Ctrack brings Novatel Wireless to SA
JSE-listed DigiCore, supplier of Ctrack vehicle tracking and fleet management solutions, has been appointed sole distributor of Novatel Wireless technologies in South Africa from March 2015.
Novatel Wireless Technologies Inc. is a leading US-based provider of wireless hardware solutions.
According to Ctrack’s Chief Operating Officer, Mark Rousseau, the acquisition of sole rights to distribute Novatel products in the region will allow Ctrack to increase its penetration in the local fleet management sector.
Under this agreement, DigiCore will now offer a portfolio of specialised and scalable cellular Novatel Wireless solutions for both commercial and consumer telematics markets under its Ctrack banner.
According to a recent report by Frost and Sullivan, telematics penetration in South Africa is expected to reach 22.5 percent by 2021.
Rousseau explained that some of the main factors driving the country’s interest in telematics include volatile fuel costs, a competitive automotive insurance industry, and a high incidence of vehicle theft, poor driving habits and road accidents.
“DigiCore, through Ctrack, will support the MiFi Drive line of mobile tracking devices including the MiFi Powered SA 2100, a ‘vehicle-as-hub’ gateway, and MiFi brand mobile hotspot solutions,” he added.
Unique features, optimised for telematics applications, such as advanced diagnostics with dual accelerometers, highly-sensitive GPS technology, programmable platforms, and 3G/4G LTE certified network options will also be made available in a variety of compact designs for a variety of vehicle types.
“We have a world-class manufacturing and assembly facility in KZN, where our high-end telematics units are currently produced for both local and export markets, however we have been looking for a partner with solutions that reflect a high standard of innovative technology and quality with clear differentiation from the competition for some time now,” Rousseau added.
He clarified that operations at the local production plant will remain unaffected for the time being, and that the company will look at streamlining operations at the plant to ensure that it improves on its revenues this year.
“There are hundreds of data points that owners and operators can use to improve operations and there is no one-product-fits-all solution. The Novatel Wireless suite of solutions boasts an impressive programmable events engine that can be easily tailored to support customer-specific needs. That flexibility combined with reliable, world class support is what makes Novatel Wireless an attractive partner,” expounded Rousseau.
While the new Novatel Wireless hardware may be imported from the United States, all of the product’s software and firmware will remain unique to Ctrack’s worldwide customer base.
“Our intellectual property, especially our firmware, will drive the success of these products in the market. We’ve spent decades refining our algorithms and continue to spend millions of Rands per annum on research and development of our back-end processes to ensure that we are well ahead of our competitors,” Rousseau added.
Ctrack recently announced that it grew revenue by 5 percent in the past six months, and that it’s looking to improve on that growth by streamlining its international operations.
“The introduction of Novatel Wireless products to our portfolio will no doubt increase activity within our network, while our ongoing investment in infrastructure and R&D will ensure that we grow our share of the telematics landscape,” he concluded.
