Celcom Axiata Berhad has launched its own M2M (machine-to-machine) business solutions platform named Celcom’s M2M Connected Services that represents a centralised portal offering a one-stop solution for advanced M2M services management to its enterprise customers.
The new architecture enables efficient management of usage and costs through features such as alarm triggers for airtime over-usage, preventing “bill shock” and allowing customers to manage their businesses better for reduced network expenses and greater visibility into their subscriptions. Users on the platform stand to enjoy real-time billing, self-service activation and deactivation, usage threshold management, and added monitoring features.
Examples of business processes and applications that rely on M2M services include wireless payments and cash transactions, electricity and water supply monitoring and billing, CCTV monitoring, fleet management and tracking, and automated factory production. Celcom said its M2M Connected Services will give new and current customers more control of the devices deployed throughout their business operations while providing fast development and easy customisation.
The platform is fully hosted in Celcom’s data centres and connected via Celcom’s nationwide mobile network, allowing customers to customise security access through their M2M SIM (subscriber identity module) devices within a secure private network without needing to connect via the internet.
Current business solutions which stand to benefit from this platform include:
- Credit card POS (point-of-sales) – Banks and businesses will be able to monitor the data usage and SIM status of their mobile credit card POS readers to avoid over data usage
- Remote Meter Reading for Utilities – Electricity and water supply service providers are able to send and receive billing information remotely and in real time via mobile readers
- Wireless ATM (automated teller machine) – With M2M wireless connectivity, banking institutions will be able to install and monitor ATMs anywhere in Malaysia through Celcom’s widest nationwide mobile network with secure connections
- SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) – Industrial operators can monitor the status of for the failure of components e.g. power generators, engines or motors to detect or anticipate failures that can cause disruptions in output and supply
- Wireless CCTV (closed-circuit television) – Subscribers can monitor live video feeds on-the-go via a dedicated cloud network
- Fleet Management – M2M Connected Services can integrate vehicle monitoring, tracking, theft prevention, diagnostics, and route efficiency through a system accessible even from mobile devices
Subscribers on Celcom’s M2M Connected Services Platform can enjoy the following benefits:
- A one-stop, self-care interface accessible over multiple platforms for all M2M wireless network and data package requirements.
- Real-time billing reports for data plans as well as threshold management tools and usage alert notifications that offer complete control of monthly expenditure and all devices deployed throughout their businesses.
- Access to business-critical usage reporting, invoice and billing detail information developed specifically for the M2M market and application solution providers.
- Ease and convenience of account self-management, usage tracking, data package selection and more at no additional cost.
- Location-based services (LBS) that provide constant visibility of M2M devices in SIM maps in both local and international locations.
- Celcom’s dedicated M2M Support Team to handle support requests around the clock.
M2M Connected Services will be further upgraded in the near future to feature an additional M2M Gateway integrated with Celcom’s network elements, cloud hosting, direct integration with Celcom’s customer service applications, location-based services for deployed devices, support for multiple payment methods, and real-time usage enforcement among others. The upcoming update will also provide customers with access to the M2M Gateway’s application programming interface (API) and Over-the-Air (OTA) Device Management and Data Analytics – allowing the creation of third-party applications by programmers and developers to suit customers’ specific business needs.
Celcom’s M2M Connected Services is available free-of-charge to all current Celcom M2M accounts, and existing billing systems will be automatically migrated to a new dedicated platform. For more information, please contact Celcom.
