OptConnect
Putting the 'Internet' in IoT

The name OptConnect is becoming a familiar name in the hugely populated tech circles today. However, it had its humble beginnings back in 2006 while still being an amateur hardware provider for ATMs. Their breakthrough incidentally came through when a telecom provider failed to show up with a mobility solution for ATMs at an event. OptConnect seized the opportunity and capitalized on the niche in the ATM mobility market and devised "The duct tape solution" as they fondly call it, which was their crude way of adapting cellular routers used to monitor oil lines, as a mobility solution for ATMs.

After their success at the event and subsequent growth in the untamed sector, OptConnect based themselves in Salt Lake City, Utah, and was finally established in 2010 as a wireless managed services firm. With customers beginning to adopt their ATM mobility solution, the firm advanced their business model, enabling customers to procure the hardware on a lease basis, at dramatically reduced costs. The devices were not only much cheaper to run but also provided better connectivity. Having refined their solutions over the years, OptConnect is now an emerging leader in machine-to-machine wireless solutions, while also providing completely managed end-to-end wireless services for ATMs, Kiosks, Digital Signage, Facility Management, Smart Safes, and many other industry sectors.

The OptConnect Experience

OptConnect gives its users a very user-friendly plug and play experience.

"If an ATM operator in the U.S. were to approach OptConnect, it's just a matter of minutes before we have identified the proper solution, the proper configuration, the right level of managed support services, and whatever data applications they may need. We can fulfill hardware [requirements on the] same day and the customer is up and running as soon as they receive that device," says Chris Baird, President of OptConnect.

One of their devices, the 'OC-4500,' is a 4G LTE modem designed for devices that communicate over IP. The 4G connection allows for greater remote ATM and remote device management. Shipped pre-programmed, the OC-4500 is truly a plug and play solution.

As OptConnect evolved with their solution, they began to see the need to provide customers with better internal processes and solutions. The natural path was through system maintenance and upgrades through ERP integration with their end-to-end service called 'Summit.' Summit also offers specific services such as monitoring and controlling the communication capabilities of ATMs remotely, wirelessly reset them, and even monitor signal strength.

The Growing Client Base

Today, the OptConnect network has over a hundred thousand customers, which translates to around $30 million in cash being dispensed from their devices every day. In one instance, OptConnect helped a smart pantry company scale their product across the San Francisco area. Most network administrators do not allow third-party providers on their network due to security concerns. As a result, OptConnect provided the company with a product called 'Neo,' a miniaturized 4G LTE gateway that uses sophisticated APIs to enable the company to integrate into their critical network. They can now see all of their information at a central location and manage that without having to troubleshoot any internet connectivity across almost all of their 2,000 pantries.

In the near future, OptConnect will continue to press for greater innovation of their hardware solutions, while also continuing to expand their technology team. As the IoT space continues to evolve, OptConnect aims to provide very finite low bandwidth, low consumption cellular routers that will provide the internet to things previously undreamt of.