4
BULKDISTRIBUTOR
Asset Management
March/April 2016
Asset tracking - all in a day’s work
In the Internet of Things, those internet-enabled ‘things’ only come into their own if they can communicate. However, many
devices and applications are likely to fall outside the easy reach of wireless and GSM communications. Corry Brennan, Simplex
regional sales manager for EMEA at Globalstar, explains how satellite-enabled asset tracking is helping industry players to harness
the power of IoT to work smarter
G
reat strides have been made in satellite M2M and this
expertise is being translated into early adoption of
satellite communications to track and monitor assets that
range from cargo to trucks, oil pipelines, reservoirs, rail cars,
cattle and livestock as well as some of the world’s most
endangered species.
Because of their ubiquity and availability, even in extreme
environmental conditions, satellite-powered M2M allows
organisations to reach beyond terrestrial networks. They effectively
bolt on extra coverage, reaching deep into remote and often hostile
locations, as well as acting as back-up to mitigate land and mobile
network outages and overloading.
Whatever the sector, today’s organisations need to communicate
with staff remotely and to track assets such as those operating in oil
& gas, mining and major construction, for example. All can take
advantage of reliable, cost-effective satellite services with small, userfriendly, low-power devices.
The big GSM/mobile providers have been loudly publicising their
achievements and their capabilities in M2M and with good reason.
The large blue-chip players are developing M2M services, and
forming heavyweight partnerships, with an eye on the virtually
endless commercial possibilities and applications in areas with good
infrastructure.
But the story is different in those areas where mob