US wireless solutions provider extends deal with Chilean fleet management company

13th March 2015

US wireless solutions provider extends deal with Chilean fleet management company

GROWTH RANGE Studies suggest that fleet management will grow in Latin America by 30% a year between 2013 and 2016

US wireless solutions provider Novatel Wireless last month agreed to continue volume shipments to Chilean fleet management company GPS Chile.

“As a leading fleet management operation servicing multiple industries throughout Chile, our reputation of providing customers with the assurance of uninterrupted visibility and reliable information exchange, especially to those who frequently operate in remote areas, is critical,” says GPS Chile CEO Marcelo Tapia.

GPS Chile provides customised fleet solutions to more than 2 000 customers across multiple industries.

“We are excited to work with GPS Chile to usher in the next generation of innovative telematics solutions for the region,” adds Novatel Wireless senior VP and GM Chip Harleman.

MT 4100
Under the current partnership, Novatel Wireless is supplying GPS Chile with a multifeature telematics solution called the MT 4100 – a mobile tracking solution that is integrated into GPS Chile's application for commercial use in trucks, trailers and other vehicles.

“We tested the device for a few months and were very impressed with the performance of the device and its new features. Novatel Wireless's advanced and differentiated product offering, coupled with its certification, track record and service support benefits, were essential factors in the selection process, as these features enable us to enhance our value proposition in the market,” says Tapia.

The MT 4100, which is part of Novatel Wireless’s MiFi Drive group of telematics solutions, is a third generation (3G) universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) and a flexible, machine-to-machine (M2M) device for fleet management. Advancements to the platform deliver critical features that drive efficiencies and reduce operational costs.

The solution provides advanced GPS location performance using an on-board smart agent engine for accelerometer-based reporting on driver behaviour, featuring advanced diagnostics, extended geo-fencing,  and messaging.

The MT 4100 also features multiple in/out ports, a 1-Wire interface, a Garmin fleet management interface (FMI) and an M2M application program interface (API) that simplifies fleet management back-office integration and compatibility with the on-board smart agent event engine.

Fleet Management in Latin America
An article titled ‘Fleet management demands are changing in Latin America’, published by Spanish broadband and telecommunications provider Telefonica, reports an overall 30% yearly growth rate for fleet management in Latin America between 2013 and 2016. Chile is ranked as the region's most mature market in terms of its focus on fleet management.

Meanwhile, the number of active fleet management systems installed in vehicles in Central and South America is expected to increase yearly by 16.1% till 2018, according to market research company Berg Insights.

Further, economist group company Pyramid Research explains that the growth in Chile reflects a greater demand for M2M value-added services, as businesses need to realise return on investment owing to increasing fuel prices and the need for security. This is compounded by the pressures to be an efficient fleet manager, in the face of the adoption of new government regulations and policies, such as the new emissions tax, and the migration of 2G networks to 3G.

Harleman adds: “Latin America offers huge opportunities for us and the current demand in Chile for advanced telematics capabilities is significant. As an international company committed to scale, leading technology, quality and support, the opportunity to deliver end-to-end solutions in an otherwise fragmented industry gives us an advantage to secure these types of partnerships.”