ARCHIVE FOR THE ‘news’ CATEGORY

With field service becoming increasingly dependent on mobile computing and the IIoT the advent of 5G could be a significant boost to productivity in many ways so it was interesting to note that earlier this month Intel and Huawei announced that they have successfully completed 2.6GHz 5G NR Interoperability and Development Testing (IoDT) based on the 3GPP Release 15 global standard September version.

The IoDT test is the world's first 2.6GHz 5G interoperability test under SA network and is a key milestone towards accelerating the maturity of the 2.6GHz 5G NR ecosystem With Intel’s 5G Mobile Trial Platform (MTP) and Huawei's latest 5G NR (New Radio) base station supporting the 2.6GHz with 160MHz bandwidth, the two companies jointly completed the IoDT and successfully enabled the first call under SA network.

The successful completion of this IoDT test not only marks the end-to-end successful interoperability of 5G in the 2.6G band but also lays a foundation for large-scale commercial launch. It will promote the development and maturity of the 5G end-to-end industry in the 2.6G band.

In the future, Intel and Huawei will continue to carry out more test and commercial verification and promote the rapid maturity of the ecosystem, laying a solid foundation for the future 5G commercialization.

Be social and share... 

Ultra Consultants, Inc., an independent research and enterprise solutions consulting firm serving the manufacturing and distribution industries, today announced the availability of a complimentary ERP Toolkit eBook.  The in-depth eBook provides comprehensive ERP education to help teams work effectively through business process improvement, enterprise technology evaluation, selection and implementation. The resources curated in the eBook draw upon Ultra’s decades of expert methodologies and deep knowledge of manufacturing and distribution.

Developed for project teams at manufacturing and distribution organizations considering an active ERP project, the ERP Toolkit delivers in-depth educational resources, including videos, white papers, podcasts and more.

Project teams are invited to download the ERP Toolkit eBook to prepare for 2019 planning.

Key resources include:

• Educational assets to get started and plan for an effective technology project
• Tips to organize a project, reduce risk of failure and drive change management
• A curated guide to help teams understand what it takes to evaluate, select and implement enterprise technology

“The decision to upgrade or implement a new enterprise technology system is likely one of the most complex and resource-intensive initiatives a company will face. The manufacturers and distributors we speak with have told us that it’s difficult to understand how to begin an enterprise technology project,” notes Ultra Consultants Founder and CEO Jeff Carr. “This toolkit gathers insight and leverages Ultra’s unique perspective as trusted, independent advisors serving manufacturing and distribution teams. We encourage project teams to download the eBook for insight specific to their organizations.”

Be social and share... 

The UK’s largest provider of fridge and freezer trailers has launched a new 24-hour emergency service specifically for the care home industry to provide extra storage space ahead of Christmas.

Coldtraila has just launched the unique service for care homes across the whole UK in desperate need of extra space to store meats and other produce in the build-up to Christmas, whether that be due to their freezers malfunctioning or just running out of space.

Ross Pushman, Managing Director of Coldtraila, said: “This new Christmas service will ensure care homes won’t run out of storage space this winter.

“We know how vital this time of year can be for care homes as they look to keep residents warm, comfortable and well-fed in the harsh winter months. That’s why we decided to offer a bespoke 24-hour emergency service to ensure they can provide more than adequate space for their turkey and geese ahead of the big day.

“If a trailer is needed, our new service will ensure it will be delivered and set-up within 24 hours of contacting us. That’s the Coldtraila promise.”

Coldtraila recently acquired two new trailers exclusive to the UK market; the Chill-Tow and Freeze-Tow.

The trailers’ heavy-duty chiller capabilities, which include surplus cooling power and rapid temperature recovery, offer the most cost-effective solution to storing frozen produce.

They also come equipped with a special multifunctional digital display unit that can manage and control the temperature of produce being stored.

For more information on the new service, call 01684 311811. Alternatively, for more information on Coldtraila, please visit https://www.coldtraila.co.uk/.

Be social and share... 

