Recently, several of us travelled to Barcelona Spain to participate in Inmarsat’s Global Partner Conference. The annual event is an invitation-only conference for Inmarsat’s Global Partners, where Skymira was also asked to exhibit several related services including our new Smartphone applications. We wanted to share some of our observations from the event.

By way of background, Inmarsat is the world's leading provider of global mobile satellite communications, including voice and high-speed data services to almost anywhere on the planet. Inmarsat owns and operates 11 satellites in geostationary orbit 35,786km above the Earth, controlled via ground stations located around the globe.

Inmarsat is clearly leading the market

As we listened to Inmarsat’s CEO speak, we couldn’t help but realize that this is a firm incredibly committed to its customers and partners around the world. For evidence, one has to look no further than the anticipated launch of three new Inmarsat-5 satellites constructed by Boeing. Self-funding the US$1.2 billion required for the satellites and infrastructure is sufficient demonstration of its fiscal strength. In a market where there are many questions about individual players, including perhaps their ultimate survivability, as far as we could see, there is no question Inmarsat will continue to lead its markets.

Inmarsat’s Global Express

Perhaps the cornerstone of the conference was discussion around Inmarsat’s Global Xpress, soon to be marketed as ‘The super-fast, Ka-band broadband network from Inmarsat’. Planned to launch in 2013, Global Xpress will offer downlink speeds of up to 50Mbps, and up to 5Mbps over the uplink, from compact user terminals. It will be the first time a commercial operator has utilized Ka-band radio frequencies to deliver a global satellite service. Inmarsat also envisions the added benefit of enhancing existing L-band services - including BGAN, FleetBroadband and SwiftBroadband, and their global handheld phone, IsatPhone Pro.

So what does it all mean? A truly global plug and play solution that is ready to go when you turn it on without any changes or upgrades required. In addition, we expect to see incredibly higher speeds, and added downward pressure on market prices for hardware and communication services costs. Finally, for the first time in the industry, Rain fade degradation will automatically go over to L-Band keeping communication constant.

As Inmarsat sums it up, “We see a future where mobile satellite services are delivered through a combination of L-band and Ka-band satellites, harnessing the strengths of each to offer an unrivalled package of services based on speed, price and portability”.

Inmarsat BGAN M2M

Another service highlight was BGAN M2M. Currently planned for launch in February 2012, the service will deliver a global, IP-based low-data rate service, for users needing high levels of data availability and performance in permanently unmanned environments. The service is ideally suited for applications requiring high frequency, very low latency data reporting. Chief among its benefits is its significantly lower cost for IP connectivity, and ease of use.

We believe BGAN M2M will prove extremely attractive for monitoring fixed assets. Further it should broaden the base of users and expand the applications users would now be willing to run unmanned. Look for more information from us as this service launch nears.

IsatData Pro

Inmarsat also highlighted its IsatData Pro Low Data Rate (LDR) satellite communication service. Since May of this year, when we announced the addition of this service [add link], it has remained a strong complement to our portfolio of mobile business applications, including: electronic forms, email and text messaging; as well as our machine-to-machine (M2M) services including, GPS tracking, SCADA, and vehicle/heavy equipment telemetry. With close to 37X data speed, IsatData Pro delivers a significant increase in capability over other services already in the market.

Inmarsat made it clear that they were committed to the long term success and development of this lower cost, higher speed service. From our vantage point, this means greater opportunity for more of our clients to benefit from access to satellite service that they may not have been able to previously afford.

We’ve been discussing for some time that the next big competitive advantage will come from mobility solutions -- smartphones, mobile business apps, M2M services and the like.

For the record, we define Mobility as something more profound than the traditional discussion around communications, hardware and software. Mobility as we see it is ‘business in motion’, physically untethered but still fully connected to the applications and information that assure successful operational performance no matter where your business takes you.

The value for businesses will not be often touted feature sets, but instead, how those tools are put to use -- especially for businesses that rely on remote workers, equipment and data to drive the bulk of their profits. As we see it, the future will belong to companies that compete on their ability to perform anywhere, anytime the market demands, regardless of how remote that might seem at the moment.

All good theory – now enter the quantitative proof.

A recently published Aberdeen report, Field Service 2011: Mobility and the Extension of the Service Enterprise, documents a very significant financial advantage for companies with Best-in-Class field service performance versus Laggard companies. For example, Best-in-Class field service organizations, with as few as 100 technicians, could save up to $8,000,000 per year by implementing mobility solutions that included key performance indicators.

