March 2006 - Plumbing & HVAC

E-Businessexpensive, trade versions or less expensive“throw-away” models. Some wirelessproviders will lease the equipmentas part of a package.Technicians at HTS Engineering werealready using laptop computers to diagnoseequipment, reported Cowl. Addinga $350 ‘air card’ allowed connection tothe wireless network. However, he plansto upgrade to handheld computers thatwill include bar code readers. His technicianswill bar code customers’ equipmentto provide quick access to the servicehistory in future visits.Air cards are available for less than a$100 when purchased as part of a threeyearcontract, noted Leo Tang, directorof channel and alliance managementfor Bell Mobility.All of these devices still work when atechnician leaves the wireless coveragearea, he added.“If a technician goes five storeysdown to service a boiler, it’s unlikelythat they would have access to a wirelessnetwork. But it doesn’t matter, becausethey can still use the wireless applicationto input information. When theygo back up to the ground floor, theinformation can be sent...” said Tang.Some units – all MIKE System hand-The solution was a two-screen systemwith wireless on one and the officesystem on the other. This allowed theservice co-coordinator to drag informationbetween the two.Wireless networksThree companies offer wireless coverageto more than 90 percent of Canada’spopulated areas – Rogers Wireless, BellMobility and Telus.Wireless charges have dropped 25 to30 percent on average over the past fouryears, reports Tang. The shift to digitalnetworks has created systems that areup to 70 times faster than the analogversions they replaced.Costs vary depending on the size ofthe contractor and the equipment theyuse. On a hosted service, the monthlyfee can be relatively low – as little as$125 per month for the RogersmForms system, for example.And that makes wireless technologyworth a second look for all the contractorsthat walked away because ofthe price in years past.“The concern of the owner is nolonger what the technology can dofor them. It’s more that, as they see itmore and more in the wider world,they are going to realize this is theway they have to go,” remarkedOpalchuk.Back in his office, Cowl can view anyjob site information that the techniciansput into their computers.Drop-down forms on the technician’shandheld computer can make theinput of job site information a simple“multiple-choice”.sets, for example – incorporate GlobalPositioning Systems (GPS), allowing thedispatcher to locate technicians with aglance at a map on a computer screen.HTS Engineering ran into difficultyin setting up its service coordinators.With only one computer screen, theyfound themselves constantly flippingback and forth between back-office andwireless systems. That proved a real nuisance,reported Cowl.That’s the cash value of the Home Depot ® Gift Card you can receive when you purchaseor lease an eligible new GM truck, van, or SUV through the Business Choice program.The choice is yours: you receive a $500 Gift Card from Home Depot, so you can choose thetools and equipment that are needed for your specific commercial application, whetherit’s for your vehicle, your facilities, or your job site. The right choice – Business Choice.500Visit fleet.gmcanada.com or call 1-800-866-0313 for more information.The entire gift card amount may be used for purchases only.No cash back is given on any unused amount.®Home Depot is a registered trademark of Home Depot Inc.An air card is used to connect a laptopto a wireless network.Circle Number 113 for More Informationwww.plumbingandhvac.ca February/March 2006 – Plumbing & HVAC Product News 13