Copyright © 1999 FleetWatch magazine and FleetWatch On-Line.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without the prior written permission from the publishers. Views published are not necessarily those of the publishers.

Unsustainable Networks Face a Shake-Out

With the industry buckling under the pressures of cost increases, adverse business conditions and rampant crime, transport operators are having to wade through lots of 'bumf' from fly-by-night and some apparently big-name companies trying to entice them into buying so-called fleet management and anti-hijacking systems which create more problems than they solves. These are hat harsh words of Fleetcall's marketing manager, Anton Joubert, in a hard-hitting interview with FleetWatch.

Joubert says it is not only fly-by-nights that confuse the market but often also big-name companies that launch - and relaunch -services with big fanfare only to go insolvent after a while of look for new investors to bale them out. He reckons the industry is in the process of a shake-out and it is established and sustainable networks life Fleetcall that will survive to continue.

"We've adopted a long-term view and have shied away from the quick-buck and below-cost approach because we know that sustainability is crucial to us remaining a player and continuing to provide a reliable and expanding service. Fleetcall has always maintained, based on our detailed market research, that there national radio trunking network operator and two operators in each region to ensure competition. As the shake-out speeds up, competition in the market for mobile communication will be more and more between difference technologies such as trunking with its digital enhancement and cellular."

"The transport industry has more than enough problems to cope with as it is. We don't need the industry's multiple problems to be compounded by untested, inappropriate and unsustainable systems and networks. We therefore strongly recommend that operators shop around before making a decision. Investigate the fleet management systems offered, determine whether it is type-approved and also look into the background of the service provider Also, make sure that the network on which the service is provided is reliable and sustainable."

Joubert says Fleetcall pioneered radio trunking in South Africa and has adopted and approach to develop and grow the technology in accordance with the needs of mobile communication users such as the transport industry. "To have communication with a vehicle at a basement price but only part of the time is definitely not a bargain. The same it true when an end-user selects a network based on below-cost prices but the network is not sustainable. It is tantamount to disaster and means wasting your money."

Companies offering end-users an unreliable service at prices below cost are doing the industry a disservice. "This simply distorts the market because cutting corners leads to inferior service." says Joubert.

Joubert said Fleetcall succeeded in becoming the market leader with more than 80 percent market share because it correctly anticipated the needs of mobile communication users and develop value-added service in close co-operation with transport operators, Fleetcall's service providers and equipment suppliers. For example, where other networks ignored or neglected data calls, Fleetcall designed its network to cater for this growing need. He adds that there are two aspects would-be users of fleet management and other mobile communication systems should look at very critically. Firstly, select the most appropriate technology since each one has its own strength and weaknesses. If you have the need to make occasional calls and discuss matters in some detail, cell phones may be most appropriate. If you have the need to make multiple calls of short duration such as for fleet control or if you need data communication for vehicle tracking, radio trunking offers significant advantages. "The best advice to fleet manager is to stick to a network operator with a proved track record and use a service provider accredited by the network. Insist on type-approved radios and type-approved radios and type-approved radios and type-approved software and don't cut corners when it comes to the installation of radios and antennas

Fleetcall gets VESA approval

Fleetcall has become the first and only network to be approved by the Vehicle Association of South Africa (VESA) for vehicle tracking and fleet management. Although there are many vehicle tracking and fleet management systems that are type approved, they all rely on a network to provide the communication between the vehicle and the base station. To ensure the integrity of the whole process and by reliability between the tracking system and the communication network, Fleetcall has obtained VESA approved status.