Cellular is strangling Telematics Deployment

If you've ever wondered why growth in the telematics industry is so sluggish, there's a simple answer - the cost of cellular modems and network subscriptions make it uneconomic for all but a few critical applications.

Yet the dinosaur of cellular continues to be a millstone around the neck of telematics by claiming it as its domain.

EZURiO's new White Paper points out the truth - there's a new kid on the block called Wi-Fi, that's changing the dynamics.

Watch out cellular telematics - you're about to become extinct!

High Wycombe 24th July 2007; Despite years of promoting the cost benefits of fleet monitoring, the telematics market remains fragmented, with multiple niche players, high costs and limited deployments. It's not hard to see why when you look at the costs of the communication hardware and data contracts that are involved - particularly as the cellular industry has persuaded telematics suppliers that mobile network connectivity is essential for real-time data.

It's an approach that suits the cellular industry, but in no way reflects the requirements of the telematics users. In a survey in 2006 by Harte Hawkes of the requirements of fleet managers, real-time location was way down their list of priorities. The four things they wanted were:

Fuel Cost Management Insurance
Risk Management
Driver Behaviour Analysis
Maintenance Scheduling (number 2 in the US)

Nowhere in that top four is there anything that demands real time data, not even for location. Yet the cellular industry continues to peddle the myth that real-time is essential because location applications look good and gets them ongoing contract revenue.

EZURiO's new White Paper lifts the lid on the telematics and M2M industry and explains why this is about to change. Legislation covering emissions and road tolling, along with new insurance and maintenance regimes are imminent. They can't tolerate the cellular pricing model and are driving the move to store and forward using "free" wireless access with cellular-free wireless, such as Wi-Fi. M2M no longer needs to stand for "Money to Mobile Operators".

"It's time to realise that the telematics press releases saying "Brand X has chosen Brand Y as their cellular partner" decode to meaning "we're going to screw our customers again", said Nick Hunn, author of the White Paper and CTO of EZURiO. "Telematics and M2M needs to be about the requirements of the respective users, not the business models of the cellular operators. The technology is now in place to produce a major step change in telematics deployment. Those in this industry sector that fail to recognise this will follow the path of the dinosaurs."

The White Paper - "M2M needs to discard cellular modems" can be downloaded from EZURiO's website at www.ezurio.com/press/wp.

About EZURiO

EZURiO is the leading supplier of short range wireless M2M solutions and offers data capture and secure voice and data transmission via Bluetooth and 802.11 Local Area Networks. EZURiO is one of only a few companies capable of delivering a true end to end solution, from the capture of data through secure communication over wireless networks by way of the internet to a middleware platform that is either user hosted or accessed over secure connections from EZURiO's dedicated web farm.

EZURiO has extensive experience of the integration of end-to-end wireless technology including Bluetooth and 802.11 solutions that provide instant, pre-approved wireless capability to a wide range of OEM customers. The company's long involvement with wireless technology has resulted in a range of solutions that are acknowledged as setting the standard for short range wireless connectivity, with extended range, low power and lowest cost of ownership.

EZURiO has offices in the US and the UK with an extensive near global distribution network.