We recently sat down with longtime IP Access International partner, Ground Control to discuss their role in the VSAT world. Jeff Staples, CEO of Ground Control, offers his perspective on future communications challenges, how IP Access International has helped expand their business, and all things Tougshsat.
IP Access: Please describe Ground Control and its role in the VSAT marketplace.
Staples: Ground Control has found its place in the market by being a one-stop shop for a wide variety of different satellite solutions. Our primary focus is on our auto-deploy Ku-Band antennas ā the Toughsat, and in particular the Toughsat Flyaway. What we feel makes us unique is our ability to bring together the hardware and the IP Access Select Network to our customer base. With our capabilities at Ground Control and our experience with networks we have been able to be a single point of support for our end users. With one call, they get to talk to the manufacturer and the people that can actually troubleshoot the network.
IPA: Ground Control has raised the bar in the VSAT community by maintaining a staff trained and knowledgeable about our network in addition to their hardware. Their day to day support team and higher level engineering expertise affords them a level of troubleshooting access that not everyone has.
IP Access: What drives your decision to partner with IP Access International?
Staples: There are a number of things that really have cemented our partnership with IP Access. All partnerships must have trust, cooperation and a high level of communication. Their culture is one of community and the ecosystem that they have created with their partners, customers and employees has made it a conducive environment to prosper in a competitive niche industry. Now, all of those things are great, but if you donāt have the skills and product to follow them up you donāt have much from a business perspective. Their network is second to none in the industry and they look to innovate whereas others in our space seem to keep running out with the same services ā or try and play catch up.
IP Access: Tell us about the Toughsat Flyaway. What is driving the high demand behind this product?
Staples: Ground Control was born out of the consumer RV grade antennas and service. In fact, our Founder, Mark Wright, pioneered the inexpensive RV/Consumer grade antenna years ago. When you work with that customer base it is vital that the product is cost sensitive and just as important, it is easy to use. In our transition to Commercial/Government grade equipment, we kept that same mindset of simplicity and affordability. We still have the one button deployment, the instant hot spot, user interface and one of our most valuable assets is our equipmentās ability to log all antenna diagnostics. This allows our end users and our staff to quickly troubleshoot any potential issue without having technicians on site.
The Flyaway itself is our traditional vehicle/trailer mounted antenna ā just in a custom case. What this does is allow the user to use it on the ground, plus mount it on a vehicle for extended periods of time. Having a versatile antenna that can be shared amongst agencies or departments has all but eliminated the need to permanently install these on vehicles.
Lastly, our antenna pricing is attractive to not only business, but governments that may be on tight budgets and/or have limited funding.
IP Access: Tell us more about Ground Control’s Dual Matrix Controller. How does it leverage IP Access International’s Select Network to better serve GC customers?
Staples: This is one of those features that I remember its inception ā which was on a partner brainstorming session with IP Access. Bryan told me about a potential second network and it just made sense to modify our controller to add a single satellite switching mechanism that didnāt require the user to have to perform multiple functions ā no scrolling, searching or multiple button routines. Our controller is able to move the satellite to the secondary satellite at will without any complex reacquisition movements.
IP Access: Ground Control has acquired an extensive RedPHONE community.Ā Why do you think customers are so interested in this solution?
Staples: Our users live a life of asking the question ā āWhat if?ā Our product and the IP Access network is a fantastic tool for anyone that needs an Internet connection. But what if the Internet, that we rely on once our traffic completes the satellite hop, canāt complete its journey due to any number of catastrophic events? Our voice and data traffic have nowhere to go and our users are dark. The Red Phone gives them the ability to connect with other Emergency Responders all across the country. In times of need ā having a voice, any voice, on the other side allows them another layer of redundant communication. I guess you can look at it from a parachuterās point of view. You have the infrastructure in place for your main chute, why not add a backup ā one you hope never to use, but one you have when you need it.
IP Access: What makes Ground Controlās partnership with IP Access International so unique?
Staples: Again ā at the end of the day you have to work with people that build their business on cooperation and trust. In this industry we have to prove ourselves every day to our customers and potential customers. Knowing you have people that have your back and people that are looking to improve at every level gives us the confidence to know we are selling the best complete solution on the market.
IP Access: In your opinion, what is the number one challenge facing our communication customers in the year ahead and how do you plan to provide a solution?
Staples: Choices, preparation and integration ā I realize that is not just one problem, but hopefully this will serve those not only looking for solutions, but for those who already have equipment.
Choices – What I mean by that is these days it can get daunting to be able to evaluate, compare and move forward with a provider. Our industry has been somewhat notorious for prematurely marketing the next great thing while in reality, it could be years away. Someone that is new to the technology and is looking to add these valuable services to their arsenal, being able to navigate the options can be difficult. People will focus on one metric or one specification when in fact, you have to be able to do a full needs assessment to properly choose a system that is right for them. All too often we are contacted by people that bought things that they come to find out, did not really meet their complete needs. So, we feel that with our experience, we are able to properly dial in the proper setup based on the customerās needs. With Puerto Rico and the other mainland storms, we ran into many agencies and customers that have been looking into satellite for years but had yet to pull the trigger because they had so many conflicting options. So one ā being able to consult clients to get into a solution, with confidence, and give them the ability to communicate prior to when the next emergency happens.
Second – once solutions are in place, actually testing and preparing with the technology will not only be a problem for 2018, but has historically been a recurring issue. All too often time and effort is spent on solution acquisition and then after receipt and training, the momentum falls off. Equipment gets stored for a rainy day, new personnel is added and over time you can lose those internal champions of the solution. Fast forward to the emergency deployment and a number of potential problems could arise ā they donāt know where their equipment is, they forget to order service, they miss an update (which are minimal ā but could be crucial two years later) and then they find themselves unable to communicate. So developing a recurring internal training program with the staff and with us ā which we offer as an ongoing value added service to ensure everyone is on board and comfortable with deployment.
Lastly ā A hot topic lately is integration with other services. LTE networks are robust and being used by the vast majority of our clients. Band 14 will also come in and offer yet another form of redundancy for Emergency Responders. With various services available, it is crucial that customers are able to minimize cost and maximize performance. Again, as we saw in Puerto Rico, the cost of being in the dark for one day pales in comparison to the cost of backup solutions. Many companies/agencies are turning to multiple forms of primary and backup solutions. Making them all seamlessly work together is key in 2018. We have solutions coming this year that will bring all of their networks together and create portable hot spots in any part of country, leveraging multiple networks ā all battery operated. How cool will it be to have one solution that is the size of a briefcase that gives you a wireless HotSpot for LTE/Band 14/Satellite/Terrestrial ā all battery operated and one touch operation!
IP Access: What should we expect from Ground Control going forward?
Staples: As a full-service company, we are always looking at ways to supplement our products and services with the mindset of not just moving boxes around. We support and service everything we sell so it is important that we take the time to understand how all of these products operate and how to best consult our customers to make the correct decisions. We will continue to bring innovation to the industry and maintain our model of price sensitivity, ease of use, single source support and integrity.
To learn more:Ā http://www.groundcontrol.com/flyaway-mobile.htm