Multenet, a South African manufacturer of GSM Cellular routers has provided Connectnet with GSM communications equipment which inludes the Connectnet range of Mobile and Broadband routers for the past two years as part of the Connectnet services offering.

The routers, manufactured on an OEM agreement, with added ConnectNet specific functionality, has proven to be a solid and reliable platform for the range of services on offer by Connectnet.

The ConnectNet service allows applications to connect to remote host computers provided that such host computers are connected to the GSM Data, X.25, Frame Relay or IP (Internet) networks. The service allows for product to product connectivity (Mobile Router to Mobile Router) and cross product connectivity (T-Pad – Mobile Router) when required and is available wherever the cellular networks have GSM Data coverage.

The Connectnet Mobile Routers are fully managed and are supplied with two cellular network SIM cards for redundancy purposes. The switching from one network to the other occurs automatically and is triggered in the event that our product loses connection with our servers and not only in the event where it loses radio connectivity to the GSM networks. The Mobile Router is also capable of monitoring a PPPOE link and will automatically dial up and re-establish connectivity (via the GSM Data network) in the event that the PPPOE link goes offline.

What sets the ConnectNet Mobile Router apart from its competitors:

• Pricing – very competitive and flexible tariffs
• Fully managed system allows for
• Remote diagnostics
• Remote system configuration changes
• Bandwidth usage monitoring and management
• Excessive bandwidth usage notifications
• System redundancy
• multiple secure hosting facilities;
• Multiple Private APNs connected to the GSM Data Networks; and
• Dual SIM and Automatic switchover in event of network failure (Core or Radio network)
• Radius Servers, authenticate the connections, allowing for remote incoming connections and remote management.
• Security
• Integrated firewall on Mobile Router;
• Fully managed and restricted core network firewall
• If required, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) may be established;
• Monitor and back up PPPOE links;
• Additional functionality:
• Dynamic Naming Services (DNS) client; and
• Port forwarding, including Nating (Masquerading).

Concorde Solutions formed in 1999 is a privately owned company with a clear focus on credit and debit card transaction processing.  Among the products supported by the technical expertise and processing facilities of Concorde is a range of EFT (electronic funds transfer) products in conjunction with major South African banks, Point of Sale Vendors and the international transaction software supplier, TradeRoot Africa.

Benefits of the integrated solution include:

• Speed of Service: Utilising your existing ADSL line, the speed of each card transaction dramatically improves from around 15 – 30 seconds to 2 seconds.  This allows you to reduce queuing time, process sales faster and provide an improved experience for your customers.

• Reduction in staff error and card fraud: All transactions are initiated in the Micros Point of Sale and cashiers do not have to enter sales amounts twice, which are slow and can result in time consuming errors.

• Real-Time Authorisation: All transactions are authorised by the bank in real time, resulting in the reduction of card fraud.  No floor limits and hot card file downloads required as you may have in your current system.

The transaction switching mechanism has been accredited by the Commercial banks and EMV (EuroPay, MasterCard & VISA/ chip and PIN).  The integrated real time switching system is achieved by installing Concorde software onto the POS server and linking bank pin entry devices via the network.  The pin pads are connected to the network by means of the Multenet PocketPad and to date Concorde has installed close to 500 PocketPads throughout South Africa.

Concorde feels that Multenet has become an essential component to the Concorde product and have been delighted with the excellent service and quality product provided by Multenet. Concorde plans to roll out another 500 merchants in 2009 using the Concorde EFT solution.

For further information regarding the Concorde solution please email info@concorde-sa.co.za or call: +27 860 103 639

For more information on the Multenet product range please contact please email sales@multenet.com or call: +27 21 882 8811

As technology advanced, it became possible to remotely monitor systems by means of traditional fixed line data systems. However, utilizing fixed lines for remote monitoring and measurement is expensive and in some cases where sites are located in very remote geographical locations, not an option.

Over the past few years the cost of wireless GSM GPRS data network services has made data communication across GSM networks affordable, opening up telemetry to a much wider audience. M2M (Machine-to-machine) applications across GSM GPRS data networks are now a viable option.

Some of these applications include:

• Control and monitoring of machines.
• Measuring of pressure, heat sensors.
• Weather monitoring.
• Control of signs and other road side traffic equipment.
• Access Control systems.
• Measurement of electrical substations.

To enable multiple devices to connect to GSM, a gateway is required, which acts as a point of entry/exit to and from your remote sites and machines. The Multenet Mobile Router provides the platform when connecting to remote sites. Low cost and easy to implement, the Mobile Router is a robust and secure cellular router offering connectivity at a low cost. An integrated GSM GPRS/EDGE module provides connectivity to the cellular networks, a serial interface provides connectivity for legacy serial equipment such as PLCs, and RTUs, and a Ethernet interface allows access to any Ethernet enabled devices over the existing Ethernet network.

For more information please contact:
Multenet Technologies
Tel: +27 21 882 8811 fax +27 21 882 8825

After an Eskom-funded project used the Multenet Router to monitor and control electricity usage of irrigation pumps in Mpumalanga, the latest killer app of the Multenet Broadband Router is CCTV.

Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) uses video cameras for surveillance. It is one of the most outstanding deterrents in the fight against burglaries, fraud and all other illicit activities.

CCTV has for a long time been out of reach for anyone but the major corporations, due to the high cost of equipment. And because of the equally high cost of data transmission, the technology has been confined to localised implementations.

In recent years much has changed, thanks to better video compression technologies and the advancement, availability and reduced cost of transmission mediums. Thanks to the advent of GSM data, it is now viable to deploy CCTV across remote sites for monitoring from a central location.

It can also be up and running in record times, as cellular technologies allow for wireless connectivity and high-speed data transmission at affordable costs. In situations where a temporary deployment of CCTV is needed, or physical telephone lines aren’t available, or the speed of deployment is the deciding factor, CCTV systems are best connected across the cellular GSM network.

The Multenet Broadband Cellular Router supporting HSDA takes timely advantage of these advances in an innovative package.

The router features multi-network, multi-protocol and multi-operator redundancy, so that CCTV surveillance is never down.

It interfaces to your CCTV equipment via Ethernet, and with its embedded GSM modem module provides high-speed connectivity to the cellular network, enabling you to connect to your equipment remotely from anywhere with an Internet connection.

The Multenet Broadband Router is available now. For more information, visit the Wireless Routers Product Page

There are many factors that influence a service like DSL. It’s a virtual certainty that you will experience Internet downtime at one time or another, so it makes sense to have more than one Internet gateway for backup when your connection goes down. The Multenet Broadband Router with 3G HSDPA and PPPoE (Point-To-Point Protocol over Ethernet) support provides dual-protocol Internet redundancy to companies who depend on the Internet.

Redundancy is merely the ability to switch to a backup service when the primary service goes down. 3G HSDPA is one means of achieving backup, providing high speed connections capable of supporting a company’s data communications while the primary services are restored. PPPoE is another. Multenet’s Broadband Router supports both.

Even with more than one Internet connection (for example DSL and 3G HSDPA), it can be a cumbersome task to reconfigure the devices that provide connectivity. Having a router that supports both services allows you to connect via the same router to your current DSL connection or cellular data service when your primary connection goes down.

The Multenet Broadband Router’s support for PPPoE and HSDPA allows it to act as an all-in-one redundant gateway, providing support for ADSL connectivity and automated fail-over to the GSM network, which not only simplifies configuration, but also brings down the cost of redundancy.

View the Broadband Router poduct page here