With an increasing number of businesses operating units in remote areas, connectivity is crucial to ensure the efficiency and continuity of processes as well as the safety of workers in the field. Innovations in satellite technology and digitalisation are empowering these remote communities with access to resources almost on  par with well-connected urban areas.

The Covid-19 pandemic made it even more apparent just how intrinsic satellite connectivity has become to the way we do business, live, and communicate with others. From port closures and movement restrictions to a high demand for constant connectivity and the ability to exchange large amounts of data, digitalisation has enabled easy access even in areas not served by GSM services.

This constant connectivity requires competent maintenance, optimised control systems, and cost-efficient logistics. Remote maintenance technologies are at the crux of our evolving business environment and help to optimise capital investment in hardware as well as save on the cost and complex logistics involved in sending technicians to far-flung sites. As this demand grows, the global remote monitoring and control system market is expected to reach US $135,190.5 million by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 10.3%.

“Remote maintenance and control offer real-time monitoring of a company’s assets and help to keep costs low. You cannot expect to remain competitive without remote maintenance technology in today’s business environment,” said Nabil Ben Soussia, CEO Asia, Middle East & CIS, IEC Telecom Group. “Sending a technician to physically assess and fix a problem involves costly logistics and expenses, such as fuel, insurance, and inherent labour costs, which can add up quickly. It is far more effective to utilise remote systems that function even in low bandwidth environments and are extremely user-friendly,” he added.

Offering virtual assistance to remote units, OneAssist is an optimised hands-free video solution that has been designed with the specific requirements of remote workers in mind. Field personnel can share snapshots of ongoing onsite issues and receive live technical assistance from shore experts, as well as easily accessing the complete knowledge resources of their organisations via a secure communication link.

“OneAssist is perfect for remote collaboration with multi-party video and audio calls. It is easily accessible over a high-resolution display on a rugged head-mounted device that is attached to a helmet. This hands-free approach frees up the time that field workers or technicians spend looking at a paper manual and almost 80% of concerns can be resolved quickly with such remote access,” advised Mr Ben Soussia.

Developed as part of the new OptiConnect suite by IEC Telecom, OneAssist is powered by DigiGone and is an incredible communication solution no matter how remote the region may be. It is fully aligned with IoT data visualisation and offers unmatched noise cancellation as well as speech recognition in loud areas, ensuring operational efficiency as well as the safety of remote workers.

The OptiConnect application portfolio includes OneHealth, a portable digital telemedicine kit; OneMonitor, a video surveillance software with advanced remote access; and OneTeam, an application for videoconferencing. These state-of-the-art solutions are especially optimised for remote locations and enable cost-effective connectivity across the globe.

“Remote maintenance technologies such as OneAssist can improve asset longevity by 20% and save up to 40% of the cost of traditional installations. In addition, remote maintenance is more sustainable, efficient, and effective in ensuring business continuity in unpredictable and ever-evolving circumstances,” Mr Ben Soussia commented.

“With increasing need and capability to reach remote locations worldwide, integrating with IEC Telecom’s OneAssist will provide cost efficiencies and lifesaving solutions to the customers we serve.  Minimizing risk, providing reliable access, and improving our client’s reach are at the core of our solutions. We are excited and proud to partner with IEC to deliver on this promise,” concluded Michael Dunleavy, President at DigiGone.