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According to a new report from the IoT analyst firm Berg Insight, 5G will make its first appearance in the IoT market in late 2020...

The first 5G cellular IoT modules will become available to developers this year, enabling early adopters to create the first IoT devices based on the standard. Based on the experience of previous introductions of new standards, 5G will however not be an instant hit. By 2023, Berg Insight forecasts that 5G will account for just under 3 percent of the total installed base of cellular IoT devices.
 
“5G still has some way to go before it can become a mainstream technology for cellular IoT”, says Tobias Ryberg, Principal Analyst and author of the report. “Just like 4G when it was first introduced, the initial version of 5G is mostly about improving network performance and data capacity. This is only relevant for a smaller subset of high-bandwidth cellular IoT applications like connected cars, security cameras and industrial routers. The real commercial breakthrough will not happen until the massive machine type communication (mMTC) use case has been implemented in the standard.”
 
mMTC is intended as an evolution of the LTE-M/NB-IoT enhancements to the 4G standard. Since NB-IoT has only just started to appear in commercial products, there is no immediate demand for a successor. Over time, fifth generation mobile networks will however become necessary to cope with the expected exponential growth of IoT connections and data traffic.
 
The report identifies homeland security as an area where 5G cellular IoT can have a major impact already in the early 2020s. “5G enables the deployment of high-density networks of AI-supported security cameras to monitor anything form security-classified facilities to national borders or entire cities”, says Mr. Ryberg. “How this technology is used and by whom is likely to become one of the most controversial issues in the next decade.”

Tachograph and compliance software firm unveils new integrated product. 

TruTrac's re-designed TruLicence system enables operators to validate, monitor and control key driving licence and CPC compliance information.

The software combines driver licence verification and validity checks with tachograph and general compliance data for complete control. The dashboard includes widgets and alerts to highlight licence issues and potential at-risk drivers with areas of concern.

The firm made the announcement at this year's Commercial Vehicle Show where they also launched CPT Licence Check; the same effective and TruLinks - an API suite which gives developer access to key data, while removing the need for manual intervention or data duplication.

Commenting on the newly introduced products, TruTac’s Commercial Director, Jemma James said: “This was a great show for us and we were delighted to see so many friends – old and new – come along to see for themselves the wide range of operational and commercial benefits our latest compliance control solutions have to offer. Launching our third product in partnership with the CPT has also made it a show to remember.”

Conker, a British producer of business rugged tablet, touch screen and mobile devices has announced that it can now offer organisations greater control, management and security of their fleet of mobile devices through a new partnership with 42Gears.


Conker has agreed to the partnership to enable 42Gears to support the management of fleets of Conker devices for UK enterprises, and to refer and resell 42Gears’ unified endpoint management (UEM) software. A key driving force behind the development of this partnership is Conker’s customer base, as it discovered that they not only seek business rugged, fit-for-purpose devices, but that they also require an even greater degree of control, management and security across their devices. 
 
James Summers, CEO and founder, Conker, says, “As a fast-growth British technology business, we’re constantly evaluating ways in which we can deliver even greater levels of business value to the market, coupled with the best possible fit-for-purpose mobile devices.  This partnership with 42Gears is an important milestone in realising this goal.”  
 
He continued, “After discussions with 42Gears, it became clear that it shared the same vision and ethos as Conker about enterprise mobility. We’re pleased to agree to this partnership, as it means that our business rugged devices are not only fit-for-purpose and adaptable to different business scenarios, but that organisations can be assured that they have total control and security of their devices.”
 
Kaushik Sindhu, Associate Vice President, 42Gears says, “Business-owned devices in the field are insecure and prone to misuse. Also, managing large fleets of devices have been challenging for IT admins. This partnership will serve to address these issues through easy device management, and with enterprises gaining a greater degree of control over their devices. It’s a mutually-beneficial association and we’re glad to have become a part of the Conker partner ecosystem now.”
 