In today’s digitalised world, employees must have access to databases and communication applications wherever they might be and on whatever device they wish to use. The fixed workstation generation is over. With more than 140 employees in 20 countries across the globe, iba’s IT infrastructure has to be able to support mobile working, while being reliable and providing the right levels of performance.

iba AG approached data centre specialist and cloud service provider Proact to help its staff enter today’s mobile paradigm and to also optimise its existing infrastructure. Everything started with analysis - to define goals and the services that were needed. After this Proact’s experts developed a cost-efficient and future-proof concept that integrated enterprise-class technology with existing solutions to create a highly unified solution.

As a result of Proact’s solution, all workloads, including the development environment, are now underpinned by two identically equipped data centres. To establish a truly turbo IT platform, Proact consolidated data and included symmetrical replication to ensure effective disaster recovery, centralised management, data protection and efficient use of resources. Ultimately, iba AG now has the performance capabilities so staff can access IT services as and when they need them.

“Proact understood our requirements for this solution right from the start and thought very efficiently and customer-oriented when designing the systems and licenses,” says Marc Besten, IT Infrastructure & Security at iba AG.

To learn more about this exciting partnership and the benefits IBA is gaining through this solution, please visit: https://www.proact.eu/en/case-studies/iba-ag/

Be social and share...

Customer needs require scalable, flexible cybersecurity solutions finds Frost & Sullivan...

High penetration of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technology in critical infrastructure and the manufacturing sector has resulted in a growing number of potential cyber-attack surfaces.

According to a recent analysis from Frost & Sullivan, cyber-attacks within the energy and utilities industries alone cost an average of $13.2 million per year. These rising incidences of cyber-attacks, coupled with evolving compliance regulations by governments, and increased awareness among mature and less mature markets have accelerated the adoption of cybersecurity approaches. However, there is still a high level of ambiguity in addressing industrial cybersecurity, with existing cybersecurity services struggling to provide comprehensive visibility across both IT and OT networks.

[quote float="left"]The industrial cybersecurity services market is at the high growth stage of its lifecycle, with rising awareness among end users, increased industrial control systems (ICS)-based attacks, and the rising need for cybersecurity skills[/quote]"The industrial cybersecurity services market is at the high growth stage of its lifecycle, with rising awareness among end users, increased industrial control systems (ICS)-based attacks, and the rising need for cybersecurity skills,” said Riti Newa, Industrials Research Analyst. “Many end users have labor-intensive security practices and lack strong cybersecurity policies. Service providers can help automate cybersecurity services and provide a more holistic approach by offering joint solutions that provide a consolidated view of the IT and OT environment.”

Frost & Sullivan’s recent analysis, Global Industrial Cybersecurity Services Market, Forecast to 2022, explores market adoption rates, requirements, and trends across the market. It also covers emerging service models and their usages, as well as monetization strategies for those models.

For further information on this analysis, please visit: http://frost.ly/2yn

Companies that are eager to grow within the industrial cybersecurity market can find opportunities through:

[unordered_list style="bullet"]

• Providing integrated platforms that can deploy a range of services to enhance the security posture of end users while incorporating the best security practices.
• Using automated management services and advanced analytics to develop a comprehensive service portfolio that can be adapted for all types of end users.
• Offering flexible pricing models, such as Cybersecurity-as-a-Service (CSaaS), and lifetime services to increase accessibility across industries at a lower cost.

[/unordered_list]

"Despite the growing frequency of cyber-attacks, industries still have very low cyber resilience, struggling to ensure cybersecurity in the OT environment," said Newa. "With complexity and sophistication of the attacks, service providers will need to focus on advanced services that can address the threat landscape and automate cybersecurity."

Global Industrial Cybersecurity Services Market, Forecast to 2022 is the latest addition to Frost & Sullivan’s Industrials research and analyses available through the Frost & Sullivan Leadership Council, which helps organizations identify a continuous flow of growth opportunities to succeed in an unpredictable future.

[hr]

Be social and share... 

