and downtime avoided, reducing costs.

Using sensor technology, manufacturers can track serialised and non-serialised components as they are received, warehoused and used to construct sub-assemblies and finished goods. Traceability of raw materials/parts is essential and new technologies are being engaged to track them from goods-in right through the manufacturing process to goods-out.

Monitoring can help reduce costs in inventory, ordering raw materials/parts on demand on a just-in-time basis. Pulling relevant data into one single piece of software can help factory management create a dashboard of key measures right across core processes.

The channel is uncovering opportunities from customers wanting 4G data SIMs for M2M/IoT solutions, however they face two challenges; how to manage SIMs remotely and how to avoid bill shock.

The opportunities

Slow fixed line connectivity replacement                                                                

90% of all UK premises (almost 26 million) can access up to 24Mb/s fixed line broadband, however there are at least 190,000 premises that can’t get 2Mb/s and 2.2 million premises that can’t get 10Mb/s. Where the LTE signal is strong, 4G data is a great solution.

Temporary connectivity

Leased lines have traditionally long lead times, so what do you do for internet connectivity whilst you are waiting? 4G can provide a fast, reliable, temporary solution. 

Back-up

Catastrophic failure often effects multiple services going into a building, so a fixed line back-up to a primary internet connection is not guaranteed to provide business continuity. With the introduction of 4G management portals for fixed IP SIMs and unique overage protection, 4G becomes a cost-effective alternative. Customers pay a small monthly fee for the back-up service and when the data fails-over, they pay for the additional usage, only for the period it was used.

M2M

There is a wide range of devices that need an internet connection and 4G data SIMs fit the bill. Opportunities are flooding in via partners, from electricians, wind farms, vets, farmers, festival organisers, bus and taxi companies to CCTV installers, all with different requirements. Some need IP addresses, others need multi-network SIMs, but all need the ability to monitor and manage usage remotely.

How to manage SIMs remotely?

Mobile Manager communicates in real-time with multiple mobile network operators. It handles SIM activations, ceases, suspensions, reports, alerts and bolt-ons and can be used by resellers and their end users to manage large estates of data SIMs in multiple devices worldwide.