Conker plans to expand its channel partnerships during 2019, as it seeks to further enhance its enterprise mobility offering for UK and global organisations. This complements Conker’s drive to provide its range of Android and Windows-based business rugged tablet, touch screen and mobile devices, along with its consultancy and support services. 
                                                                                                                        
After evaluating several providers, Conker concluded that 42Gears offered the most compelling best-of-breed technology, that enables the combination of its secure software with Conker’s secure hardware, to ensure even more productive business processes.

Integration of engineering document management and maintenance management to save manufacturers dollars, time and Injuries. 

Accruent, the world’s leading provider of physical resource management solutions, announced today that it is has developed an integration between its Maintenance Connection computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) and its Meridian engineering document management (EDM) software. Using these products together, manufacturers and industrial organizations provide maintenance teams with fast, on-site access to dynamic asset documentation.

Comprehensive and accurate asset information enables maintenance teams to complete work more quickly and cost-effectively, increase asset uptime, and help assure worker safety. As margins are crucial to manufacturers, the resulting cost savings and improved output can have a magnified impact on company success.

For manufacturers, seemingly small improvements in output or maintenance cost savings can mean the difference between growth and fighting for survival. However, a growing shortage of skilled workers (71% of companies surveyed by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) in March 2019 indicated that attracting and retaining skilled workers is their greatest challenge) will require managers to seek other methods of assuring operational excellence. Analyst firm IDC predicts that by 2020, 80% of manufacturers will seek to place data at the center of their processes to increase speed, agility, efficiency, and innovation.

One example of placing data at the center of a process is to improve the depth and quality of information provided to maintenance teams and increasing the speed at which such information is delivered. By integrating EDM and CMMS, Accruent provides manufacturers and industrial organizations the ability to deliver on-demand engineering documentation to on-site maintenance professionals via a computer or mobile device.

Providing access to asset data while technicians are on-site:
• Reduces the time needed to complete maintenance
• Lowers the cost of completing work
• Decreases the duration of asset downtime

In addition, this combination provides better data to engineers who can update asset documentation more quickly and accurately. Perhaps most importantly, providing accurate, real-time asset documentation to maintenance personnel allows them to assure their safety while performing maintenance.

“Manufacturers are embracing digital transformation to improve operations and maximize returns. One of the key elements of digital transformation in manufacturing is breaking down data silos,” noted Kevin Permenter, Research Manager, Enterprise Applications, IDC. “Sharing information between engineering and maintenance teams is an example of how having a single source of truth can deliver benefits to multiple departments and initiatives. Manufacturers that are sharing data across these functions are opening up new avenues to improve productivity, maximize the value of their resources, and lengthen asset life.”

Trimble announce the launch of Trimble PULSE® Remote Expert, an augmented reality (AR) tool that improves the productivity of field service technicians by connecting them with support experts via video, audio and spatial annotations in real-time.


The AR tool provides remotely-located users with a shared, live view using the camera on a smart phone. Both users can add digital annotations, such as text or drawings, directly to the live view by accessing a simple menu displayed on the smartphone screen.

Digital annotations can be especially helpful when trying to communicate complex information remotely, or if either user is working in a loud environment. Trimble PULSE Remote Expert enables businesses across a range of industries, including construction, agriculture, telecommunications and utilities, to rapidly connect remote experts with technicians in the field.

It is a simple and powerful application for technicians who require real-time assistance when facing complex or unfamiliar situations, and ultimately helps to improve first-time fix rates, technician productivity and the overall customer service experience. 

"Many organizations are looking for new and improved ways of connecting their field workers," said John Cameron, general manager of Trimble’s Field Service Management Division. "An ageing workforce and skill shortages are adding complexity to the service workflow and organizations are looking for innovative ways to address the challenges."

Company announce blockchain-led service platform with warehouse features.

With this addition to its blockchain-based platform, Serve have created a new paradigm in smart logistics and complete customer satisfaction. Reducing the distance between the warehouse and end-user improves the order fulfillment experience for all participants by shortening delivery times and reducing costs.  Businesses can now expand their footprint without the added infrastructure. Integrating this technology into Serve’s award-winning platform furthers its goal of becoming a global engine for commerce and last-mile logistics.

