Lister Unified Communications
Data Plans & M2M
Multi Network Data Plans
Data plans for mobile devices are essential for allowing your employees to stay connected to your business, wherever they are. Having the wrong plan can result in massive additional bills for data usage and so having experts who can guide you through the selection process is essential. We build tariffs and plans specifically for your business, including plans with multiple network data SIM’s, ensuring you always have the best coverage and that you get everything you need without paying for the stuff you don’t.
Additionally we can look at your existing bills from another provider and tell you what savings could be made. If you think you’re being charged too much for data usage or if you’re receiving unusually high bill, we can help.
Our data plans aren’t just for phones, we can provide data plans for tablets, including unlimited BT and O2 wifi hotspot access, from less than £10 per month, allowing your mobile workforce to stay in contact with your business and on top of their work.
Machine to Machine (M2M)
Machine to Machine (M2M) communications refers to enabling the flow of data between machines and machines and ultimately machines and people. In addition to data plans for mobile devices, we can provide plans for M2M devices, such as vending machines, vehicles or even heating units. This technology allows both wireless and wired systems to communicate with other devices of the same ability and is abundant in everyday life. For example, through this technology, a vending machine can connect to a route drive to notify them when it is running low on supplies. Likewise, a car can remotely heat the interior 5 minutes before you leave to go to work in the morning.
Predating mobile voice communication, M2M technology is escalating in the business environment. At present, there are currently 5 billion devices connected to the mobile network, with an estimated 50 billion due by 2020.
How it works
As with many communication processes, although unique in every deployment, a standard rule generally applies. This consists of 4 common stages: collection of data, transmission of selected data through a communications network, assessment of the data and finally the response of the available information.
- Collection of data. This is where the monitored machine gathered necessary information. There are 2 types of machine in this category: a dumb machine (whereby it much be connected to directly) or an intelligent device (whereby it can be connected wirelessly – such as through a serial number). eg. Temperature sensor measuring milk.
- Transmission of data. Although there are many methods of transferring this data, the common ways are through cellular network, telephone lines and communications satellites (which tend to be expensive). These methods of transferring data is one reason why M2M is so ubiquitous: availability and ease of use. eg. The transfer of milk temperatures to an application (such as a software program).
- Assessment of data. This is useful is establishing algorithms or certain trends to help problems in the future. In terms of demand and supply (such as a vending machine) it will show the user peak times so when to stock up. eg. Supermarket receives a complaint of gone off milk. User can check data to see if it was stored at correct temperatures etc.
- Meaningful response. Whether the application is standalone or part of a larger system, the common goal is to automate a business process by automating the flow of data to the people and systems that have a need to know. M2M stops the need to do everything manually. eg. If found at correct temperature it’s most likely customer error. If not, supermarket is liable.
How it can help your business
Although the ability for machines to communicate is not new, nor is it new for them to communicate with other machines; it is the ubiquitous connectivity, paired with inexpensive electronic equipment and data plans that makes it so popular today.
Machine to Machine solutions enable real-time interpretation of data and data events. Leveraging this data helps businesses maximize operational efficiency, reduce costs and improve customer satisfaction. The technology can create efficiency, such as the case of the vending machine, whereby the need for human intervention (and therefore non-value added time) is decreased.
These opportunities are all relevant to businesses but need to be undertaken with strategic development, planning and deployment thoughtfully towards business outcomes and not as a panacea for organisational ills or means for supposed spikes in profit.
Implementation of M2M technology can be a useful tool to push forwards business strategy and process; bridging not just the intelligence gap in the machine with the communication network, but with the whole business and their customers.
Lister Unified Communications can connect your devices as well as providing data plans to allow them to communicate.
Testimonials
I’d like to thank you and all at Lister Unified Communications very much for your help during the Rugby World Cup. From the first contact, taking requirements, giving advice, to accommodating our late changes and needs. I can say that your professionalism and service have been exemplary.
We have used Lister Unified Communications for the last 3 years. I find the simplicity of our bill and the ability to talk to our account manager when we need to is essential to keeping our mobile communications always working at peak efficiency. I thoroughly recommend Lister services to any business looking for the highest levels of service.
As a top 40 firm of chartered accountants and business advisers with strong reputation both regionally and nationally, we are focused on working with suppliers that we can truly depend on. For over 7 years Lister Unified Communications has delivered quality telephone services throughout our business. The unification of our services over the last few years has really improved the efficiently and cost effectiveness of the solutions that we use. If your business is looking for a strong backbone to its telecoms infrastructure we highly recommend Lister.
Communications is key to our business as we deliver to over 260 retail stores across the UK every single night. It is not untypical for us to deliver 1,000 trailers per day across the country. For each one, we deliver within a window of 15 minutes. Lister Communications play a key role in our telecommunications strategy.
We use Lister for our company communications, they provide us with the benefit of their expertise and knowledge and we reply on their experience and advisory service when helping our clients with new challenges.
Since moving to Lister Communications the thing that has impressed me the most is the service. They are quick, efficient, proactive and do what they say they will. From a customer point of view, what you want from a supplier is someone who offers competitive pricing, excellent service, fast response and takes all the work off of your hands. The team at Lister’s do all of that and more and I would be happy to recommend them to any business.
The Lister team are excellent account managers, giving clear and prompt communication in a friendly, pragmatic fashion. They continually impresses with their manner, commitment and willingness to go the extra mile.
We decided to install the TomTom WORK system to provide our office with live information as to vehicle locations, two way communications between van and office for emergency call outs and navigation for the engineers direct to the customer’s premises. We are able to respond efficiently to customer call outs and monitor live progress of the engineer’s response to the call out through confirmed notification of job completion.
This new telephone system has really brought the sites together and that’s something that really pleases me. As a business we provide our divisions with the latest and most suitable equipment for the job and we have also now done this with our communications systems. I particularly like the visibility we have across all the sites and this has made our customer service far more seamless and we are of course now enjoying free calls between sites.