Verizon Connect is expanding its fleet management system REVEAL with a solution that enables businesses in the UK to manage assets in addition to their fleet of vehicles.

With the launch of the new GPS tracking system for assets, companies can gain insight into the location and performance of valuable assets such as cranes, trailers and excavators. As a result, they will be able to deploy their assets optimally, plan maintenance more efficiently and help reduce the risk of theft and other types of unauthorised usage.

Derek Bryan, EMEA Vice President, Verizon Connect: “At Verizon Connect, we are committed to ensuring that businesses in the UK have the tools to harness the power of data from every company asset. Many companies already rely on our solution to help them manage their vehicles and employees, but being able to track other valuable equipment and assets will further help them drive efficiencies, lower operational costs and improve their planning.”

Insight in location, usage and productivity assets

Similar to REVEAL’s system for vehicles, the new asset tracking system offers the ability to access data in both near real-time and historically to understand where equipment is and where it has been. It is also possible to see if machinery is running and how often it is used. This gives users and managers insights into equipment utilization and determining which assets should be moved elsewhere within the organisation or perhaps cycled out of use.

Asset maintenance and control

REVEAL’s asset tracking solution also offers users a variety of options to help minimise theft risk and other unauthorised usages. For example, it is possible to set up alerts that send managers a warning when equipment is turned on or moved outside of working hours – or when machinery is moved outside of its designated location.

To help companies plan the maintenance of their assets more efficiently and maximise uptime, REVEAL’s asset tracking solution also enables companies to record when trailers and other equipment are due for maintenance. For each asset, the system keeps a log and alerts can be configured based on planned maintenance or predetermined options, including engine hours.

For more information on the REVEAL fleet management solution visit https://www.verizonconnect.com/uk/solutions/gps-asset-tracking/

Be social and share...

5G is expected to reach more than 40 percent global population coverage and 1.5 billion subscriptions for enhanced mobile broadband by the end of 2024. This will make 5G the fastest generation of cellular technology to be rolled out on a global scale, according to the latest edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report.

Key drivers for 5G deployment include increased network capacity, lower cost per gigabyte and new use case requirements.

North America and North East Asia are expected to lead the 5G uptake. In North America, 5G subscriptions are forecast to account for 55 percent of mobile subscriptions by the end of 2024. In North East Asia, the corresponding forecast figure is more than 43 percent.

In Western Europe, 5G is forecast to account for some 30 percent of mobile subscriptions in the region by end of 2024.

The uptake of NB-IoT and Cat-M1 technologies is driving growth in the number of cellular IoT connections worldwide. Of the 4.1 billion cellular IoT connections forecast for 2024, North East Asia is expected to account for 2.7 billion – a figure reflecting both the ambition and size of the cellular IoT market in this region.

Diverse and evolving requirements across a wide range of use cases are prompting service providers to deploy both NB-IoT and Cat-M1 in their markets.

Mobile data traffic grew 79 percent between Q3 2017 and Q3 2018 – China a key engine

Mobile data traffic in Q3 2018 grew close to 79 percent year-on-year, which is the highest rate since 2013. Increased data-traffic-per-smartphone in North East Asia– mainly in China – has pushed the global figure notably higher. With a traffic growth per smartphone of around 140 percent between end 2017 and end 2018, the region has the second highest data traffic per smartphone at 7.3 gigabytes per month. This is comparable to streaming HD video for around 10 hours per month. 

North America still has the highest data traffic per smartphone, set to reach 8.6 gigabytes per month by the end of this year – which can be compared to streaming HD video for over 12 hours monthly.

Between 2018-2024, total mobile data traffic is expected to increase by a factor of five, with 5G networks projected to carry 25 percent of mobile traffic by the end of the period.

Fredrik Jejdling, Executive Vice President and Head of Business Area Networks, says: “As 5G now hits the market, its coverage build-out and uptake in subscriptions are projected to be faster than for previous generations. At the same time, cellular IoT continues to grow strongly. What we are seeing is the start of fundamental changes that will impact not just the consumer market but many industries.”

