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Why Digital Signage needs IoT - Case with FirstView

Plug and play display – explore the future of IoT and digital signage. Learn how to deliver more effective content to digital signage and displays using the Telenor Connexion Global SIM solution.

Highlights

  • As they expanded globally, FirstView began using SIMs to deliver content to media players.
  • After switching to the Telenor Connexion Global SIM solution, FirstView now have one point of contact for billing and support.
  • Using the Global SIM has allowed FirstView to streamline processes, gain control over SLAs and unify pricing in the EU.

White Paper: Why Digital Signage Needs IoT

This white paper will provide a quick overview of the digital signage market today, and explain how digital signage service integrators can achieve a mobile “plug and play” solution using Telenor Connexion Global SIMs. We also explore how FirstView, a global digital signage provider headquartered in Finland, are scaling their offerings with the Telenor Connexion Global SIM card solution.

Connecting digital signage with Global SIM cards

Around the world, there is a growing demand for digital displays that deliver high-resolution content in shops, restaurants and public spaces. With fleets of displays spread over wide distances, digital signage service integrators need a solution to improve processes, increase ROI and capture new business opportunities.

Instead of using limited (and often troublesome) LAN and WiFi connections, delivering content to displays over cellular networks has become increasingly attractive as those networks continue to mature. SIM cards embedded in media players make it possible to connect digital displays to cellular broadband networks as easily as connecting your phone.

By empowering media players with SIM cards, digital displays can be installed anywhere in the world where cellular networks exist. Rather than buying a separate SIM card solution in each market, the Telenor Connexion Global SIM gives digital signage integrators access to Telenor’s worldwide network, supported by dedicated Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity experts.

With the Telenor Global SIM, service integrators can reliably manage and deliver content around the world, with the power to adjust content on individual displays. The end result is increased control of the communications chain, reduced installation and service costs, and easier fulfilment of service level agreements (SLAs) with end-customers.

Background

Headquartered in Turku, Finland, FirstView has been living and breathing digital signage since 2004. Initially focused on hotel conference systems, today, FirstView’s screens are used by hundreds of businesses and government organisations for information sharing and advertising. Usability, organisational-level screen management, reliability, competitive pricing and comprehensive add-on features are what make FirstView a digital signage market leader in the Nordics.

FirstView offers customers digital displays of nearly any size, from small tablets and POS monitors, up to walls of displays. The FirstView package also includes media player devices and a browser-based content management system (CMS). An unlimited number of screens around the world can be connected to the same CMS to control, schedule and deliver all content over the internet.

Challenge

Having attracted interest outside the Nordics, FirstView began rolling out screens across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. But with that success and growth, FirstView was facing challenges related to asset management and meeting the standards set in their customers’ service level agreements (SLAs).

In selected countries, FirstView were using SIMs from local operators, without an overarching network strategy. In every market, they were dealing with a separate operator, each with a different system, solution and price.

FirstView wanted to streamline processes, gain better control of connectivity, and better align their pricing in all markets.

Solution

By integrating SIM cards in media players, digital displays can be installed anywhere in the world where cellular networks exist.

Rather than buying a separate SIM card solution for each market, the Telenor Connexion Global SIM gives digital signage integrators access to Telenor’s worldwide network, supported by dedicated Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity experts. Service integrators can reliably manage and deliver content around the world, with the power to adjust content on individual displays.

The end result is increased control of the communications chain, reduced installation and service costs, and easier fulfilment of service level agreements (SLAs) with end-customers.

Result

With a solution designed to meet their needs, FirstView are already seeing the benefits of switching to Telenor Connexion’s Global SIM. SIM administration in multiple markets is now much easier.

In addition to streamlined content delivery, The Global SIM also helps FirstView to simplify their offerings and sales process. “The solution comes with ‘flat pricing’ in Europe, which helps us offer easy-to-understand pricing models for our end customers,” continued Mr. Högmander.

FirstView have also seen results in the form of simplified operations and delivery of services. With the Telenor Connexion web-based service portal, FirstView now have a near-real time overview and direct control of their assets. “With remote monitoring of SIMs, we can easily handle any error situations,” said Jussi Alanärä, Technical Director at FirstView. “We are now able to take full responsibility for our agreed SLAs.”

With a reliable partner for worldwide mobile connectivity, digital signage providers like FirstView can continue to innovate and grow.

Whether you need to pre-integrate SIM technology into hardware, or get your legacy solutions up-to-date, we can help you succeed with digital display. Learn more about IoT solutions for smart cities.

Trends in digital signage

  • Global market grow of 30-40% annually
  • Growing demand for large volume, global installations of displays
  • Interactive touch screen use cases across industries
  • Mobile phones can connect with screens for customer interaction
  • Real time data analytics can track biometrics, age and gender
  • More installation outsourcing to 3rd party service integrators
  • Standardized solutions provide better cost control