The results are being tallied at www.multitech.com/ctia/chassis.go, where Multi-Tech invites feedback from the entire M2M community. Go there now and provide your input!
Multi-Tech Systems Invites M2M Industry to Weigh in on Router/Gateway Chassis Prototype Designs
May 17th, 2012Weigh in on Multi-Tech’s New Chassis Design – Starting May 8 at CTIA
May 3rd, 2012
Visit Multi-Tech Systems at CTIA Booth #3363 (M2M Zone) and be the first to see our new chassis prototypes. Have a say in the new design to be available this fall.
New to M2M? Attend our upcoming Webinar: M2M 101
April 19th, 2012Learn the Essentials about Connecting Your Remote Devices – Friday, April 20 at 10:30 a.m. CDT
What would it mean to your business if you could significantly decrease the number of truck rolls? How about having the ability to receive notification of any remote device issues before they happen? What if you could alert customers exactly when the delivery was going to arrive? It’s clear M2M (machine-to-machine) communications solutions can deliver tremendous business value.
Adding cellular connectivity seems straightforward enough, but enabling your solution with M2M often requires skills outside a company’s core competencies. Learn the basics so you know where to begin.
Attend this webinar and learn:
- What you should know about M2M to eliminate surprises
- Which modem is best for your application
- Tips for streamlining the process to beat the competition
- Answers to your specific questions in a Q&A
Vending and M2M
March 26th, 2012By Dave Smith, VP of Innovation & Product Development
It seems like everything is moving to the cloud these days, and requiring an M2M connection to do it. Take the vending industry. I think we’ve all had that moment of disappointment when we walk up to a vending machine all ready to buy that one thing we’ve been craving, only to see that the machine is out of service or that the item is sold out. Wouldn’t it be nice to have the vending machine tell me where a nearby machine is that does have the item I want in stock? Or that if I come back in an hour or two that the service person is on their way and will be restocking for my consuming pleasure?
Adding an M2M link to the vending machine will allow it to report its stock and operational status to the cloud, and allow the cloud to let a customer know where to purchase the item they want, or when the item will be restocked at that location. Operationally for the vending operator, the efficiencies of route planning and restocking gained are enormous, as is the potential for real-time tracking of sales. For the customer, having vending machines visible to the cloud will allow the potential for such things as discounts for those wishing to purchase a sandwich, chips and a drink from the same set of machines or to incorporate additional methods of payment. Using the M2M link, the cloud could use suggestive selling techniques based on profiles that will allow machines to suggest options or add-ons, or notice customers walking by and manipulate digital signage to grab their attention. I can’t wait until M2M is truly embraced by the vending industry. Now I feel like a bag of chips.
About Dave Smith
As Vice President of Product Development & Innovation, Dave Smith leverages his experience in software and information systems to lead a team dedicated to introducing new products to the market. Smith earned degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering from California State Polytechnic University.
Video Provides Overview of Application-Ready Hardware Solution for M2M
March 5th, 2012Planning your own internal custom development for M2M communications? Consider the MultiConnect™ OCG-D Open Communications Gateway Developer’s Kit to create beta units and prototypes for use in voice of customer and proof of concept activities. These models can be generated quickly and with little additional expense. The input from these activities can improve the feature set of the final product. The first step is getting a MultiConnect OCG-D Developer’s Kit. Multi-Tech’s Brandon Dalida provides a hardware overview of what’s included: http://youtu.be/23GpodcnOjo
About Brandon Dalida
Brandon Dalida has presented to OEMs and resellers on device and embedded device networking solutions around the world – from New Delhi, India to Budapest, Hungary. As a Key Account Manager, Brandon Dalida is responsible for direct and managed sales in the central US for the Multi-Tech device and embedded product lines. Before joining Multi-Tech in 2008, Brandon was a field technician and sales engineer in the telecommunications industry for more than 12 years. He has broad expertise in designing, implementing and deploying external device and embedded data communications solutions and extensive knowledge of TCP/IP networking, telecommunications and cellular technologies.
Thinking outside of the box with Multi-Tech
February 28th, 2012By Campbell Elder
Working with a few customers lately I’ve suggested a number of our products for applications that are not normally considered when one purely looks at the data sheet or product descriptions. A recent example of this is the wide range of possibilities of the Multi-Tech MultiModem® iSMS server.
One customer came to me requesting a cellular modem bank, for 80 discrete cellular modems dialing out from a bank of servers. I pointed out that the MultiModem iSMS (SF800-G) intelligent SMS server is not a locked device. A common feature of all the Multi-Tech cellular hardware is the fact that we give unrestricted access to the cellular modem therefore bypassing the functionality of the device. If the feature is enabled you can treat this SMS server as an IP pooled bank of eight active cellular modems. Take the bank of eight modems times ten and you then have the 80 required modems. They can be located anywhere, as the iSMS server is network connected. There will be no serial cables to worry about and no extra cards located in the driving server. For the IP com ports, I recommended a virtual com port solution from Tactical Software.
The customer liked this approach as it is tidy, cost effective and flexible. He could remotely mount the modems at distances apart, saving on expensive antennas. Plus, as an IP-based solution, he could connect to the modems, removing the need for multiple servers.
