Vodafone partnership helps Mobius design a compelling solution for 2012 maritime Olympics

In 2012, the maritime Olympics will take place in Weymouth, Dorset. In anticipation of a huge influx of visitors, Dorset County Council needs a reliable traffic management system. This must be installed at least one year in advance, reassuring the council that spectators and athletes will arrive on time. Machine-to-machine solution provider Mobius used its longstanding partnership with Vodafone to create a compelling case for a machine-to-machine solution. The strength of the proposal lies in the integrated expertise of the two companies, added to their track record of successful machine-to-machine implementations.

FAST FACTS
Customer: Mobius
Web site: mobiusnetworks.co.uk
Number of employees: 12
Country or region: United Kingdom
Industry: Mobile Data

CUSTOMER PROFILE
As the UK’s first integrated data airtime provider, Mobius delivers machine-to-machine solutions for a range of industries including retail, utilities and security. Mobius is Vodafone’s preferred distributor for data SIMs.

BUSINESS BENEFITS

Vodafone expertise demonstrates strength of mobile solution
Vodafone/Mobius solution offers potential savings of around 40 per cent
Vodafone/Mobius partnership builds robust urban traffic management solution
Long-term collaborative approach matches Olympic vision
Situation
Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour will host the Olympic and Paralympic Sailing competitions in 2012. Three years ahead of the event, the key elements of the required infrastructure are already in place, including enhancements to the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, and new lifting and mooring facilities. The region’s profile is rising fast, with visits from Olympic athletes and Her Majesty the Queen, and athletes scheduled to begin training at the venue well in advance of the games.

Alongside 10 Olympic events with more than 500 competitors, the Paralympics will involve 400 athletes. And because all the events are ticketless, spectator numbers are potentially unlimited. For Dorset County Council, managing the influx of visitors and ensuring the timely arrival of competitors from London and beyond presents a considerable challenge. Weymouth town centre will be pedestrianised, so visitors will use a park-and-ride system. Most will be unfamiliar with the region and its public transport. To help them complete their journeys quickly and smoothly, the council needs a traffic control system that will transmit real-time travel information to drivers and passengers through a range of devices, from roadside signs to mobile phones.

The council had a choice between two connection types: the mobile network and public mobile radio. Machine-to-machine solution provider Mobius was in a prime position to help the council explore the potential of the mobile network. As one of Vodafone’s preferred distributors of data connectivity, the company has a history of successful implementations, particularly for traffic control. Douglas Gilmour, Sales Director, Mobius, says: “Dorset County Council needed a robust, cost-effective solution to help manage the huge influx of visitors to the region during the 2012 Olympics. Our public sector experience, combined with our close partnership with Vodafone, gave us the resources to accommodate every aspect of the council’s brief.”

Solution
Vodafone’s dedicated machine-to-machine team ran a site survey to assess the region’s existing network and calculate the need for additional masts, while Mobius designed an urban traffic management solution based on:

Variable message signs that warn drivers of potential issues
Real-time updates at bus stops to indicate routes and travel times
Real-time updates – via hands-free mobile devices and digital passenger signs – for drivers, spectators and competitors on coaches travelling from London to Weymouth
Automatic number plate recognition cameras that identify priority vehicles – such as those carrying athletes – and send location details to W