The Mobility report also features articles on fixed wireless access and how to make it a reality, streaming video from megabits to gigabytes, and developing the smart wireless manufacturing market.

Be social and share... 

Trimble and Intelligent Audit, a leader in freight audit and transportation spend optimization, announced a collaboration to integrate their solutions to enable users to benefit from both real-time visibility and one of the most robust audit analytics tools in the industry.

The collaboration between Trimble and Intelligent Audit allows the two companies to provide a solution that solves some of the most significant pain points for shippers today. Users can access visibility and tracking through Trimble's supply chain solution and audit and spend analytics through Intelligent Audit. In addition, Intelligent Audit and Trimble's data sharing will enable both companies to enhance their products, providing a compelling solution for users in the transportation and logistics industry.

Customers of both companies will benefit from this new integration that provides a solution for the supply chain," said Joe DeBoth, vice president and general manager, Trimble Transportation Visibility. "Users have access to improved reporting and analytics with the added freight visibility and tracking abilities through the audit process."

"We were the first company to automate the audit and recovery process in transportation," said Hannah Testani, chief operating officer at Intelligent Audit. "Each year since our inception, we've worked hard to continuously improve our product. Working with Trimble to tap valuable supply chain data will further advance the audit process and is another step in the evolution to continually reduce transportation costs, improve customer experience, and enhance visibility throughout the supply chain."

Trimble's Visibility solutions provide supply chain organizations with visibility into operations featuring a secure, multimodal, real-time information platform. Its features include: Transportation Management System (TMS) integrations, dynamic ETAs, proactive weather and risk alerts, rich data down to the SKU level, temperature control tracking, exception management and final mile functionalities, efficient workflow automation, and a world-class, user-friendly interface.

Be social and share

Trade service businesses across the UK can now forego their landlines and save significant amounts of time, money and logistics with communication, thanks to the latest solution by job management company simPRO.

simPRO’s newest feature, VoIP phone, allows users to use an inbuilt web phone instead of traditional phone handsets or third-party phone software.

simPRO Chief Technology Officer Jonathan Eastgate said the VoIP phone integration would provide a number of benefits to businesses that were looking to take advantage of the trade service industry’s inevitable digital future.

“VoIP provides a flexible, multi-functional solution that couldn’t be simpler to use. Without the need of a traditional telephone handset taking up space on the desk, users can make a call with a push of the mouse or keyboard and connect with people without any disruption to their workflow.

“Incoming calls, re-directs and on-hold calls can all be coordinated on the screen, meaning you can continue to use your simPRO software on your computer while simultaneously speaking freely to colleagues, customers and contacts about important deals, affairs, meetings, files, documents and agendas.”

Mr Eastgate said that while streamlining business communication was a major benefit delivered by VoIP, the costs involved were also a significant variable that would overtly improve a business’ operation.

"Incoming calls, re-directs and on-hold calls can all be coordinated on the screen, meaning you can continue to use your simPRO software on your computer while simultaneously speaking freely to colleagues, customers and contacts..."

 

“VoIP can be much cheaper to incorporate than a traditional telephone line, which typically requires a business to be set up with a costly telecommunications deal.

“It means that businesses that use VoIP need no longer worry about the reliability of their phone connection, the changing rates of their telco deal, and the cumbersome need for dedicated hardware,” he said.

simPRO’s VoIP capability is a product first for the company and is expected to take the lead in the UK market, as many VoIP solutions currently available are limited by specific communication hardware requirements and ties to the UK’s local telecom suppliers.

simPRO's VoIP service is provided to all clients at no charge - they simply continue with their existing VoIP service provider at existing rates whilst getting the benefits simPRO has brought through the integration.

“When using simPRO, the VoIP will draw information to produce caller IDs and maintain call logs which can be viewed in a browser window – all you need is the internet and a headset,” Mr Eastgate said.

“simPRO’s VoIP product is the very embodiment of job management and a great example of streamlining your processes to increase your profits and productivity.”

Be social and share...