MOBILE SERVICES:
INFRASTRUCTURE, CONTENT & USABILITY

Abstract

Hyperion Systems Engineering is a Cypriot company with offices in Nicosia and Athens. It currently employs more than 80 engineers and consultants in four divisions and provides engineering and consulting services to the industry worldwide. Our activities include designing and building high quality models for dynamic simulation, advanced process control and supply chain management, providing remote support to existing models, developing and installing remotely enhancements. Although part of the work is executed in our offices, there is a substantial need for on site presence for periods of time ranging from a few days to several months. Fast and reliable access to information, voice and image is a necessity to our work.

Our telecommunication needs can be distinguished into three categories: (a) communication with servers for sending and receiving large model and data files, viewing and modifying files with data and/or graphics, viewing, selecting and downloading personal emails, and updating databases, (b) communication with colleagues working away from the office and clients for exchanging model and data files, teleconferencing using voice, graphics and image, (c) high speed access to the internet. Currently these are not always possible or easily accessible from the remote locations through LAN or VPN systems or through connection with an independent internet service provider. Additional constraints are posed by incompatible hardware connectivity requirements. 

The availability of fast, reliable, secure and cost efficient wireless communication will be an important factor for the development and growth of rapidly growing of companies with highly mobile work force. The features of a wireless telecommunication service that would interest companies like ours include access to large data graphics files and interfaces, using the mobile phone as a modem, internet access, interactive conferencing, synchronizing files across computers. Wide geographical coverage, compatibility with widely available computer platforms, high data transfer rates, high reliability and low cost are essential for the commercial application of such services.