Apptricity launches 20-Mile Bluetooth beacon with up to a 90% reduction in cost of ownership
Apptricity announced the launch of its new 20-Mile Ultra Long-Range Bluetooth beacon. This new Bluetooth, from the Apptricity Development Group, is the longest-ranging secure connection on the market, with the ability to transmit data up to 20 miles outdoors and penetrate up to 20 floors indoors.
“Our new 20-Mile Ultra Range Bluetooth is a significant technology breakthrough” says Tim Garcia, CEO of Apptricity. “Many of our global customers were struggling with the range and costs of connecting most of their IoT assets, so I challenged our engineers to develop a lower cost Bluetooth tracking solution that could cover at least 10 miles.
“They exceeded expectations. We were able to pick up the signal from over 20 miles, and are working with our engineers to see how much further we can take this technology.”
To date, the only option for organizations looking to track their assets and inventory over distances of this length was to use LTE (mobile) or satellite beacons. However, while these options could work, the total operational cost constrained what was practical to connect.
The cost of ownership for the Ultra Long-Range Bluetooth Beacons is upwards of 90% less than LTE and satellite solutions.
When you evaluate indoor tracking solutions – the cost and complexity of designing and installing the digital “mesh” via edge devices and antennas is significant, and often the price of a “tight mesh” to deliver the required accuracy can be cost prohibitive.
Our Ultra-Long-range Bluetooth solves the challenge – both in the reduced complexity of the mesh and the increased savings in the total installation and operational costs. Several key industries will have direct benefits to this indoor capability – retail, medical and public sector government.
“Having been a supplier and partner of the United States Military for the past 15 years, we have been able to attract an amazingly talented technical team to create world class products.
“We are able to leverage the technology we have needed to solve the global challenges of our Military and apply those solutions to the commercial sector, helping companies like Verizon and Brinks globally track, monitor, and manage their critical assets and inventory,” Garcia adds.
The Ultra Long-Range Bluetooth Beacon is also highly configurable. Versions can be created with or without GPS, multiple battery options exist to extended life, encryption options are available, the signal can be tuned for energy savings, and other capabilities can be adjusted to create a bespoke solution for your enterprise.
Jeff Roster, ex-Gartner analyst and Leader of Apptricity’s Retail Advisory Board, stated: “The reason I joined a vendor’s organization after serving as an industry analyst for several decades was due to the fact that Apptricity met the critical criteria that I had hoped for from a vendor to solve some of the most complex challenges in the Retail sector.
“With this Bluetooth announcement, Apptricity has the capability to transform the Retail environment. This is a “game changer”.
Gary Daichendt, a board advisor to Apptricity, stated “This technology will open up not only the range of current applications but the introduction of new ones not before considered feasible. I suspect that there will be significant interest in licensing it from other vendors.”
Apptricity’s initial targeted commercial markets include cities and municipalities seeking the ability to track their ambulances, fire trucks, police cars, mobile equipment, and maintenance vehicles.
Another key industry is healthcare, as many hospitals that are looking to track their high-end, life-saving mobile equipment such as ventilators and heart monitors for quick access. Additional markets that would benefit include construction, transportation, retail, manufacturing, warehousing and distribution.
The 20-Mile Ultra Long-Range Bluetooth is an advanced Bluetooth 5 technology-the latest version of the Bluetooth wireless communication standard- to provide users with precision amplified signals. It boasts backward compatibility, a selectable range from 10 to 20 miles and includes a replaceable battery.
This revolutionary Beacon is only 1.0”X2.8”X1.8” and is approximately 2 oz. with batteries. It is viewable with Android and iPhones with the mobile Apptricity app. The 20-Mile Ultra Long-Range Bluetooth beacon will be available later this month.
“Apptricity’s 20-mile Ultra Long-Range Bluetooth beacon will be the premiere method of keeping assets secure, discoverable, trackable, and maintainable at all times – even at a great distance,” says Garcia.