Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk 98 THE door industry journal summer 2022 Automated Gates & Barriers The Importance of GPS Johan Borg, Co-founder & CEO at Comlink, said: “The GPS functionality is important for several reasons. Frequently organizations rent mobile gates, especially on construction sites. Knowing exactly where the gate is located on a large, industrial site, isn’t as straightforward as it sounds. Using GPS this issue is solved.” Borg continued: “In addition, when a gate needs to be serviced by a technician, they are often just given a postcode which isn’t helpful when you are trying to service a particular gate on an expansive site – it could be anywhere! The new GPS function enables technicians to identify the exact location of the gate.” Long Term Evolution (LTE) Network Comlink’s next-generation hardware uses the Long Term Evolution (LTE) network – reassuring Comlink’s customers that they are using a network that is widely recognized as being the future. The new LTE-M1 network enables businesses to support millions of connected devices. It has the highest bandwidth and lowest latency of any LPWA technology, making it ideal for static and mobile applications. Comlink’s next-generation hardware uses 4G, however, GSM remains in place as a 2G fallback option. Adding Value to Manufacturers’ Product Suites A major audience for Comlink is manufacturers who make gates or barriers in-house, provide service level agreements and have a retained maintenance team. These manufacturers can integrate Comlink’s technologies into their offering and by doing so upgrade their product suite. A white label solution that has the manufacturer’s brand on the app, web platform and hardware. Anders Österlin, CMO at Comlink, elaborated: “When a gate owner calls their supplier and states their gate is not working, a verbal evaluation normally takes place over the phone which can frequently lead to a site visit which may or may not resolve the problem. This no longer needs to be the case as troubleshooting can take place remotely – vital data in the control unit can be accessed by the manufacturer, who in real-time can monitor the gate via sensors.” Built-in Tool for Remote Troubleshooting For example, you might see that the emergency button has been pushed. In that scenario, the issue can be dealt with quickly and without the need for a site visit, ensuring the service organisation is more efficient. In addition, the manufacturer can set alerts so it is notified if, for example, the gate has been open for more than an hour. For more detailed problems, manufacturers can access event logs remotely to, for instance, identify whether the cabinet has been opened, or whether there has been a power failure. Remote monitoring enables manufacturers to be proactive and offer more value. They are now able to advise customers on specific issues, such as whether the photocell has been blocked for more than 10 minutes – providing customers with real-time alerts and exceptional service. Enhance Brand Value Another important audience for Comlink is manufacturers who sell through resellers. Manufacturers are now able to sell gates to resellers, but also provide a service platform. For these organisations, there is no real value on the maintenance side, as this is the remit of the reseller. However, tangible value can be found in supplying connected gates with their own branded mobile app. A white-labelled solution heightens brand value, and enables them to offer state-of-the-art technology – this also benefits
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