Does Machine to Machine equal better service at lower costs?

If the solution is based on technology, there is always the risk of committing to a bespoke solution that proves expensive to implement, a high cost maintenance contract or perhaps a long-term technological dead end. Risk begins to mitigate any advantage that could be gained.

Machine to Machine (M2M) is a buzzword that is currently in vogue but the reality is a very simple concept. The vital part is that information is gathered from remote sites and delivered in a format that allows an automated response without re-keying or manual intervention.

This article intends to look at some real world examples of how to reap the benefits of M2M while minimising the risk.

Example 1: The Trakka
Tracking livestock through their life has become an increasing concern for all involved. BSE and more recently the foot and mouth outbreaks highlighted a need for real-time information. Unfortunately, as Defra proved with their pilot trial of EID/EDT in sheep, the technology of electronically tagging livestock and using the data was just not reliable, mainly due to dependence on the PC and the manual handling of data.

Now two years later, a Welsh company LRMC has developed a system in conjunction with German scanner manufacturer Agrident that applies the Machine to Machine principles. Using this Trakka unit, a farmer can scan in the identity of the animal and when an action, such as moving the animal on or off the farm occurs, that data is then delivered by GPRS straight to the government database with out further delay or intervention. The unit itself can support both barcodes for cattle and RFID for sheep and will replace an expensive and cumbersome paper system.

By using a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) or mobile phone type modem supplied by Mobius Networks, LRMC have sidestepped the cost of installing a landline to a remote site or integrating hardware into a PC. So, by using GPRS and putting the data generated directly into databases, it is possible to build a better service at a lower cost.

Example 2: Fleet management
Local councils are under pressure to adopt live tracking systems on their mobile assets and workforces to comply with Health and Safety, and Duty of Care legislation.

It is only with the inclusion of M2M data SIMS into sophisticated technology solutions that enable transfer of data to be relayed back to a recipient server infrastructure to provide robust reporting of a whole fleet in real-time. Globallive Ltd have partnered with Mobius to affect one of Europe’s leading solutions, which is currently being implemented, for example, by Middlesborough, Walsall, and Vale of Glamorgan Councils.

A variety of applications have been identified including gritters, road sweepers, gulley suckers, and the monitoring of axle loads on refuse vehicles - all subject to legal impositions.

If this is associated with in-cab messaging systems enable compliance under H&S and Duty of Care legislation - all enabled by Mobius M2M Sims.

Example 3: Real-Time Information (RTI)
Sometimes, the driver for the adoption of M2M is avoidance of infrastructure costs. At a time when local councils are keen to improve bus patronage by providing Real-Time Passenger Information on routes that historically have not offered such information, companies such as Advanced Communications and Information Systems (ACIS) are at the forefront offering innovative solutions.

ACIS uses (GPS) data to locate and track vehicles within a fleet. This is essential for the level of accuracy needed for offering products such as real-time data and bus priority at traffic lights.

No roadside infrastructure is required, making the system particularly easy to extend to rural areas and causes no disruption to traffic or the environment in urban areas during installation or maintenance. The system allows bus operators to measure service standards by reporting adherence to schedule, thus enabling improvements to service quality via improved management of the daily operation of the routes.

Once either a public or private radio infrastructure is in place, adding both routes and buses is extremely straightforward. The system architecture permits an unlimited number of information displays and routes can be added by using existing software tools within the Central Control Station software (CCS). The system is user-friendly to the extent that no operator programming skills are required.

The right network
Implementing these systems is very different from a voice mobile solution, and several data only services providers have come into the market in the last couple of years. The Vodafone digital network covers 99% of the UK population and 88% of the UK landmass. The Vodafone GPRS and GSM network are identical in terms of their coverage as the GPRS network is effectively an overlay of the existing GSM technology sharing the same radio resources.

Mobius is the UK’s first integrated data airtime provider and Vodafone’s preferred distributor for M2M Data SIMS. All Mobius SIMS are data enabled for WEB, WAP and SMS. They have a complete voice ban, and can even have the internet capability removed to prevent misuse making them useless if stolen or misused.

Mobius networks offers a closed network for greater security and lower cost. The internet allows potentially uncontrolled entry and also allows ‘noise’ - sniffing, spamming and the curious, which can represent a significant additional cost per terminal per month.

Lastly, Mobius also have a range of additional services specifically aimed at the data market, such as help with Network Approval, GPRS LAN, Fixed IP per SIM Secure Public Access, Risk Management, SIM Profile Transfer (SPT), Dynamic Data Allocation (DDA), Appropriate Billing and Location Based Services.

Cutting costs, improving services. Making it happen
The examples in this article all depend on three things:

• Local authorities and agents who recognise the benefits that using M2M can bring;
• Experienced system integrators;
• Dedicated data airtime providers.

The companies listed in this article have real world experience of working with local government and Mobius Networks, to deliver M2M systems and benefits both in the UK and around the world.

Mobius Networks
Doug Gilmour
Sales Director
Mobius Networks Ltd
Walker Rd
Bardon Hill
Coalville
Leicester LE67 1TU

Tel:01530 511181
Fax: 01530 511181

Enq@mobiusnetworks.co.uk
www.mobiusnetworks.co.uk