Thought Leadership Sprint /// Page 1 January 2011

An Evolving Mobile Work Force

According to a forecast from research firm IDC, the number of mobile workers accessing enterprise systems worldwide will top the 1 billion mark this year on the way to 1.2 billion by 2013 and more than one third of the world’s work force will be considered to be mobile.1 Specifically, the utility industry with its highly skilled and mobile workforce, maintains and operates vast numbers of vehicles, portable computing devices, and other embedded tools. With approximately 559,500 non-government utility workers employed in 20082, and with the likelihood that hundreds of thousands more are also employed in government, public power, and electric cooperatives, the need to extend the enterprise to remote workers is ever increas-ing.

As utilities try to do more with less, and as manual processes give way to electronic processes, a new, mobile-friendly generation of workers is replacing a retiring work force. These young, technically savvy employees are already familiar with mobile devices and will push for their adoption into the workplace.

While mobile computing and tracking devices have grown more powerful and prevalent, wireless carriers have supported these needs through cost-effective hardware and lower-cost data service plans. Concurrent with these needs, throughput and bandwidth have increased to unprecedented levels as the carriers expand their networks through third-generation (3G) and fourth-generation (4G) technologies. Wireless broadband is becoming a vital compo-nent of utility environments — both in the office and as a way to reach into remote locations where hard-wired, WAN connectiv-ity is unavailable. In some situations, wireless may even deliver lower, last-mile costs for deployment and increased time to market compared with wired options.

For all these reasons and more, utilities are looking to enterprise mobility as a forward-thinking business strategy to create new effi-ciencies and improve customer service. This Thought Leadership paper presents the drivers for enabled mobile utility solutions and explores the business opportunity of mobile broadband combined with cutting-edge applications and devices that integrate with existing enterprise applications such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Work Order Management (WMS) and Outage Management (OMS) Systems.

Drivers for Change

For utilities to stay competitive, they need to develop strategies to increase employee productivity, such as improving the ability to locate workers during the day. Mobile devices and applications can also be used to automate timesheet and work order collection and entry — improving accuracy and saving time and effort.

Today’s utilities also need to find ways to increase system reliability and improve system restoration efforts, such as enhancing the way that recovery systems operate in the event of natural disasters. Mobile devices and applications can play a part in improving disas-ter recovery operations, as well as asset management, operation and maintenance, and repair-and-replace decisions, helping utilities achieve regulatory compliance while maintaining profitability.

In addition, current manual processes for capturing and recording remote utility data could benefit greatly from a mobile approach. For example, a great deal of time and travel is required for manu-ally checking field data and the information gathered is often inaccurate or prone to error. Mobile data monitoring in the field can dramatically improve accuracy and reduce the need for offline data gathering and input by providing real-time, cost-effective data collection that links back to utility enterprise systems.

Increasing enterprise mobility can also enhance situational aware-ness and safety in the field and can increase compliance with strict utility regulations and standards. In addition, mobile applications offer solutions that can improve customer satisfaction. For example, a utility truck equipped with mobile applications can receive and submit service orders more quickly, helping to better serve natural gas, electric and water customers in times of need.

Data that is both “timely and actionable” is key to the success of the Utility-of-the-Future.

Mobile Broadband—A Business Opportunity

Wireless data connectivity is a key component in both existing and evolving enterprise applications. As the utility industry embraces mobile broadband as a business opportunity, carriers such as Sprint provide a comprehensive range of wireless communications and data services, bringing the freedom of connectivity and mobility

A Roadmap to Working Smarter:Enabled Mobile Utility Solutions

Thought Leadership Sprint /// Page 2 January 2011

to utilities. In addition to offering broad coverage for 3G CDMA technologies, Sprint is at the forefront in deploying 4G wireless technologies such as WiMAX domestically across the U.S.

As the first U.S. carrier to test, launch and market 4G technol-ogy, Sprint offers high-speed, high-capacity, mobile broadband communications that are up to 10 times faster than previous 3G services. Utility companies that embrace 4G for their mobile work-force achieve higher bandwidth capacities that enable richer, more sophisticated applications to be ported to a mobile environment.

In addition to high downlink and uplink speeds, WiMAX leads the industry in security and QoS services with strict adherence to industry standards. Secure access protects the utility company’s communications, as well as staff and customer information. Sprint’s 4G offering also offers the promise of scalability as utilities continu-ally add more and more mobile devices across entire service areas. While recently announcing “Network Vision,” Sprint’s aggressive multiyear network upgrade initiative, additional network services and advanced data support will continue to evolve.3,4

Transitioning to the Future — Mobile Enterprise Applications

Sprint partners with leading application service providers and device manufacturers to help utility workers leverage the many advantages of mobile technology.

