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Absolute Software > Case Studies > NetMotion Mobility® Slashes AT&T’s Expenses, Cuts Workforce Overtime by 50%

NetMotion Mobility® Slashes AT&T’s Expenses, Cuts Workforce Overtime by 50%

Technology Category

Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems

Applicable Industries

Telecommunications

Applicable Functions

Field Services

Use Cases

Remote Asset Management

Services

System Integration

The Challenge

AT&T, a global telecommunications giant, was facing a significant challenge with its field engineers. The company's traditional Virtual Private Network (VPN) was frequently dropping connections, causing engineers to repeatedly log in multiple times a day. This issue was leading to a surge in helpdesk calls and overtime requirements. The inability to maintain a stable connection to the corporate network was hindering the productivity of the field engineers and delaying the completion of work orders. The company needed a solution that would ensure continuous and reliable network connectivity for its field personnel.

About The Customer

AT&T is the largest telecommunications company in the world, serving a customer base of over 130 million. The company employs tens of thousands of field engineers who play a crucial role in providing customer service. These field engineers are equipped with specialized mobile devices to carry out their tasks. However, they were facing chronic network connectivity issues that were hampering their productivity and increasing the company's expenses. The company was also experiencing a rise in helpdesk calls and overtime costs due to these connectivity issues.

The Solution

AT&T turned to NetMotion for their Mobility Mobile Performance Management software. The software was designed specifically for mobile environments, unlike their traditional VPN. AT&T started with a small pilot to test the software against their requirements. The pilot demonstrated the software's superior ability to maintain continuous, reliable connections even in challenging network conditions. Following the successful pilot, AT&T deployed the software to nearly 40,000 field engineers. The engineers' Panasonic Toughbooks were configured for cellular data and Wi-Fi access over the AT&T network through either an embedded Novatel or Qualcomm modem. The software's single login gave engineers seamless access for the entire workday, allowing them to use any combination of networks, roam freely between them, cross gaps in coverage, and suspend-and-resume their devices without losing sessions, repeating logins or managing their connections.

Operational Impact

The implementation of NetMotion Mobility software significantly improved the user experience for AT&T's field personnel. The software's advanced data-reducing compression technologies enabled bandwidth-intensive applications such as voice-over-IP or streaming video to work flawlessly. Consistent connectivity also ensured that devices were always up-to-date with security patches, new drivers, and application updates. The field engineers were able to focus on their jobs and serve customers better than ever. They were no longer frustrated with their mobile technology and were able to take on an additional two jobs each day, significantly reducing the delays in resolving issues for customers.

Quantitative Benefit