Globalstar Europe Satellite Services will show how Value Added Resellers (VARs) in the freight management and logistics sector can boost their business by integrating satellite communications for tracking and monitoring cargo on land and at sea. Satellite communications delivers new commercial opportunities for VAR’s by extending the reach of services to those areas that are beyond mobile phone signal.

Visitors to stand B94 at Intermodal 2014 can see how Globalstar VARs are taking advantage of satellite’s extensive reach and reliability. One such Globalstar VAR is M2M specialist Ovinto. Its solution gives manufacturers intelligence to minimise the risk associated with the transportation of their dangerous cargo while optimising their supply chain operations.

The Ovinto Sat product uses Globalstar’s STXII simplex chipset to enable chemical and oil/gas companies monitor hazardous materials in unpowered environments including rail tank cars and tank containers. The solution, which visitors can see demonstrated live on the Globalstar stand, provides chemical manufacturers with details about whether a container has been impacted due to a crash, is leaking, is at the right pressure and temperature and is in the correct location. Satellite is the preferred option for such communications due to its availability, reliability and low power consumption compared to GSM.

“There are huge opportunities for resellers to expand the capabilities of their solutions by adding satellite communications as back-up to GSM networks in areas where there is patchy or non-existent service,” said Corry Brennan, Simplex Regional Sales Manager – EMEA, at Globalstar.

“Not only is it now more affordable to communicate by satellite, but it is now reliable too. We now have the world’s most modern satellite communications network, the result of six years’ work and a one billion dollars investment. Consequently, Globalstar’s customers benefit from a fast, highly reliable, second-generation satellite network that is leaps and bounds ahead of the competition,” he added.

On its stand, Globalstar will also highlight the portable ‘plug and play’ SmartOne tracker which is designed for the intelligent management of powered and non-powered, fixed and movable assets including trucks, trailers, cargo containers and boats. Its compact, rugged design and long battery life of over three years make it ideal for even the harshest of environments.

SmartOne uses motion sensors, comparative GPS positions and custom-configured sensors to gather and transmit information such as movement and location reports, geo-fencing alerts, stop/start messaging and theft recovery alerts by email or text message, using Globalstar’s unrivalled satellite network. SmartOne also transmits other message types including battery status, input alarm status and diagnostic information.