In 2013, the number of cellular M2M (Machine to Machine) connections in the retail industry was greater than 18 million connections (According to market researcher Berg Insight.) Included in that number are POS terminals, vending machines and ATMs. While POS terminals account for almost 90% of the cellular M2M device market right now, vending machines, according to Berg Insight, represent “the largest untapped market for wireless M2M in the retail industry.” In a bit more detail, M2M refers to the use of cell data cards / embedded cell gateways to connect the machine to a host network. According to Berg Insight, only 7.4% of the 6 million vending machines in North America are currently connected. However, that number is expected to almost triple to 1.14 million by 2018, and will continue to increase. Of course, one factor that limits the effectiveness of any M2M-enabled machine is one we can all relate to: cell coverage. Despite what the network carriers tell us, strong cell service is never a given, especially inside buildings where many vending machines are located. However, cell signal boosters can play a key role in these devices.
Boosters work by capturing any existing signal, even a weak one, and boosting it so the machine can “hear” the incoming signal. They also then boost the outgoing signal so it has the power to reach back to the cell tower. So in situations where cell reception is poor or inconsistent, boosters become the logical solution. “Anytime you’re dealing with a vending system or M2M application, chances are you’re eventually going to deal with signal-related issues,” said Matt Bauman, business development manager for 3Gstore.com, a provider of connectivity solutions.”Vending companies normally deal with hundreds, if not thousands, of site locations where equipment will be deployed. And it’s unlikely you’ll get adequate service at each and every location without some type of amplification. We routinely rely on boosters because they significantly increase the placement opportunities for our clients.” Boosters make sense for another reason, as well, said Bauman. Because vending companies often contract with one specific carrier to get special rates, installing a booster is easier and more cost efficient than negotiating a separate set of rates for lines from other carriers. The vending business is just like any business today in that it is increasingly reliant on technology to remain efficient and competitive. And as vending machines have become more intelligent, cell signal boosters are proving to be an effective solution for keeping their lines of communication open and operational.
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