About Skratch AV
Established in 2004, Skratch AV are industry leaders for innovation and installations of Audio Visual and digital signage. Specialising in AV screens, bespoke installations, maintenance and support, they have worked with companies across the retail sector, including big household names.
Opportunity
Skratch AV were approached by a leading supermarket to provide 75” digital totems for digital advertising within their stores. The supermarket required a bespoke build with a complete managed solution. The digital advertising boards were for 300 stores across the UK and required 24/7 connectivity.
Challenge
Due to the scale of the opportunity, Skratch AV had to source reliable connectivity that could be rapidly deployed across the country. As well as working to a tight deadline, it was also necessary to find a solution that offered control and management of the connectivity across the different sites.
The Solution
The Jola solution offered a complete connectivity package, including routers, eSIMs and access to Mobile Manager, an online management portal for ordering and managing estates of SIMs and eSIMs.
Jola is a global IoT MVNO, providing the UK’s first multi-network eSIM to the channel, offering the best possible service in any location. To ensure complete coverage, Jola proposed 4G aggregated eSIMs for un-steered, multi-network roaming connectivity with all four UK mobile networks.
The eSIMs are all managed within Mobile Manager, which handles SIM and eSIM activations, ceases, suspensions, reports and bolt-ons. Skratch AV chose Jola eSIMs over Jola’s standard multi-network SIMs because they offered flexibility and better value for money. They also have a UK IP address, which made it easier for Skratch AV to transmit data to their own UK based reporting portal.
Jola recommended Intelligent 4G Routers. The routers are suitable for mobile broadband and large scale IoT roll outs. Devices are pre-configured with the Jola App, allowing auto-configuration. As a result, there was no need for manual configuration on site; the routers were delivered to store, ready to install, saving valuable time and set-up costs.
To bolster security, Jola preconfigured a security measure into the devices, to prevent a third party accessing the routers. A firewall was implemented to restrict WiFi connected devices from reaching the router management interface, whilst leaving the router able to reach the internet. A second ethernet interface was enabled for management of the router, now the only way to access the router GUI is via a connected LAN cable. To ensure that the router was not receiving constant connection requests by third parties over WiFi, Jola hid the SSID.
Outcome
Jola provided a complete and secure mobile data connectivity solution, including multi-network data eSIMs and pre-configured 4G intelligent routers. The data is managed within Mobile Manager.
As a result, Skratch AV were able to commit to a fast deployment across the UK. They could provide reliable, digital display units that operate 24/7 across 300 different stores. Pre-configured routers and additional security features provide reassurance that the digital signage displays are protected from 3rd party access to the router and that any necessary changes in the future can be carried out remotely.
Follow-up
Selecting Jola pre-configured 4G Intelligent Routers verses manual configuration has offered Skratch AV a future-proof solution that has allowed the supermarket to upscale the original project. Manual configuration costs between £35 and £50 per router and can take around an hour, per router, to action. Jola also built custom apps on the routers to enable Skratch AV to manage multiple and overlapping SSID addresses and security. Site surveys costing typically £125 – £250 per visit are negated using multi-network SIMs. Without these additional costs, Skratch AV had a more competitive and differentiated offering, and the supermarket chain now has over 1100 routers in action across the UK.