NetBin

Optimising Waste Collection

Caburn Telecom connects FarSite Communications’ global NetBin fill level monitoring system.

Far site communications – NetBin’s system

Smart waste containers stream data to civic teams, reducing cost and optimising collection routing.

The NetBin fill level monitoring system, from FarSite Communications, allows civic authorities throughout the world to reduce cost by optimising waste collection schedules. The system provides timely warnings when bins are full, enabling intelligent route planning and making unsightly overflows a thing of the past.

“The oversight and control that Caburn M2M Insight offers mean we can diagnose and fix any SIM or data-related issues swiftly and easily. In addition to a high-quality connectivity solution from Caburn Telecom, the technical support we’ve received has been excellent. The team’s been really helpful right from the start. Professional and friendly, they respond quickly to every query.”

Netbin logo

Project Type:

Waste Monitoring Services

Location:

Global

Challenges:

Providing global multi-network services in support of waste monitoring and associated devices as an integrated service.

Solution:

A connectivity package which allied with the range of services needed.

Result:

The successful deployment of innovative waste management solutions and services.

"The oversight and control that Caburn Insight offers means we can diagnose and fix any SIM or data-related issues swiftly and easily."
Lloyd Scot
Project Deployment Manager at FarSite Communications

The Challenge

Each waste container is fitted with the netBin nPod, which contains embedded ultrasonic sensors to measure variables like fill level and temperature. This data is streamed back to a central management hub over a wireless network. The whole system relies on reliable and unbroken connectivity to give civic teams meaningful real-time information.

The nPod is designed to provide reliable measurement, regardless of waste container type. The unit can be securely mounted on the side wall of most containers to avoid the incoming garbage, ensuring the sensors remain in an optimal position for consistent and accurate readings. Highly durable, the nPod can be deployed in the most unforgiving operational environments.

Lloyd Scott, project deployment manager at FarSite Communications explains: “Consistent, timely measurements and the unique design of the nPod give customers a great deal of trust in netBin, the other big factor in ensuring a reliable service is the SIM card within each nPod. System users rely on an unbroken stream of measurements from every unit. Coverage and connectivity play a very important role in maintaining this ongoing data feed. In addition, the ability to manage tariffs and diagnose data issues is a further requirement.”

FarSite needed a connectivity partner with consistent global coverage provision, to best support its growing international customer base.

The Solution

After coming across Caburn Telecom’s offering at an industry conference, FarSite was attracted to the tariff flexibility as well as its proprietary SIM management platform, Caburn M2M Insight.

After positive initial conversations the companies agreed an initial pilot scheme to provide micro SIM cards and connectivity for around 100 waste units.

The Results

After a smooth setup and integration phase, the pilot scheme quickly proved successful – delivering reliable and uninterrupted data connectivity from waste units to end user management teams. FarSite now use thousands of Caburn SIMs, all around the world.

Lloyd continues: “The Caburn Telecom solution provides a powerful combination of connectivity and control for our end users. Civic teams can rely on reliable data streaming from the micro SIM cards inside our nPod units to optimise waste collection routing and schedules. The cost-effective, flexible tariff setup means we’ve been able to improve our pricing against competitors, especially for trial and proof-of-concept work. It’s definitely strengthened our overall offering and helped us win new customers.”

In addition, FarSite can now closely manage customer SIM estates through the intuitive Caburn M2M Insight platform, allowing the team to deepen the technical support it can offer clients. Individual SIM cards can be grouped by tariff and tagged with extra contextual information, such as location. Data and performance information is displayed in real time, and support teams can use the platform to activate new cards, change tariffs and suspend SIMs as needed.

Lloyd concludes: “The oversight and control that Caburn M2M Insight offers means we can diagnose and fix any SIM or data-related issues swiftly and easily. In addition to a high-quality connectivity solution from Caburn Telecom, the technical support we’ve received has been excellent. The team’s been really helpful right from the start. Professional and friendly, they respond quickly to every query.”

FarSite Communications has been developing high-performance wide area network (WAN) communications products for over 20 years, and now boasts a global customer base.

The company has used this experience and knowledge to develop the netBin fill level monitoring system, designed to help civic leadership reduce costs and improve efficiency. The Netbin System contains the following modules:


NetBin Hub
A web-based application designed to centralize decision making, waste route creation and data analysis.
NetBin NTAG
Enables autonomous real-time collection notifications using smart Bluetooth and FarSite’s INSPECTOR app.
NetBin NPOD
Robust, in-container monitoring device containing variable-angle dual ultrasonic sensors.
NetBin Analyser
Excel-based analysis tool for incoming and historical waste container data.
 
NetBin NLOK
Highly secure and reliable access control solution for textile collection banks.
NetBin Collect
A smartphone app used by collections vehicle operatives to receive jobs from netBin Hub. Drivers can also report back to headquarters, providing updates on collection status.