About Campbell Elder
Campbell Elder is a Senior Field Application Engineer (FAE) and Technical Manager in the EMEA region, who enjoys talking to engineers from diverse cultures and industry backgrounds. With his long history in M2M, Campbell understands both past and present technologies, which enables him to suggest the most cost-effective solution for each customer’s unique needs, whether the emphasis is on future-proofing or the most efficient migration path for existing designs. Campbell loves playing with his technical toys, like enabling his house lights with Wi-Fi®. He also admits he over-engineers scalextric slot cars and his real 4X4 off road buggy. Campbell shares his home with rabbits, dogs, chickens, a snake, a lizard and a parrot. Having taught the dog the standard commands, he moved on to the parrot and chickens teaching them to play ‘dead bird’ so they lie on their backs playing dead. He also strives to keep the excitement of his wedding day going, and says, “it’s only getting better as each day passes.”
Integrating SMS Text Messaging into any Enterprise Application is Quick with Nagios and Multi-Tech Intelligent SMS Server
February 24th, 2012By Prasad Kandikonda, Engineering Manager, Product Development
Check out this Nagios document, which shows how easy it is to integrate our MultiModem iSMS intelligent SMS server solution into any enterprise application for sending and receiving SMS alerts. It also demonstrates the versatility of the REST API provided by the Multi-Tech MultiModem iSMS solution and the suitability for implementing any WEB based application.
Nagios XI – Multi-Tech iSMS Integration
This document describes how to integrate the Multi-Tech iSMS GSM modem with Nagios.
About Prasad Kandikonda
Engineering Manager, Product Innovation Team
With a passion to program the lowest level assembly to the highest level scripting (with his heart in C), Prasad Kandikonda wakes each day ready embark upon his work in the world of real-time OS, Linux, VoIP, Cellular Technologies and web application development. Throughout his nine years at Multi-Tech, Prasad has brought to market dozens of Unified Communications solutions – and has his name on a couple of patents. As a well-rounded Multi-Tech Engineering Manager, Prasad has interests beyond his work day. He keenly follows Indian Cricket, American Football and World Tennis. With all the complexities of his engineering world, the one thing he just cannot understand is why Americans call football “football.”
The Social Side of M2M Communications
February 9th, 2012By Terra Bastolich, CPMR, M2M Sales Manager
In my travels over the last few weeks attending the M2M Evolution event in Miami and meeting with potential partners, application software companies and end users, I have had the privilege of meeting some outstanding M2M professionals. I learned from them ways to more simply describe M2M (which can be quite complex) and how to better explain this rapidly growing concept to audiences in all markets.
This new perspective on M2M is exciting for me because I am always challenging myself to break it down for people as well as present it in a way to which people can relate. So what is 
this new way to explain M2M – or machine-to-machine communications? Think of it in terms of social media. Everyone is connected in at least one of the major communities, whether it is LinkedIn, FaceBook, Twitter, Skype or a combination of these and more. So people easily understand this concept. M2M is essentially making machines social, by putting them on networks and allowing them to communicate or “socialize” within those networks. Simply put, devices can communicate with other devices, with you and even customers!
M2M is enabling companies to deploy products into the market that enhance the customer experience and create an easier way to conduct business, most often saving considerable costs along the way. Let’s say you own a fleet of construction machines (a forklift, some generators, a boom truck, etc.). Consider connecting all your equipment so they can “socialize.” Equip them with cellular and GPS connectivity, all reporting back to a simple application you manage from your iPhone, iPad or other handheld device – no matter where you are on the globe in relation to your machinery. Now you have access to real time data about your network. Where are my machines (GPS)? How many are currently in use? How many hours until maintenance is due? Why is that machine unnecessarily running? Click here to power it off. Done. Simple. That’s M2M!
Get ready to socialize with more than just classmates, old friends and colleagues. M2M is bringing devices to the party and it’s going to get very interesting!
Getting personal with M2M
February 2nd, 2012By Rosey Vieira, Key Account Manager
Are you prepared for a world of smart machines and devices? Most of us think we are because we sure know the benefits at a personal level. The goal of the Arrow Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Seminar Series is to help attendees position their company on the cutting edge in this arena. I am excited to be presenting in Seattle at this stop of the series and talk to companies about how they can quickly bring their M2M solution to market and beat the competition. In my 12 years working in the field of data and voice communications, I’ve seen the fastest technology changes in M2M in terms how we communicate, play and do business every day. I think how important my Blackberry is to me and how I depend on it for business. It’s so much easier for me to drive to a new location using a GPS device. I also am able to communicate (real time voice and data) with people across the globe through Skype and Messenger. Perhaps most importantly, because of M2M my four year old can download his favorite Mickey Mouse videos on a tablet. We live in an M2M world and it’s only helping us communicate and do business is a more efficient and faster way. It’s an industry that is growing rapidly and I am excited to be part of this ever changing exciting technology and help companies realize the benefits of M2M in the quickest possible way.
About Rosey Vieira
Rosey Vieira has more than 12 years of experience in the Cellular Wireless, Device Networking, Unified Communications and Embedded marketplace. As a senior M2M sales professional, she has worked with distributors, Systems Integrators, OEMs and End Users. She has managed and developed a partnership with Arrow Mexico, Argentina and Brazil and has developed a distribution channel in the CALA region. A graduate of the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN with a B.A. International Studies, Rosey studied abroad in Montpellier, France, worked in Sao Paulo, Brazil and lived many years in Mexico. In addition to English, she speaks Spanish, Portuguese and French.
Open Development Environment Key to the Growth of M2M
February 1st, 2012Multi-Tech’s Matt Sharma shares insight in TMCnet article: http://tinyurl.com/7z78wnd