Connected Utility Trucks

For example, Sprint’s partner, Feeney Wireless, provides the secure Cellular Internet Routing Appliance (CIRA) designed for harsh, in-vehicle environments such as a connected utility truck that oper-ates using the Sprint 3G Mobile Network. The CIRA’s optional, integrated Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver enables fleet tracking and management, and dispatch can be integrated with an on-board, vehicle diagnostics, data-mining platform.

The connected utility truck is ideal for mobile, remote utility workers and commonly incorporates smart sensing and commu-nications hardware providing anywhere, anytime voice and data communications; a special tri-mode antenna designed for auto-matic vehicle location (AVL) applications; a ruggedized laptop or tablet PC that resists moisture, vibration and dust; and vehicle telematics for gathering and analyzing information. In addition, a computer mounting system provides a docking station for port replication, eliminating the need to connect external peripherals. Also, a shutdown timer protects the vehicle battery and equipment. The vehicle enables service technicians to access work orders in real time, and GPS mapping helps dispatchers deploy the nearest and most appropriate technicians and equipment to a service call, based on proximity.

The enabled connected truck provides more efficient dispatch and routing, which decreases operating costs through lower fuel consumption and also reduces employee overtime. Extensive

Figure 1. Connected Utility Truck

NetMotion Mobility

Mobility XE is a software-only Mobile Virtual Private Network (Mobile VPN) that provides secure, continuous remote access to network resources and applications from mobile devices over any wired or wire-less IP-based network.

Rugged Laptop

A military-tested rugged laptop is designed to meet and exceed military rugged require-ments (MIL-STD810F) for shock, vibration, and temperature protection. A docking station provides port replication and allows the user to easily re-move the unit from the mount. Articulating arm provides tilt, swivel, pull-out and 360o rota-tion of equipment.

Tri-mode Antenna

Designed for AVL applications, a low-profile tri-mode antenna works in cellular, PCS and GPS modes.

CIRA (Cellular Internet Routing Appliance)

The Feeney Wireless CIRA provides a secure cel-lular connection, multiple peripherals, and 802.11b/g Wi-Fi. The CIRA’s optional integrated high-precision GPS receiver enables fleet management and dispatch. The CIRA provides wireless broadband connectivity for work-order management and GIS information.

Vehicle Telematics

The onboard telematics platform automatically ana-lyzes emissions data and performs real-time analysis onboard the vehicle. Analytics on vehicle health, driver behavior, fuel consumption, emissions, and fleet char-acteristics are sent wirelessly to fleet managers.

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remote device management is possible through a wireless monitor-ing and management solution. The NetMotion VPN software helps to deliver persistent network connectivity, device management and control, real-time notification, downloadable performance and modem statistics, and other valuable information.

Mobile VPN

Sprint also partners with application providers such as NetMotion Wireless to offer mobile VPN services for utility workers who need reliable, wireless access to mission-critical data and applications. Whether assisting linemen driving between service locations, or executives walking the corporate halls with their smartphones, NetMotion’s Mobility XE™ mobile VPN provides secure, unin-terrupted access to essential enterprise applications and data resources.

The combination of Sprint mobile broadband with the NetMo-tion Mobility XE solution essentially turns a vehicle into a secure, mobile wireless LAN extending the utility enterprise. This enables peripheral equipment to be connected in and around the vehicle, while transmitting data between the vehicle and dispatch in real time. All this occurs with a single connection to the Sprint network, without any need for communications hardware for each peripheral device.

NetMotion’s VPN supports the industry’s highest security stan-dards for encryption. Unlike other VPNs that require a separate login step and force users to re-login every time they lose connec-

tivity, Mobility XE provides single sign-on authentication with standard Windows® login credentials. This feature saves mobile workers valuable time as they traverse networks and coverage areas, and provides a transparent user experience with no additional passwords to remember.

With the Mobility XE product, utility workers can also seamlessly roam in and across any combination of IP networks. Users can move freely among docked connections, corporate Wi-Fi networks, third-party hotspots and wireless wide-area networks from multiple carriers, automatically using the fastest available connection.

NetMotion Mobility XE keeps application sessions alive. In areas where coverage gaps occur, applications pause, and then resume sending data when the wireless WAN connection is reestablished. Utility workers who use handheld devices can avoid logging in each time service is suspended. Instead, data transfers pick up where they left off — even if the session resumes days later.

