Want To Improve Utility Service Reliability? Start By Choosing More Reliable Mobile Computers

By Bob Ashenbrenner, Xplore

Utilities are among the most data-reliant industries today, with the quality of their services heavily dependent on real-time insight into system demand and asset performance. That is why the utility sector has been one of the most reliant on mobile computing technologies for the last 20+ years.

Tablets, handhelds, and 2-in-1 laptops are used in multiple applications out in the field and inside the four walls of plants and other facilities to help utilities collect, distribute, analyze and act upon real-time data. They are a primary enabler of intelligence distribution between IT and operational technology (OT) systems and people. And though perceived as commonplace in today’s enterprise environments, the game-changing role that mobile computers play in daily utility operations should not be underestimated as more advanced data systems come online. Nor should the value of truly rugged mobile computers be discounted. That is because there a direct correlation remains between utilities’ performance and the performance of mobile devices used to monitor, analyze and control utility operations.