Aberdeen’s methodology of comparing three categories of companies; ‘Best-in-Class’, ‘Average’ and ‘Laggards’, yields identified key performance indicators that contribute to being in one category or another. The top ranking indicators provide a roadmap of recommendations and solutions for companies seeking to utilize mobility solutions in their field service operations. Just some of the key performance indicators we thought worthwhile to point out included:

• Eliminate paper forms – the amount of time technicians spent on paper forms was more than 40 minutes, taking away from the actual number of visits they could make in a day.
• Ability to work in an offline mode – nearly 30% of technician tasks are conducted in areas with little or no coverage –it is vital that they be able to access apps even when not in areas of coverage.
• Provide real-time systems integration – Best-in-Class companies assured the field and back-end applications were in tight alignment.
• Accommodate varied platforms – with the increased availability of new device types and operating environments, it is essential to develop a flexible mobile strategy.
• Generate on-demand performance metrics – also essential was the ability for service leaders to track service performance metrics in real time via dashboards and other performance tools.

The report also provides justification for investment that is pretty sound.

• Consider the following findings:
  • Organizations defined as Best-in-Class exhibited the following:
  • 82% average first time fix performance and a 15% average decrease in service cost over the previous 12 months;
  • SLA compliance of 93% (compared to 66% for Laggards);
  • 76% average level of workforce utilization and a 16% increase in workforce productivity over the previous year.
• Firms enjoying Best-in-Class performance are:
  • More than two times as likely as Laggards to have a mobile application for field service in place;
  • Nearly two times as likely as all others to integrate field data with enterprise systems in real time;
  • 15% more likely than all others to have a standardized mobile strategy across the enterprise;
  • 49% more likely than Laggards to leverage a cross-functional team of executives and users to define, manage and support mobile requirements.

In short, there are some very tangible, highly achievable solutions that can add up to big savings and far greater performance for companies that implement mobility in their field operations. In future posts, we will drill down into some of these mobility solutions and address best practices for implementing them.

To download the Aberdeen Report, Field Service 2011: Mobility and the Extension of the Service Enterprise, Click here

In our last posts we discussed five practical steps companies can take to unlock the value in critical remote information, as well as steps one through three. In this post we’ll discuss the fourth step which is to assure what you build is scalable.

So far, you’ve staked out your remote information, figured out exactly how you’ll capture it, and hopefully applied the right technology. Now we arrive at step four which asks the burning questions: will what you choose today have the scalability to take you into the future?

Quite simply, assuring scalability also comes down to understanding and anticipating future needs. Every business is different, but similar companies follow the same general path. Some of the considerations when deciding whether a solution will successfully scale as you grow include the following:

• Is the current project just a start for a much broader implementation? If so, will the technology work in the larger scope?
• It could be the best technology solution, but if your people don’t adopt it, you won’t be able to scale it. You’ll want to create solutions that are user appropriate and assure a training plan is built in.
• Looking inside the company, traditional scalability questions have to do with company growth factors such as size, locations, employees, assets, customers, competitors, etc. Looking outside the company you’ll want to consider fundamental shifts in the market and anticipated regulatory changes.
• Finally, take a look at the technology itself. Is it expected to undergo changes or even quickly become obsolete? Will it meet the types of challenges and growth you see ahead?

No advice these days would be complete without considering mobility scalability. Smartphones, tablets and the like are exploding in use. Revenues are forecasted to at least double over the next four years for both categories. Advancements in technology are driving the price of cellular and satellite downward and given that most people use smartphones in their everyday lives, uptime to adopt new mobile business apps on these devices will be much faster. All good news, but will what you choose today scale into the future?

Aberdeen recently conducted a study reporting that Best in Class field service organizations, with as few as 100 technicians, could save up to $8,000,000 per year over industry Laggards by implementing effective mobility solutions. Chief among the drivers of effective solutions included: use of electronic forms, operable in offline mode, real-time systems integration, accommodation of varied platforms and the ability to generate on-demand performance metrics. At minimum, make sure the solutions you consider can at least do all of the above.

Mobility’s rapid paced change across a range of devices, networks, data and communication services, makes predicting scalability a challenge. For this reason, Skymira developed its MobiGatewayTM to seamlessly and easily tie together non-similar devices and information. An alternative to developing programs in native apps, MobiGatewayTM significantly reduces development time, operates both online and offline, and assures increased security. It also assures that changes down the road can be more easily accommodated.

Next we’ll address step five, implementing the solution in the most effective and least disruptive way. To view the white paper in its entirety, go to our website at http://www.skymira.com/resource-center-whitepapers.htm

In our last posts we discussed five practical steps companies can take to unlock the value in critical remote information, as well as steps one and two. In this post we’ll discuss the third step which is to develop a plan to apply the right technology for how you operate.

