GSM-Based GPS Tracking World-wide
As many readers know I am well known for cautioning against relying on GSM/GPRS/SMS (cellular phone) based GPS tracking systems for coverage outside well-defined local boundaries. In spite of the hype often presented by GPS tracking suppliers and by the cellular carriers (in fairness they can only give you educated guesses anyway), GSM-based systems will often disappoint when the user needs to stay in constant touch with the addets being onitored. certainly if the assets are seaborne even a technophobe nderstands that once the vessel is “x” mile soff shore, cellular sevice isn’t going to be available.
There are very satisfactory truly global or near-global solutions … INMARSAT and Iridium being two of the larger players, but these services tend to be exspensive and cumbersome.
Here’s a new (to me, anyway) company who seems to “get it” when it comes to keeping owners and operators in touch with their asets. There has never been a physical reason why cell phone traffic, especially relatively low bandwidth data traffic that is all that is needed by GPS tracking and text messaging applications can not be sent up to communications satelliets and then downlinked to roving remote assests. there has been a very real practicality gap, though, becuase no company with the expertise and the backing has so far emerged to offer this sort of hybrid service.
Enter Blue Ocean. I haven’t used this sytem and can’t vouch for it’s overall performance bt I very much like what I see. They have grasped the problems and offer very clever solutions. If you have ships involved in your business I do not see how you can pass up taking a very close look at Blue ocean. If you are only involved with ships as a shpper or consignee you might want to look closely as well. The shipping comapny is undoubtedly keeping track of their vessels already, but how much visibility do they give you, the customer? And how much do they care abut your individual shipment abord that vessle.
The maritme industry has long subscribed to the idea that if the vessel make sit to port,then so will your shipment. But that’s not enough in today’s world. What if the future of your company is tied up ina couple containers abord the vessel and for some reason those containers get off-loaded at an interim port alng the vessel’s route. Can you afford to wait until arrival to find out you don’t have a company any longer? I think not.
Worth a close look for those of you who frequesntly are out of cell phone range.