Jan/Feb 2004

A telematics and mobile data solution targeting a range of business sectors including transport, field service, public sector, construction and waste management industries has been launched by a new London-based company, Bluecom Group.

Several features distinguish the Bluecom offering. One is the fact that its solution can include the company's own in-cab "communicator" unit - a background device which gathers data from various on-board sources and feeds it to the chosen wireless communication channel.

Also part of the system is a software package called Bluecom Postmaster, which can integrate the product with existing back-office systems or manage it independently.

Another distinctive feature of the offering is that the company is working with two dedicated mobile data services - Transcomm and Vodafone Paknet - while most other new start-ups tend to opt for a generic GSM/GPRS solution.

 

Chairman William Fattal says the company will advise users on the optimum solution for their specific requirements. Its products are offered on flexible finance terms, so there need be no initial capital investment.

Early users include haulier J&M Attwood, IT support services company Datalect, and courier company Arrow Despatch Logistics. Datalect is also a Bluecom partner, providing a range of networking support services. Attwood says it is saving 50 per cent in communication costs over its 30-vehicle fleet, and fitting in an extra job per vehicle per week.

The Communicator is built round a 64MHz Atmel processor, with 4MB of Flash memory and 64MB of non-volatile S-RAM. It has a range of input and output ports, including four RS232 serial ports, and includes a built-in GPS antenna and decoder. Bluecom is offering fitment in vehicles as part of its all-in package.