First responders and related organisations that depend on distributed field forces and fleets to provide products and services need reliable and secure mobile networks with always-on 4G LTE connectivity. Their people and passengers must have access to mission-critical applications and the Internet from anywhere – with data flowing from onboard telemetry, sensors, surveillance cameras and other devices. However, managing and securing roving communications hubs is a challenge for IT teams as traditional mobile solutions fail to provide enterprise-class visibility, security and control capabilities of fixed branch networks.
“Cloud, mobile computing, IoT, and 4G/5G wireless technologies are converging to create new solutions that improve the productivity, safety, and management of field workforces and fleet operations – including public safety, field service, utility, and transportation organisations,” said Lee Doyle, Principal Analyst at Doyle Research. “The resulting proliferation of mobile networks will stretch IT teams as they seek to replicate the reliability, security, and management attributes of their branch networks, making the wireless WAN the next frontier for SD-WAN technologies.”
The new Cradlepoint NetCloud Solution Package features the company’s newest ruggedised, all-in-one mobile router – the IBR1700. This new package, delivered as a service, combines the enterprise networking, security and management features that IT teams demand – including SD-WAN for LTE – with the Automated Vehicle Location (AVL) and telematics capabilities required by fleet managers.
Purpose-Build, All-in-One Mobile Solution Delivered As-A-Service
Designed to withstand extreme environments, the IBR1700 replaces multiple standalone boxes with an all-in-one mobile networking solution ideally suited for installations within a wide range of vehicles, including police, fire, ambulance, and other first responder vehicles such school and metro transit buses, light-rail and commuter trains or mobile command trailers. The IBR1700 comes standard with the following networking features:
- Integrated 600Mpbs LTE Advanced modem and optional, field-installable modem
- Five WAN/LAN switchable Gigabit Ethernet ports
- Advanced 802.11ac Wave 2 WiFi
Built-in fleet management features enable a wide range of location-based and telematics applications, such as AVL, asset tracking with geofencing, safe driving programs and proactive vehicle maintenance:
- Active GPS with dead reckoning
- ODB-II port connection
- Ignition-sensing
- Multiple General Purpose I/O (GPIO) ports
NetCloud Perimeter is included in the base package and uses Software-defined Perimeter technology to provide secure and persistent connections for in-vehicle IoT devices, such as sensors, cameras, PoS terminals and digital signage.
Cradlepoint’s all-inclusive NetCloud Solution Packages are delivered as a service and simplify the way customers buy, deploy, manage and evolve their edge networks, facilitating rapid deployment, time-to-value and customer success. Each package is tailored to the needs of branch, mobile or IoT networking, and combines NetCloud services, purpose-built hardware with a lifetime warranty, and comprehensive 24x7 support in to a single 1-, 3-, or 5-year subscription. The new mobile solution packages provide cloud management, SD-WAN functionality that dynamically steers traffic between two active 4G LTE cellular networks for optimal performance in all conditions, as well as unified Internet security with firewall, IPS/IDS and web filtering with pricing starting at $1,199.
“For many fleet-based organisations, their cars, trucks, buses, trains, and boats are essentially roving branches that share many of the same IT challenges as fixed sites in terms of reliability, security and management,” said Todd Krautkremer, CMO at Cradlepoint. “Cradlepoint is the first to extend the benefits of SD-WAN to these mobile networks, making it quick and easy for IT teams to always keep their field forces connected, secured, and productive – and their fleet managers in control – without adding more staff or more hours in their day.”
