Connected cargo: How Hologram and Intelligent Cargo Systems are transforming transport
We used to discuss changing carriers quite a lot. When we made the decision to move all of our existing ships to Hologram, the discussion stopped. We don’t need to discuss it because it’s working as it’s supposed to.
How Hologram fits in
Intelligent Cargo Systems ships their CargoMate device with a pre-installed Hologram SIM to their customers.
CargoMate users simply turn on the device, and it instantly connects and streams data. There’s no need to switch carriers when they move between geographic or geopolitical boundaries.
Using Hologram's dashboards and reports, Intelligent Cargo Systems can instantly see which devices are connected, where, and how much data they’re using. If any issues arise, they can rule out connectivity quickly and focus on troubleshooting with their customers.
How Hologram improves Intelligent Cargo Systems’ CargoMate Device
With that single SIM, Hologram is helping Intelligent Cargo Systems’ CargoMate device stay connected and continue to improve.
Simple connectivity, no matter what
With Hologram SIMs, it no longer matters where the CargoMate devices go. As soon as they hit port, they connect and begin instantly streaming all the data needed to predict the ship’s next departure.
“We put a Hologram SIM card in one of our test devices, put it onboard a [cargo] ship for a good couple of months, and just let it go. We didn’t have a single drop of signal in any of the ports.”
- Chris Jones, CEO of Intelligent Cargo Systems
Redundancy that chooses the strongest carrier
The Hologram SIM is designed to choose the best available carrier. Sometimes that means that a CargoMate device may connect to a couple of different carriers before settling on the one with the strongest signal. That redundancy ensures onboard crews stay connected to their shore-based counterparts.
Real-time data that identifies where ships are
Through the Hologram Dashboard, the Intelligent Cargo Systems team can see which ships are in which ports and which carriers they’re connected to. As Jones explains, “It’s a joy to be able to see where the ships are going, the conditions that they’re facing, and what’s actually happening on the ground, and to get that data coming back to us.”
It’s a joy to be able to see where the ships are going, the conditions that they’re facing, and what’s actually happening on the ground, and to get that data coming back to us.
Per-gig data pricing that saves money
Rather than buying blocks of data that may expire unused, Intelligent Cargo Systems pays for only the data they use, and only after the Hologram SIM cards are activated. That gives Intelligent Cargo Systems flexibility to develop and ship devices while minimizing costs for both them and their customers.
Focus on better customer service
Before Hologram, many CargoMate customer support issues were connectivity issues. Now, they rarely are. The Intelligent Cargo Systems Support Team can frequently rule out connectivity as the root cause and get right to the customer’s actual problem.
Intelligent Cargo System’s lifecycle with Hologram
Testing
Intelligent Cargo Systems ordered a Hologram SIM to see the network work with their containership in real-time. (They even sent it around the world for more than 80 days, and it never failed!)
Development
As Intelligent Cargo Systems manufactures their CargoMate device, Hologram’s SIM cards are activated for testing but don’t begin charging for data until customers start using them.
Deployment
Intelligent Cargo Systems’ customers receive their devices, plug them in, and are automatically connected via a cellular network.
Maintenance
Hologram’s inflight program allows Intelligent Cargo Systems to monitor their devices and data usage from anywhere in the world with just one dashboard.
Scaling
When Intelligent Cargo Systems adds new customers with new regions and cargo routes, they have the assurance that connectivity will be a breeze. No new contracts are needed. No new partners. Just reliable connectivity so they can focus on their product and sales.
Before Hologram, most of Intelligent Cargo System’s customer service issues were connectivity related.
Finding cellular providers and keeping their CargoMate smart device connected used to take up a lot of time for Intelligent Cargo Systems. Time that they otherwise could spend developing relationships with customers and improving their products. After partnering with Hologram, connectivity is no longer a problem. See how partnering with Hologram allowed Intelligent Cargo Systems to improve containership efficiency, reduced CO2 emissions, and focus on what really matters — growing their business.
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