As a result of sudden declines in travel, entertainment, retail, and overall economic activity, many connected product providers, including telematics service providers, asset tracking companies, and connected point-of-sale system providers, are finding themselves eating the cost of fixed, long-term IoT connectivity contracts that no longer match their usage profiles. For example, one telematics provider focused on connecting passenger trains saw their data usage decline from 8TB/month to 1TB/month during lockdown. And yet, their provider still required them to pay for 8TB/month with no way to recover the cost. (That company has since switched to Aeris.)
Even businesses who have not experienced significant declines in data usage are looking for ways to reduce costs, as their cash flow has been hit by their customers not being able to pay their bills. Virtually all companies are hesitant to enter into long-term contracts for fixed bundles of IoT connectivity per month while the timeline for economic recovery remains unclear. Signing a contract for excess usage leaves immediate savings on the table, and signing one for depressed usage puts businesses at risk of incurring significant overage charges when economic conditions improve.
The Aeris Solution
As the only IoT connectivity supplier built from the ground up to provide a world class quality of service to customers of all sizes, Aeris prides itself in offering customers the flexibility needed to succeed in uncertain times. We are among the only IoT connectivity suppliers to offer no-commitment pay-as-you-go (PAYG) rate plans that can be upgraded — or cancelled completely — at any time with no fee.
Aeris’ flexible rate plans are ideal for businesses looking to immediately optimize the cost of an existing solution or to cost-effectively launch new products, while maintaining the flexibility needed to easily adjust in the future as economic conditions change. The AerPort™ Connectivity Management Portal and Aeris’ Connectivity Management APIs provide Aeris customers with access to near real-time connectivity usage data and the ability to easily move devices from one rate plan to another at any point in during their billing cycle.
For example, to rapidly align connectivity costs with declining usage profiles, Aeris customer Redtail Telematics recently moved their devices to an Aeris PAYG rate plan, immediately reducing costs by nearly 50% while eliminating the potential for overage charges.
Why Choose Aeris
Aeris’ competitive, customizable rate plans are unique in an industry where fixed, multi-year contracts are the norm. Major carriers are generally unwilling to offer flexible, competitive PAYG plans to their customers, and most MVNOs lack both the high-touch, consultative customer care and the technology required to easily and cost effectively adjust rate plans to match business needs.
Aeris’ purpose-built network, which provides end-to-end visibility into and control over device / network interactions, enables us to provide the greatest variety of choice and the greatest level of flexibility to our customers. In addition to PAYG rate plans, Aeris also offers fixed bundles, pre-paid plans, pooled plans, and discounted rates for video applications, all of which are available with no long-term contracts and no cancellation fees.
Beyond our great rates, Aeris’ purpose-built network and customer-centric approach to product development and customer support enables us to help you:
- Accelerate time-to-market with access to technical and solution design experts ready to help with device certification, device configuration, and field testing.
- Reliably connect devices anywhere in the world with access to 600 carriers globally plus the ability to prioritize network steering based on signal strength or underlying costs.
- Set the bar for quality of service with access to AI/ML tools that can prevent, detect, diagnose and resolve issues anywhere in your end to end system—from device to application.
- Optimize costs throughout the entire device lifecycle with access to automated SIM lifecycle management, and near real-time overage alerting and SIM blocking capabilities, as well as the capabilities needed to bill your customers effectively, and apply mid-month rate plan changes when necessary.
To find out how Aeris can help you succeed in rapidly changing times, contact us today.
