Anti-kidnap child protection in small, wearable devices

MyFamily Mobile select Pod Group multi network SIMs to locate and track family members

Pod Group, the expert in multi-network data SIMs for the M2M and IoT industries, has today announced that its Best Signal Multi Network SIM cards have been selected by MyFamily Mobile for their wearable children specific voice & data messaging and smart locator anti-kidnap devices.

MyFamily Mobile offers a range of voice & data messaging and mobile personal emergency response services for families via durable and simple to operate wearable devices, controlled from any mobile, tablet or PC.

MyFamily Mobile devices use a blend of GPS, GSM, RFID and WiFi to provide the most accurate location information, indoors and out. Safe zones, or geo-fences, can be defined to alert loved ones if the boundary is crossed. In the event of a kidnap or other emergency, devices are equipped with a panic button that triggers an automatic location beacon and, if necessary, an armed response team to help recover loved ones that are in danger.

For MyFamily Mobile, the highest priority is the safety and protection of their customers’ young family members in a dangerous world. With “mission critical” tracking, when a child’s safety is at stake, reliable connectivity is crucial. This is why MyFamily Mobile has selected Pod Group’s multi network SIM cards. These SIMs can connect to several networks in each country and will automatically swap networks if the signal is lost. This is essential for the type of situations in which MyFamily Mobile tracking devices are deployed, as the wearable device is much less likely to lose coverage as it roams, even in rural areas.

MyFamily Mobile is headquartered in the UK, with operations in Nigeria, and plans to extend its services to the SADC region by Q4 2015 covering South Africa, Botswana and Malawi.

Seyi Opanubi, Co-Founder and Director of Operations and R&D said, “Pod Group’s Best Signal Multi Network SIM cards are in all the MyFamily Mobile devices our subscribers use. The SIM cards are embedded in the devices so not seen, but form the backbone upon which MyFamily Mobile has built a reliable service for our mission critical applications, from smart messaging, safe zone, breadcrumb and speed alerts to SOS response and global roaming.”

MyFamily Mobile are developing their devices on a new server platform for use in the US and Europe. With Pod Group’s flat rate US and EU data and support from a team of IoT and M2M experts, Opanubi said, “Pod Group’s technical support is key to MyFamily Mobile and Pod Group has never let us down in this area. Our subscribers have never experienced a down time even when traveling abroad. We are very happy with the quick and proactive response to queries and issues and with our mission critical operations we find the 24 hour emergency support invaluable.”

Group MD of Pod Group Charles Towers-Clark said, “MyFamily Mobile have a really interesting application with the potential to reach a huge marketplace of parents throughout Europe and the US seeking the reassurance of knowing exactly where their children are and that they are safe, even when out of sight.”

Pod Group CEO Sam Colley added, “We are very pleased to be able to provide the reliable multi network mobile connectivity needed to ensure MyFamily Mobile can continue to provide an invaluable child protection service to families in Nigeria and worldwide.”

• The Pod Group Best Signal Multi Network SIMis available now with flat-rate data across the USA and Europe.
• Case Study about My Family Mobile’s use of Pod Group SIMs
• Further information about MyFamily Mobile(link is external)

About Pod Group

Pod Group is a specialist in complete connectivity solutions tailored to Internet of Things (IoT) applications, bringing over 20 years of experience, research and innovation to the mobile connectivity market. With offices across the globe and access to 600+ networks in 185 countries, Pod Group provides global multi-network, multi-IMSI, eUICC and LPWAN connectivity solutions combined with end to end IoT security, centralized connectivity management and a hierarchical billing platform.

Press contacts:

Amy Garcia Rendle
Email: amy.garcia@podgroup.com
Skype: amygarciarendle
Phone: +44 (0) 1223 850 900