As we mentioned in step two, you want to work with a firm who will understand your business and provide a solution appropriate for the way you operate. Nowhere is this more important than choosing the right technology. There’s an incredible array of technology available today, but how do you understand what’s right for you? Cellular or satellite, for example, typically comes down to coverage and latency. Some assets are never in cell range and while others may enter into cell range at some time, can you wait for the information?

Or take for instance the exploding Smartphone and M2M technologies. By all accounts, revenues are forecasted to at least double over the next four years for both categories. Even conservative estimates are as high as 10 Billion Plus Smart-devices across a range of platforms and networks by the year 2020. Both technologies are driving the price of cellular and satellite services downward. Applications that seemed too expensive before will be suddenly more affordable. Given that most people use Smartphones in their everyday personal lives, uptime to adopt new mobile business apps on these devices will be much faster.

You should also consider the integration impact. How compatible is the technology with your existing enterprise infrastructure, and how competent are your people with it? In most cases there are proven solutions that will be compatible, the trick is in knowing which. You might want to consider an integration specialist well versed in remote information solutions. It’s often more cost advantageous to outsource when you are incorporating technologies you have no prior experience with. It’s often the best way to assure you’ll gain the full economic potential from your project. For example, some satellite services, if not properly administered with the right tools, will provide you with a shocking bill at some point.

Finally, you want to avoid the pitfalls that are common with technology implementation, Chief among them is over-reaching. Projects that are too cumbersome to make it all the way to completion or technologies that unto themselves are dazzling, but fail to provide the base for a well performing solution are prevalent pitfalls. Here’s our list of what we see most often:

• Failure to include use restrictions, especially for satellite.
• Deploying technology that satisfies the current application but does not anticipate future needs.
• Selecting providers with limited range of offerings and/or ability to execute.
• Selecting technology or creating applications that are too complicated for your people to use on a regular basis.
• Over-extending; starting too big, rather than proving out a couple of smaller high probability successes first.

Next we’ll address step four, assuring what you build will be scalable with your business as it changes and grows. To view the white paper in its entirety, go to our website at http://www.skymira.com/resource-center-whitepapers.htm

As we look ahead over the next few years, we see several big areas of impact for business apps and remote data solutions, one in particular is the exploding market for Smartphones -- which will experience double digit growth rates into the foreseeable future.

How explosive? By all accounts, revenues are forecasted to at least double over the next four years. Even conservative estimates are as high as 10 billion-plus Smart Devices across a range of platforms and networks by the year 2020. Gartner predicts that by 2014, 90% of organizations will support corporate applications on smartphones and by 2013, 80% of businesses will support a workforce using tablets.

We've been saying for some time now that advances in hardware and communication technologies will drive the price of cellular and satellite services downward. Product and service innovation has been heating up for some time. Nothing is driving this trend more than Smartphones, bringing both cellular and satellite services into range for most any businesses.

Smartphones are also fueling a surge in new applications to better manage businesses. Given that most people use Smartphones in their everyday personal lives, uptime to adopt new mobile business apps on these devices will be much faster.

As for the many of the devices coming to market, we are seeing substantial increases in data speed. And if cost was once a consideration with satellite, not only are prices coming down, but Skymira offers applications programmed to intuitively shift between cellular and satellite based on the situational needs of the organization.

With all these devices, networks, data and communication services, Skymira immediately understood that a unifying platform would be essential to tying non-similar devices and information together. Skymira's mobiGatewayTM is our approach to cross-platform, application, and location unification. Leveraging our mobiGateway^TM ensures that users will get consistent look, feel and functionality in the mobile apps and M2M services deployed across the enterprise.

Expect to hear much more from us on this game-changing opportunity for businesses of all types.

In our last posts we discussed five practical steps companies can take to unlock the value in critical remote information, as well as covering Step One. In this post we’ll discuss the second step which is to assess exactly how you will capture the remote information. This is the step most people miss. The information capture assessment is critical to ultimate success.

Start with identifying what it is you’re capturing. Is it exception reporting? Is it a sale or transaction record? Is it security status or fleet monitoring and tracking? Each of these is very different from one another and the solutions will be just as different.

We recommend three aspects to focus on when deciding how you will capture the remote information.

1. Technology – Do you know what the best technology is for your business and for each application? Will you know how to successfully apply it?

2. Organization and People – Do you have the right people in place to leverage the technology and consistently apply it in capturing the information?

3. Process – Do you have the processes in place for capturing and using the remote information? Or will you need to develop new processes?

