AT&T Beefs Up Mobility Strategy With New Fleet Management Offering For Partners

AT&T is continuing to tap solution providers as the drivers of its mobility and Internet of Things strategy. The carrier this week rolled out a new fleet and mobile workforce management offering to AT&T Partner Exchange members.

AT&T's Fleet Complete is a GPS-based management offering that combines asset tracking and mobile connectivity. Solution providers can choose between five "prepackaged" options, plug the solution into their own offerings, and resell it to their end customers, according to Sue Galvanek, vice president of AT&T's Partner Exchange program.

"Fleet management will help solution providers capitalize on the mobility and IoT opportunities in front of them," Galanek told CRN. "Putting this [offering] in the hands of our solution providers … will help drive more incremental revenue for their businesses."

[Related: AT&T Builds On Its Network On Demand Platform, Adds NFV Managed Service]

Pavo Communications, a solution provider and AT&T partner, participated in AT&T’s Fleet Complete trial. Pavo Communications’ vice president of business development, Douglas Riewski, called it a ’total home run.’

’We see instant opportunities to have new discussions with customers around this product. In addition to helping them better connect and manage their workforce, we can also help them connect and manage their things – from vehicles to assets in the field,’ Riewski said. ’The more things we can connect and capture data from, the more business insights we can derive and the more value we can deliver.’

Partners have five options to choose from with Fleet Complete. Fleet Tracker is a tool that provides vehicle diagnostic data in real time. This can help businesses cut fuel and insurance-related costs, as well as help reduce their carbon footprint. Asset Tracker tracks location and manages high-value assets, such as heavy machinery, said Jack Laskowitz, director of product development at AT&T.

The Dispatch tool tracks mobile workers, and can be paired with AT&T's Enhanced Push-To-Talk service for workers on the move, especially those in the hospitality, industrial and construction verticals. Resource Tracker is a cloud-based app that allows dispatchers to send information and jobs to mobile workers based on their geographic position. Finally, Hours of Service is a feature that can automate and digitally track driver hours, which will become a compliance requirement by the end of next year by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Laskowitz said.

"Fleet Complete gives partners options in how they can best deliver value to their customers," he said. "Being able to equip our solution providers with integrated solutions so they can spend more time talking to customers about how they can provide positive business outcomes is a win-win."

Pavo Communications used Fleet Complete to help one of its limousine and transportation clients to wirelessly track, monitor and manage its vehicles and drivers in real time, Riewski said. The provider integrated the Dispatch feature within its client’s workflow, which has helped the transportation company more accurately estimate the arrival of its vehicles and inform customers of potential delays, he said.

’Our client benefited from constant visibility of their fleet operations. Insight into the condition of their vehicles has also enabled them to better schedule routine preventive maintenance,’ Riewski said.

By breaking Fleet Complete into five options, its gives solution providers a chance to dip their toe into the Internet of Things, AT&T's Galvanek said.

"We wanted to continue our leadership in enabling mobility in the channel, and we believe that in a world where everything is becoming mobile, our strategic solution providers want to take advantage of the opportunities that this mobilization of business is presenting," she said.

Dallas-based AT&T also this week introduced AT&T Collaborate, a hosted voice and collaboration offering. This latest portfolio addition includes cloud-based voice, collaboration, and contact center tools that will be available to AT&T's Alliance Channel partners, the carrier's partner program that targets telecom agent partners.

Meanwhile, AT&T competitor Verizon unveiled plans to acquire Irish fleet and mobile management company Fleetmatics Group for $2.4 billion earlier this month.