Best Practice Example for M2M
Best Practice Example for M2M: Phoenix Contact relies on the competence of the Vodafone Test & Innovation Center
As already mentioned at the beginning, Machine-to-Machine Communication is currently one of the major fields of innovation within the telecommunications sector. 
Based on a successful project realized by Vodafone's Test & Innovation Center together with its customer Phoenix Contact Deutschland GmbH, we would like to give you an idea of how the Test & Innovation Center can also support you in developing and testing such solutions.
Phoenix Contact is a worldwide market leader of electrical connectivity, electronic interface and industrial automation technology. The product range comprises modern components and system solutions for electrical engineering and electronics: Apart from a diverse range of terminal blocks and special-purpose terminals, PCB terminal blocks and plug-in connectors as well as interface and overvoltage protection modules, hardware and software systems provide extensive automation solutions.
For M2M solutions, Phoenix Contact offers industrial mobile radio modems, by means of which, for instance, it is possible to remotely steer systems and machines, carry out software updates or perform maintenance work.
With the mini-steering unitILC 150 GSM/GPRS from the provider, for example, stations that are distributed remotely or over a large area can be incorporated in the company's network - especially if no public telephone lines are available for data transmission. The GSM module Telit GE864-QUAD integrated in this unit can transmit process data, operating status reports or trouble reports across any distance to a central control unit or another mobile recipient. The mini-steering unit is programmed by means of the cost-free programming software PC WORX EXPRESS.
Such solutions are required anywhere that current information on the system operation is needed and breakdowns or error functions lead to high costs or other negative consequences. This applies, for example, in the field of production plants, with regard to water and power supply, in the oil and gas industry and in the traffic engineering or the chemical industry.
Within the scope of quality assurance and in order to guarantee the maximum operational reliability of the mobile module used, Phoenix Contact has decided to have its mini-steering unitILC 150 GSM/GPRS checked as a whole with regard to its mobile radio features in the Test & Innovation Center. For this purpose, extensive tests will be carried out with the device, which, apart from the technical features in terms of mobile radio and antenna technology, also include special M2M test criteria.
"By using Vodafone's high-capacity mobile radio network, our customers can immediately set up secure data connections practically anywhere", says graduate engineer Christoph Leifer from Phoenix Contact Electronics GmbH in this connection.
However, it is not only Phoenix Contact that can profit from the extensive experience and expertise of Vodafone's Test & Innovation Center as regards realizing its solution. We provide all our customers with this know-how.
In connection with developing M2M solutions, Vodafone's Test & Innovation Center offers workshops and training courses that focus on the interaction between the application and module (AT interface) and between the module and SIM card as well as possibilities for optimizing the antenna design.
As regards the certification of M2M solutions / devices, experience gained from operating previous solutions in the live network is taken into account and serves as a basis for testing robustness against challenges that are typical as regards mobile radio. In addition, device-specific tests are carried out on the basis of special application cases (use cases).
The use of certified M2M modules will support you in excluding avoidable problems with hardware from the outset and in choosing the most appropriate data solution direct from the start. The growing list of modules that are already certified is provided at http://www.vodafone.de/testing/wireless-module-terminal-testing.html.