 

"Our mobile warehousing system distinguishes Serve in the modern, on-demand delivery and logistics industries,” says Serve’s CEO Shahan Ohanessian. “With the increased efficiency and optimization this brings to our delivery processes, businesses will be able to provide big-box capabilities and order fulfillment services to customers everywhere.”

UK and South Korean businesses to pilot 5G technology on Seoul subways.

A new UK / South Korea 5G competition has been launched by UK Digital Minister Margot James to help prepare the UK for a future 5G rollout. Businesses are now being encouraged to apply for a unique opportunity to trial new content and services on South Korea’s transport networks.

The UK and South Korean Governments are funding a £2.4 million project to support businesses in the two countries and develop 5G technology. The project will live test content and services on the Seoul metropolitan subway system.

5G is the next generation of mobile connectivity, providing speeds up to 20 times faster than current 4G technology.

The trials will enable businesses and researchers to investigate and address a number of user and technical challenges that are crucial to the future roll out of 5G. These could include: Augmented Reality (AR) experiences in busy public spaces, giving tourists and commuters a dramatic new insight to the city and the way in which they experience it; optimisation of traffic management systems, to better manage commuter flows, reduce overcrowding, improve safety and better protect the environment; and providing uninterrupted infotainment services for commuters such as interactive content, video streaming and gaming, with more reliable and faster services across the subway network. 

Digital Minister Margot James said: "We want the UK to be a world leader in 5G services, and this collaboration with South Korea will create new opportunities for UK businesses abroad and encourage more inward investment. The UK has a huge pool of 5G scientific research and engineering talent, and I would encourage all businesses in this field to enter this innovative competition."

The funding competition is part of the UK’s 5G Testbed & Trials (5GTT) Programme, which aims to maximise the opportunities for UK businesses, especially SMEs, to develop new 5G applications and services for both domestic and global markets. It is a key part of the Government’s modern Industrial Strategy - making sure that the UK has the right infrastructure in place to be a world leader in new 5G technology.

The deadline for applying is 1st June and the competition is being managed by UK5G on behalf of The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

Cost and performance analysis for fleet and mobility managers has become quicker and easier thanks to an innovative new reporting suite from outsourced fleet management specialist Fleet Operations.

MOVE Analytics provides companies with customisable dashboards, at-a-glance reports and trend analysis charts to help control costs, improve fleet and mobility decision-making and the business bottom line.

Users can access a wealth of business intelligence – generated either nationally or internationally – from high level summaries to detailed cost and performance breakdowns. Data can be reviewed at the touch of a button for any area of spend and operation, over any requested timeframe.

“MOVE Analytics saves companies time and money by offering smart, bespoke, reporting and immediate visibility into their operational performance,” said Fleet Operations Managing Director Richard Hipkiss.

“An intuitive software interface provides user-friendly insights into everything from lease acquisition, depreciation, fuel spend and carbon footprint to road tax, vehicle maintenance, utilisation and travel expenses. By doing so, it enables companies to make smarter, data-driven, decisions.”

Data can be consolidated and reported back, 24/7, from any business source of relevance to cost or performance, or from any part of the fleet supply chain.

This allows budgets and mobility allowances to be benchmarked against a variety of performance parameters while total cost of fleet ownership data can be benchmarked for either individual vehicles or an entire fleet.

Smart modelling algorithms, incorporating accurate assessments of the complete lifecycles of company vehicles, generates accurate cost forecasting calculations, enabling fleet and finance teams to make considerable time-cost savings.

Furthermore, inbuilt API functionality means business intelligence can be seamlessly integrated from any other back office software, such as accounting or CRM systems.

MOVE Analytics offers the highest standards of data security, with Fleet Operations holding both ISO9001:2015 and ISO27001:2013 accreditations for quality and information security management systems.

The number of insurance telematics policies in force on the European market reached 10.3 million in Q4-2018.