Smart City
Customer testimonial
How did the IoT solution deployed by Synox enable Vichy Communauté to rethink its secure communication infrastructure in the face of the announced end of the PSTN?
The equipment connected to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is currently facing a dimensional change as it will soon no longer be available. Indeed, it is the historical telephone network maintained by Orange (ex France Telecom)…
The context
This technology, which is at the end of its life cycle and costly to maintain, no longer supports the new modes of communication, and will therefore be progressively discontinued and replaced*. The cellular network is therefore of great importance as well as the exploitation of Machine To Machine (M2M) lines.
Synox supports Vichy Community in this transformation to provide quality communication for the data feedback related to the sanitation and drinking water facilities.
The solution
For the implementation of the digital transition, Vichy Community has launched a consultation. Synox therefore responded to this consultation in competition with three other companies.
To establish the final choice of the provider, several criteria were decisive. In addition to the price, the other determining criteria on which Synox distinguished itself from the other candidates was the availability of customer support and the relevance of answers to technical questions, as well as the flexibility of the offers according to the volumes and types of information to be sent (data, voice, sms), or the flexibility granted in the invoicing mode to adapt to the administrative framework: a payment covering a defined period instead of a monthly invoice.
The particular need of Vichy Communauté – like many communities, was based on the need for evangelization within the agglomeration community. It is important to explain the reason for this transition, but also to provide agents with perspectives in terms of organization and skills development.
*The incumbent operator will close them from 2023 onwards, progressively until 2030
It was possible to test the proper functioning of the solution proposed by Synox before the market was set up, and we were able to get quick feedback from the sanitation department, which was very positive.
José MORAIS
Identity card
Activity: Water and Sanitation of the agglomeration community
Creation date: 2017
Geographic scope
39 municipalities in the agglomeration
85,700 inhabitants
Scope
- + More than 70 SIM cards that allow the communication of the equipment of the sanitation and drinking water departments
Goals
- Adapting to the discontinuation of the RTC by accommodating the constraints of a community
- Increase the quality of service provided
- Easily and securely access information to prevent potential risks
- Implement the digital transition quickly, easily and securely
Results
- Autonomy and time saving: Approximately 10€ gain per line per month / analog
- Maximization of service quality and simplified access to information
- Daily use of the SoM2M#IoT data management platform
The results
Today the service is in place and the communication of the equipment has been switched to the GSM cellular network. The transition is gradual and continues in the context of the health crisis we are experiencing.
Vichy Communauté was looking for a specific service with security guarantees which led to the implementation of a private APN. Synox has deployed its expertise in cellular connectivity as well as in infrastructure security. The flexibility provided by the multi-operator offer is the perfect answer to the challenges of the sanitation business. Indeed, there are strong constraints in terms of network coverage due to the positioning of the equipment placed underground.
The functionalities provided by the SoM2M#IoT management interface also represent strong points in the implementation of the solution:
Speed
reactivity in case of overconsumption
Anticipation
of malfunctions thanks to the alert system
Savings
thanks to the low cost of a SIM card call
The alert system, for example, allows you to act quickly in case of overconsumption. The manager is indeed warned in real time in case of abnormal consumption or even exceeding.
Another type of notification alerts the user to network malfunctions, allowing them to be informed quickly and transparently. As soon as an incident is identified, information is disseminated to assess the risks and impacts. This makes it possible to anticipate malfunctions rather than suffer them.
Finally, the economic gain is clearly identified since the cost of a communication by SIM card is much lower than that of a subscription on the telephone network. The gain is estimated at about ten euros per month per line. And that doesn’t take into account the quality of service provided which happens to be much better.
The next step of the project is the mutualization of the volume on several sites. Vichy Communauté continues to trust us for the supply of its SIM cards and the implementation of APNs since our collaboration will last at least until 2024.
The responsiveness of Synox support in the event of a problem is greatly appreciated. It promotes our collaboration in an environment of trust.
José MORAIS
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As a publisher and integrator of IoT platforms, Synox supports companies and communities wishing to implement their IoT projects easily and securely, regardless of the objects and technology used.
Vichy Communauté is a community of 39 municipalities and 85,700 inhabitants. It is part of the second largest region in France, both in terms of population and GDP. A region connected to all transport infrastructures open to Europe.
