Jan/Feb 2005

RFID (radio frequency identification) is beginning to make inroads into the field service solutions market. One of the first fully-fledged products comes from no less a supplier than phone producer Nokia itself. The company offers an application called Nokia Field Force Solution, and has now launched a version that is RFID-enabled.

Essentially, the system is a classic field service application built round smart mobile phones. It allows mobile workers to transfer data to and from their headquarters via either GPRS or SMS messages.

The RFID element adds an element of automation to the process. The handset is equipped with an RFID reader kit or "shell", and field assets are fitted with RFID tags. This means a mobile worker can identify a specific location or asset by "touching" the phone to the tag. Doing this automatically initiates an exchange of information between the engineer and his or her base.

The company cites applications such as that of a roving engineer checking meters or of someone attending to billboards. Falck Security in Finland, one of the first users, is supplying the system to streamline communications with security guards on the road.

 

The full solution includes J2EE Java-based software, the Nokia Local Interactions Server, and client software. These work together a Nokia Mobile RFID kit for the Nokia 5140 phone and the Nokia NFC shell for the Nokia 3220 phone - plus the RFID tags.