The first of the three aspects, technology, is the obvious area and as mentioned, the one most organizations focus on almost exclusively. This is no surprise as most suppliers want to sell you the platform and the service, but may not spend the time becoming knowledgeable about your business and how you operate. Make sure whomever you partner with understands your company and can present technology recommendations in the context of your business. Avoid solutions that may be beyond your capability to maintain or even use. Look for simpler more practical solutions.

The second, organization and people is one of the more important aspects in capturing information. Efficacy and compliance of your solution in the hands of your people is one of the key contributing factors in assuring a successful project. Asking your workers to dramatically change the things they do on a daily basis is always a risk – remember, many people secretly reject change.

The manner in which you capture information should result in as little change as possible, especially in non-office environments where computer skills were never part of the job description. For initial implementations, keep it simple -- this will assure faster uptime and greater overall compliance with the new process.

Process is the third component. Ask yourself, are there existing processes in place that make it easier to capture the selected information or are they non-existent and will require development? Designing and deploying new business processes can certainly increase the risk of your project. Where possible, work with existing processes, or at a minimum, adopt new processes that are within the mainstream of how your business currently operates. At all costs, avoid dropping a completely foreign process into place.

Next we’ll address step three, developing a plan to apply the right technology for how you operate. To view the white paper in its entirety, go to our website at http://www.skymira.com/resource-center-whitepapers.htm

You’re looking at the satellite bill that is usually about $1,800 -- and this month it is $436,000. You pick yourself off the floor and you have got to believe it’s a mistake. After all you had just put in a new satellite broadband system that was only supposed to do voice and e-mail, and at a lower rate. Your company is going to take a $436,000 hit on expenses and you ask “How in the world did this happen?”

Sound far-fetched? Not at all. It happened recently to a shipping company where controls they thought were in place weren’t there – giving their crew unlimited satellite access to the internet, with unregulated downloading of information. The vendor they employed to set this up failed to install key components for any broadband installation:

• the vendor forgot to remove internet access from the satellite communication package.
• after the incorrect satellite installation, they didn’t perform the type of testing to confirm that all the communication components were working as the customer expected.
• and they weren’t monitoring the communication usage, looking for unexpected spikes. In essence they let the meter run without notifying the customer.

So how do you make sure this doesn’t happen to you? First of all you work with a company that has expertise in optimizing your system to provide the most efficient flow of business information, while also applying controls tailored to your business needs – helping you avoid that shocking bill. Today’s satellite broadband terminals are more than just a terminal you buy off the shelf and plug in. If you go that route just plan on the day you will get the bill that will knock you out of your chair.

Skymira has been on top of this from the beginning. Our April, 2010, blog entry “Avoiding Excessive Satellite Charges” described this scenario, and the risks in deploying any satellite communication system without also establishing a method for controlling the more significant satellite communication cost. The entry goes on to discuss Skymira’s Intelligent IP Controls and how, by locking in customer-specified proper uses and locking out improper use, abuse and inexperience that typically results in expensive hits, carrier charges are more effectively managed. I encourage you to read it to understand how it all works.

Here’s the link to a very unfortunate and preventable situation. Make sure this doesn’t happen to you. “The cost of unrestrained access to the internet by the crew”

There is little doubt the recent events in Japan will prompt a thorough review by 1st and 2nd responders as to their level of operational awareness and control in the aftermath of natural or manmade disasters; such mega-disasters always do.

This August will mark the 6th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Whether the lessons learned by 1st Responders (Police, Fire, EMS, etc.) have made them better prepared for the next disaster remains to be seen. The consensus, however, of many in the satellite industry is that 2nd Responders (i.e. Utilities and other critical infrastructure such as Oil & Gas) remain extremely vulnerable due to their heavy reliance on terrestrial based communications for daily operational awareness and control of their field personnel and monitored machinery.

The reason for this dire prediction is that most 2nd responders have taken only token measures in addressing the lack of communication that typically occurs in the first 30 days after such a mega-disaster event. In his paper entitled, Hurricane Katrina: Communications & Infrastructure Impacts, Dr. Robert Miller, Senior Research Professor at the National Defense University, states: "The communications failure [after Katrina] severely damaged the control systems—known as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems—that manage many other systems and infrastructures. These systems, many of which depend on the Internet, were often put out of business for prolonged periods."

I say token measures because many 2nd responder companies have only purchased a few satellite phones and portable satellite broadband terminals, and simply placed them on the shelf for use on that fateful day.

