About Machine to Machine (M2M)
There are four fundamentals that will benefit almost any business:
- Data collection and delivery
- Diagnostics
- Location
- Denial of service
Mobius is in the unique position of being Vodafone’s sole distributor for data SIMs for Machine to Machine (M2M). M2M can occur in any market from Retail to Metering, Security to Fleet asset management. The UK and Western Europe will see a crucial shift in data collection and management over the next five years. This is in response to a huge rise in expectation of instant or ‘real time’ information driven by the globalisation of our supply chains. Parcels, goods and products must be identified tracked and monitored as they circle the globe between manufacturing stages or final delivery. This real time information has also been identified as key means of increasing efficiency of existing infrastructure as well as facilitating whole new markets and products in the ‘unattended’ and ‘remote’ marketplace.
It is expected that the current growth phase will be initially dominated by retrofit solutions e.g. vending, automotive. What is fuelling such fast growth is that there is already an installed base out there that has a clear requirement for real time communications. It is this that will provide the first and rapid active base for the M2M market.
Why is growth expected to be so strong in Western Europe?
In Western Europe three things come together that creates a positive environment for M2M. The GSM standard has been adopted right across Europe with little now in the way of compatibility issues. This creates a huge potential and unified market.
Europe also has one of the most Extensive and Mature Cellular networks in the world. This means that availability of GPRS and GSM can almost be taken for granted and that the cost is competitive compared to fixed line alternatives.
Lastly is one simply of expense. Europe has as area of high wage costs. This forces vendors to look at ways to automate systems that in other areas of the world they would simply throw people at. This development of unattended systems is a big driver in the adoption of M2M solutions.
GPRS and GSM
The difference between GPRS and GSM is like the difference between having a direct dial up between two pieces of equipment and connecting over the internet.
A direct dial up commits resources to connecting each unit from its remote location to the back office. The resources could be as simple as the copper cable connecting the modem to the exchange, the capacity in the exchanges and then the copper cable back out to the office. These resources are committed to that call for as long as they are required.
With GPRS the remote unit is connected but does not claim any resources until some data is sent. The information that needs to be sent is divided into data packets. Each data packet is given an address then ‘posted’ into the network. Each data packet finds its own route through the network, which could be around the world and back. Once at the end destination the data packets are then reassembled into the original message. This means that no resources are committed making the network much more efficient and capable of handling for more traffic than would be the case in a traditional system.
For more information please contact us at enq@mobiusnetworks.co.uk
