About Mindme
Mindme offers a safety net for individuals seeking independent living but requiring assistance. They provide wearable/portable devices to elderly and vulnerable people that include features such as an SOS call service and location tracking. While they don’t manufacture the devices themselves, they customise the software to align with customer requirements. Mindme’s real USP lies in the design and development of their monitoring platform, which manages all alert functions itself. So, if an undesirable event occurs, a perimeter restriction is activated for example, the platform will notify the caregiver by SMS, phone or email.
Mindme’s customers are a combination of end users and corporate clients such as housing associations, local authorities and health service providers. Whilst operations are currently limited to the UK, the devices are compatible with European markets and there are plans to expand into Europe and the US. As pioneers in their field, they were the first company to utilise a roaming SIM in a GPS device.
Challenge
Cellular connectivity plays a crucial role in Mindme’s service offering and platform, enabling caregivers to receive important information such as the wearer’s geographical location and battery level. On the Alarm device, users can also trigger an SOS call to speak to an ARC (Alarm Receiving Centre).
Mindme’s mission is to empower elderly and vulnerable individuals to live independently, knowing that help is just a button press away. This independence extends beyond their homes, allowing them to safely venture out. The use of GPS technology ensures that help can reach them when needed, while remaining discreet and unobtrusive.
Historically, the main alternative has been home alarm systems connected to landlines. Devices were connected to receiver boxes via radio, limiting the distance individuals could go before losing connectivity. Roaming SIMs enable the devices to operate independently, eliminating the need for physical phone lines or reliance on other devices. Caregivers have peace of mind knowing they have access to perimeter alerts, breadcrumb trails, and/or identification of movement patterns over time.
The company’s primary concern was to achieve maximum coverage and reliability, ensuring uninterrupted uptime. Given that their devices can be a matter of life and death, it is crucial to have the ability to connect and receive data from the devices from anywhere in the UK. Similarly, the availability of voice capability is critical for the alarm devices.
Solution
The connectivity solution provided by Wireless Logic offers roaming SIMs that support voice, SMS, and data services. With private fixed connectivity, there is no need for a VPN (Virtual Private Network) for secure communication. Our SIMs ensure coverage throughout the entire UK, allowing seamless connectivity wherever the devices are used. Data volumes are relatively small so 2G technology is sufficient to deliver quick and reliable data transmission.
Mindme utilise aggregated voice services to efficiently manage SOS calls to the ARC. This consolidation removes the need of applying a voice allowance to each device, that is not consistently used by all customers. If the pooled usage threshold is exceeded, Wireless Logic’s connectivity management portol – SIMPro – will alert Mindme, prompting them to investigate.
Additionally, we provide an API that integrates with the monitoring platform, enabling smooth communication and data exchange between devices and our system.
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Outcome
The most significant advantage to Mindme, to partnering with Wireless Logic, is the extensive coverage and reliability of services, ensuring that their customers can rely on their devices with confidence. Mindme has a significant user base spread across various cities and locations throughout the country. However, signal strength can be inconsistent in areas like Scotland and the South West, making the 2G data network with roaming capabilities highly valuable.
Price and customer support are significant factors for Mindme, and we have been able to create a tailored package that suits their requirements, encompassing a balanced mix of voice minutes, SMS, and data across multiple networks.
In the coming months, we will be working together to further leverage the platform API further, as it will enable Mindme to move beyond the web interface and achieve better integration.
In the past, we have used at least one other SIM provider before switching to Wireless Logic. The decision was driven by better pricing and, more importantly, improved customer support. When a company starts creating barriers that hinder customers from accessing support conveniently, it often results in a decline in support quality