In a bid to support the delivery of private networks for businesses, international connectivity and 5G enabler BICS has partnered with consultancy and systems integrator Telcofan.
Explaining the reasons for their collaboration, the firms said businesses across various industries, including manufacturing, logistics, healthcare and security, are increasingly looking to adopt private mobile networks to connect on-site technology such as machines and internet of things (IoT) devices.
Although private networks promise to deliver more consistent connectivity and greater security, the firms described setting them up as potentially “tricky”. Given the nature of such networks is, by definition, fairly bespoke, they say an integrator must be able to meet different technical requirements while making setup as seamless as possible for customers.
Telcofan provides consultancy and 4G and 5G mobile private network solutions including mobile data and IoT connectivity. It advises enterprises, systems integrators, suppliers and mobile operators on all aspects related to the deployment and operation of mobile private networks. With partners, it also provides all network components, including radio, core and SIM cards.
The collaboration is said to make it easier for businesses to implement use cases that require end-to-end connectivity, such as asset tracking and mission-critical applications.
By collaborating with Telcofan, BICS said it would be able to provide customers with SIMs and eSIMs for their connected devices, such as smart factory components or tracking chips for shipping pallets. Thanks to an accompanying SIM management platform, organisations will be able to flexibly set up and manage multiple connected devices in real time.
BICS and Telcofan also aim to empower eSIMs to more easily roam between public and private networks, as well as to use national public networks as a backup.
The joint solution is also intended to eliminate the need for complex operator agreements, helping enterprises avoid network “lock-in” and enabling devices to roam freely across global networks. As part of their agreement, BICS and Telcofan will provide SIMs ready to connect out of the box, so businesses can focus on innovating without the hassle of setup and connectivity configuration.
“Private networks, particularly in the case of 5G, promise to transform businesses in manufacturing and logistics, but technical complexity can be a barrier to adoption,” said Telcofan managing director Lieven Vanthomme. “Alongside BICS, Telcofan is making it easier than ever with one SIM, with one unique identity, to use on your private network or even an operator network.”
The collaboration with Telcofan is the latest in a number of developments from BICS aimed at closing the connectivity gap for businesses deploying advanced technology like IoT and private networks. Through collaborations such as those with other players in the market – such as Microsoft, Thales and Able Device – BICS said it was simplifying the enterprise IoT landscape and removing technical barriers for businesses looking to improve the efficiency and security of their operations across a multitude of industries.
“As businesses look to leverage next-gen technology like M2M [machine to machine] and IoT, companies like BICS and Telcofan can help handle connectivity requirements without enterprises having to plunge into the world of telco,” added Divya Ghai Wakankar, vice-president of enterprise business and marketing at BICS.
“With BICS and Telcofan, businesses now have access to a global SIM/eSIM and a platform that makes connecting devices simple, from network roaming through to SIM provisioning.”