Companies whose critical infrastructure is vulnerable to these mega-disasters need to integrate satellite and dual mode sat/cell equipment into their regular field operations, SCADA and other machinery telemetry systems for use on a daily basis. I don't suggest ripping out existing systems but rather, blending complimentary systems into the mix. This type of integration would ensure communication with service trucks and field personnel, as well as basic situational awareness of surviving equipment on Day 1 after a disaster. It is important to note that they also offer day-to-day business value during normal operations (thus providing cost justification and returns on such investment).

In the past, many companies avoided making these critical investments based on the perceived high cost of satellite communications. The good news is that the recently concluded Satellite 2011 conference, held in Washington DC, highlighted a broad range of satellite solutions to address a variety of requirements; some of which now priced in the $500 range with equally cost effective service plans to match.

The cost of satellite terminals and airtime can no longer be considered a barrier to hardening our infrastructure against catastrophic events – and the day-to-day benefits and returns that can be realized from implementing such solutions can more than justify their cost. Perhaps now the last remaining obstacle to overcome is the lack of will to perform the work that needs to be done.

In our last post we discussed five practical steps companies can take to unlock the value in critical remote information. In this post we’ll discuss the first step which is to determine where your potential remote information currently resides.

It’s basically a task of searching the enterprise for possible opportunities. But where do you start?  Value is almost always created through increased revenue and profits or decreased operating expenses -- these are your best places to start. Table 1, below, provides a framework for assessing the most probable places to find remote information that can be leveraged into new value. 

TABLE 1

People are the natural source to consider first. Quite simply, do you have remote workers outside the enterprise who in the course of their daily activities gather or have access to information that could help you make good business decisions faster? Do they have knowledge that can be turned into better client outcomes and increased satisfaction? Or perhaps you have remote workers whose safety is your concern and knowing their status is important to you.

Assets are the second area to examine. Any kind of fleet, whether on water or on the road, offers tremendous potential for information value. Equipment is another area to look at as well. Knowing the location and status of high-value assets gives you the ability to deploy them rapidly, reduce downtime, increase performance and monitor their security. Assets prove tremendously valuable in both monetary terms and in potential business interruption when loss occurs.

Paperwork is third area to examine, especially where there are remotely administered paper-based forms. The idea is to turn paper-based forms into electronic forms providing information in real-time A good example are the fuel-oil suppliers that have turned paper delivery tickets into electronic forms sent real-time. Cash flow is increased considerably when the driver’s record is turned into emailed billing statements sent to customers before the truck is out of the driveway.

Our last two most likely places are data and communication. Any form of remote data offers potential for increasing value by accessing in real-time the information it provides. Access to this data might help speed up decision making, reduce risks or increase business performance. Communication with remote workers can speed up the flow of business knowledge or create an environment for increased productivity.

We’ll address Step Two, assessing exactly how you capture the information, in our next post.

Today’s satellite and cellular technology allows companies to access remote people, assets and information in ways not possible before. In almost all cases this information is of great value to the company. The value has always been there, but was either too difficult or expensive to access. That has changed. Proven technologies and intuitive applications as well as the decreasing price of cellular and satellite services have made remote information solutions extremely viable.

Yet all too many companies have not yet taken advantage of this value proposition. Perhaps the biggest reason is the perception of sheer complexity. With no prior experience, the idea of adopting such technology can appear challenging. We believe it doesn’t have to be difficult or an overly complicated process to locate and capture valuable remote information, and in the process increase the efficiency and effectiveness of your business all resulting in greater agility, customer satisfaction and ultimately profitability.

Over a series of blog posts, we’ll lay out a straight-forward five step process for identifying and capturing valuable remote information that can be leveraged into both greater business advantage and increased profitability. Above all else, these steps are designed to help you keep it simple and practical when first starting out.

We’ll start in this first post by defining our Five Steps.

Step One - Determine where valuable remote information resides in your organization. There are no pat answers here as each business will offer differing opportunities based on its markets, processes, people, and assets.

Step Two - Assess exactly how you will capture this information. This is as much a technology issue as it is a people and process consideration. Sure the technology might be able to work flawlessly, but will your people be able to use it? Is the information raw data accessible from a database or is it hand written forms that will need to be converted into electronic forms?

Step Three - Develop your plan for applying the right technology for how you operate. Considerations here might include whether cellular coverage available consistently or if your application will need to go to satellite. How user-friendly are the varying technologies and can they be easily adapted to and integrated with your enterprise systems are just a few more examples of what you’ll need to consider in step three.

Step Four - Sanity check the scalability. There’s no sense deploying something that is going to be obsolete before its useful life. This step is all about anticipating and projecting the future needs for your company. For example, how many other remote information projects might be able to leverage this same technology?

Step Five - Implement the solution in a way that is most effective and least disruptive.

Stay tuned for our next blog post where we will start to dig into each of the five steps.