T-Mobile Has a Cheaper Plan for Wi-Fi in Cars
The carrier is trying to turn cars into Wi-Fi hotspots for less than rival carriers.
T-Mobile is going after a piece of the connected car market with the introduction on Monday of a small wireless plug-in module for cars called the SyncUp Drive.
The ZTE-made device plugs into a common data port in cars, known as the OBD-II port, and allows users to monitor aspects of car performance and maintenance needs while also acting as a Wi-Fi hotspot.
The move comes as growth in the wireless phone business is slowing dramatically, and carriers are looking to new areas for adding revenue. One promising market carriers are all pursuing is the Internet of things, which includes connected computing devices ranging from car sensors to smart thermostats and security drones. Some 20 billion to 30 billion smart devices could be online by 2020, according to an estimate by McKinsey & Co.
Dan Frank: Dealing with the Pace of Change
Wheels President Dan Frank shares his thoughts on some of the biggest challenges facing fleet managers today.
Phil Moser: Not Enough is Being Done to Address Distracted Driving
This industry expert doesn’t believe that nearly enough is being done to address the dangers of distracted driving.
Telogis and John Deere to Deliver Built-In Connected Equipment Technologies, Mixed Fleet Services and Optimized Work for Customers
Telogis Latitude Conference – Nov. 2, 2016 – At its annual business conference, Telogis, A Verizon Company, announced that it is partnering with John Deere to enable construction companies to derive key data and insights from their connected John Deere equipment to help drive cost savings, efficiency and productivity.
Through this alliance, Telogis and John Deere will enable existing and future mutual customers to leverage John Deere construction equipment’s built-in connectivity. Customers will benefit from access to a richer data set that will help to eliminate manual data entry and generate deeper insights into customers’ operations.
Customers also benefit from the ability to connect back into JD Link™ to order parts and service or contact local John Deere dealers for questions, appointments and equipment troubleshooting. They will also receive more accurate equipment maintenance records that can help lead to better uptime and lower total cost of ownership. Customers can also take advantage of the Telogis Mobile Resource Management (MRM) software platform’s comprehensive feature set, such as jobsite utilization alerting and reporting that features engine hours, whether equipment is being fully utilized, fuel consumption and details on diagnostic codes. Customers’ cost structures are also optimized by leveraging the John Deere telematics devices that come built into the equipment from the factory or installed aftermarket at an authorized dealer.
Safety, Travel & Leadership
We are thrilled to see the amazing advancements in fleet safety, both from the standpoint of the vehicle and the willingness to focus on proper driver training. We give a bow to a few of many influencers of this: NHTSA, IIHS, NETS, NAFA, AFLA, fleet service providers -- and fleet managers who insist on the best for their drivers. Having our drivers return home safely every night is our shared goal.
We do a fair amount of business travel and like all corporations look for ways to reduce expenses. To that end, Runzheimer has just released an excellent White Paper: Adapting to a Shifting Business Travel Landscape. If travel expenses are on your radar, the White Paper is a compelling read.
Finally, we are a pushover for Women in Fleet Management (WiFM) – check out Erin Gilchrist’s video and register for a WiFM webinar with LeasePlan’s CEO Mike Pitcher. He has written a very engaging book: The Seven eLements of Leadership. He thinks we should be having fun at work -- I agree!
Janice Sutton
Editor in Chief
