Globalstar Europe Satellite Services Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Globalstar Inc. (NYSE American: GSAT), and a leader in satellite messaging, IoT, and emergency notification technologies, announced its SmartOne Solar satellite IoT transmitter is being deployed to provide satellite tracking for leisure boat owners.
The announcement comes as Globalstar integrator partner Advanced Tracking achieves the milestone of deploying over 2,000 Globalstar SmartOne C IoT tracking devices for its customers in the marine sector.
Advanced Tracking recently integrated SmartOne Solar into its www.konectis.com platform, a portal designed for leisure marine users. Konectis features multiple capabilities that are manageable via a dedicated dashboard and user interface that includes an anti-theft alarm system. With the addition of SmartOne Solar, Advanced Tracking is now enabling fleet owners and individual boating enthusiasts to benefit from efficient, ubiquitous satellite IoT enabled vessel tracking.
“In the leisure marine sector, when you own boats in the 10-25m range, budgets matter,” said Co-Founder and Managing Director of Advanced Tracking, Christophe Allan.
“We knew that by integrating SmartOne Solar, we’d have the ideal solution to provide cost-conscious boat owners with an affordable, high-quality solution to track their vessels,” Allan noted.
The Globalstar SmartOne Solar monitors assets of any kind, whether fixed or mobile, including shipping containers, transport trailers, construction/farm machinery and vehicle fleets.
SmartOne Solar provides a low-maintenance and cost-efficient tracking option that is powered with solar-rechargeable batteries and can deliver multiple years of serviceable life. The device operates continuously for many months while reporting twice a day without the need for exposure to sunlight.
Allan points out SmartOne Solar’s ease-of-use and cable-free flexibility as major benefits. “The advantage of SmartOne Solar is that it doesn’t need connection to a power source, so the device can be positioned in many different points on the boat based on preference,” he added, “It is small and easy to install, with good performance quality. Because the device is autonomous, you just install it and off you go.”
Allan highlights the growing understanding that satellite connectivity is essential for reliable, ubiquitous coverage, saying, “The user could try other technologies, such as VHF or GSM, but as soon as you are out of range, you’ve lost track of the boat.”
The partnership between Globalstar and Advanced Tracking dates back to 2010. At that time, Advanced Tracking introduced Globalstar SmartOne C to its platform to replace/supplement its incumbent satcoms provider. One reason, Allan explains, was the need for a back-up satellite system to reduce exclusive reliance on one provider. “Price was also a big factor,” he adds, “SmartOne, and also Globalstar’s airtime packages, enable a really reasonably priced, quality solution for customers.”
Established in 2004, Advanced Tracking provides satellite tracking solutions and communication systems. Its comprehensive Konectis portal, whose features and communications preferences can be custom configured, is dedicated to meeting the needs of its marine customers, mainly owners of leisure sailing craft and motorboats.
“We’re delighted that SmartOne Solar is helping leisure craft owners cost-effectively track their valued boats,” said Globalstar EMEA General Manager Mark O’Connell. “We congratulate Advanced Tracking for providing the fast-growing leisure marine market with a highly effective solution that aids in tracking, improves safety and security and prevents potential failures.”