The solution also delivers improved throughput and application responsiveness, keeping utility workers productive while in the field. Mobility XE reduces protocol overhead and compresses data and Web images, dramatically improving throughput. The solu-tion also lets a utility easily scale from a few mobile workers to several thousand. A single server can handle up to 1,500 concur-rently connected devices. Servers can also be pooled to provide load balancing, failover and redundancy for thousands of utility workers, creating a highly scalable, reliable system with no single point of failure.

Figure 2. Secure Remote ConnectivityA Mobility XE user — represented by a laptop icon — can traverse among any number of available IP-based networks without dropping the connection, crashing applications, losing data or requiring the user to re-enter their credentials.

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Wireless Data Connectivity

Utility workers use wireless connectivity and embedded devices in a wide range of applications — mobile computing, Location Based Services (LBS) for fleet management, portable broadband routers for hotspot connectivity, as well as remote monitoring and control of fixed assets. The mission-critical nature of utility data requires reliable, secure wireless connectivity and a variety of communications hardware in various form factors. For example, Sprint mobile services and Sierra Wireless’ embedded communi-cations devices are commonly used in tandem for wireless broad-band connectivity for mobile and fixed telemetry applications.

Currently many utility companies are introducing mobile comput-ing for office, technical, and management personnel toward adop-tion of “work anywhere” practices. These employees are equipped with powerful mobile devices such as semi-ruggedized embedded laptops, embedded tablets, or USB 3G/4G aircards to support remote enterprise operations.

For field operations when tracking and monitoring of remote assets is key and broadband connectivity is required, there are other more “ruggedized” solutions available. For example, Sierra Wire-less’ MP597 portable router and Wi-Fi hub includes a broadband router, Wi-Fi hot spot, and GPS tracking and supports some of the most harsh utility field applications (see Figure 3). Addtion-ally, the Sierra Wireless Overdrive battery powered router delivers a portable 3G/4G cellular, Wi-Fi hotspot with the flexibility to use in both the office or in remote field operations. The device provides excellent broadband connectivity during normal daily operations and/or during times of disaster recovery and mutual aid. Systems like these support key utility applications such as GIS mapping, OMS outage, and emergency center operations (ECO) during times of disaster recovery and system restoration.

Empowering the Utility Worker of the Future

Today, utilities are aggressively adopting the mobile broadband applications discussed in this paper and will embrace even more innovative technologies as they are developed. Major advances will undoubtedly occur in human factors, such as man-to-machine interfaces that will affect how technology is displayed and ultimately used. These advancements will be deployed in the field where powerful handsets, ruggedized PDAs and laptops, and portable routers, combined with fast, persistent mobile broad-band connectivity, will provide field workers with instant access to information.

Taking this a step further, new 3G/4G smart devices, such as the HTC EVO and Samsung Epic, include a “Wi-Fi hotspot” capa-bility to support multiple users from a single smartphone. The net effect is that the remote utility worker becomes a “connected worker,” supporting multiple peripherals from a single connected device, even when remote from a vehicle. Such technology and tools will help workers respond more quickly, improve customer service, and provide for greater safety to both the utility worker and the public.

Successful utility companies will be able to scale their mobile operations — from a handful of workers to thousands — moving beyond pilot programs to outfitting entire mobile truck fleets. Forward-thinking utilities will also equip their entire mobile work force with wireless handheld devices and other tools to link field workers back to the enterprise.

By borrowing ideas from other highly mobile industries such as transportation/distribution, construction/field services, and the military along with staying ahead of the technology adoption curve, utilities stand to benefit enormously from a new genera-tion of game-changing mobile applications to work better, faster, and smarter than ever before.

EndnotesGarretson, Rob, “IDC: Mobile Workers Will Pass 1 Billion in 1. 2010,” CIOZone.com, February 24, 2010, http://www.ciozone.com/index.php/Mobile-and-Wireless/IDC-Mobile-Workers-Will-Pass-1-Billion-in-2010.html.“Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Matrix, 2008–18,” United 2. States Department of Labor. “Sprint Announces Network Vision — A Cutting Edge Network 3. Evolution Plan with Partners Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, and Samsung,” Sprint press release, December 6, 2010. Ayvazian, Berge, “Assessment of Sprint’s Network Vision Initiative,” 4. Heavy Reading, December 10, 2010.

Figure 3: Sierra Wireless and Sprint partner to provide Mobile Broadband (MBB) connectivity in many form factors