The recent introduction of a prepaid data roaming solution has “hit a sweet spot” for transporters, as it simplifies operations and reduces costs by limiting the amount of data usage available to drivers.
“Clients who have previously had to rely on satellite communication to provide ubiquitous coverage are particularly thrilled as this will drive their costs down substantially,” SIM (subscriber identity module) management solutions provider Flickswitch managing director, Kees Snijders, told FTW Online.
This follows the recent announcement by communications provider, Vodacom, that it is the first operator to cover South Africa and its neighbouring countries with a prepaid data roaming option. Information Technology publication, IT News Africa, has noted that the impact on fleet management could be “significant”.
“While Vodacom is not the first operator to go the prepaid data roaming route, the announcement reflects the need to provide companies, who are reliant on machine-to-machine (M2M) solutions – including vehicle telemetry – with a more cost-effective offering. For us, the added benefit is that we can provide our clients with a managed prepaid SIM solution that meets their unique requirements,” says Snijders.
He adds that in this sector, the bulk of the traffic is confined to South Africa and its neighbours. “Having access to a prepaid solution allows transport transports to up their efficiency in running their telemetry and similar services,” explains Snijders.
