PatrolPC^® RhinoTab^® supports FirstNet™ with Sierra Wireless EM Series module

Quick Facts

Company

PatrolPC
www.patrolpc.com

Customer Profile

PatrolPC® is a US-based manufacturer of UltraRugged^™ touch screen RhinoTab® MDTs that are optimized exclusively for Police, Fire and EMS vehicles. PatrolPC has been designing and deploying all-in-one tablet computers since 2001. The company offers a variety of customizable, ergonomically safe and officer-friendly platforms designed to fit any marked or unmarked vehicle or apparatus, and has thousands of units deployed in agencies throughout the U.S.

Solution Partner

Alpha Micro Components

Objectives

Enable FirstNet™ on existing RhinoTab platform
Ensure platform supports existing commercial networks
Accomplish goals by incorporating a single embedded module

Results

Sierra Wireless was the only vendor offering modules supporting both commercial and FirstNet™ networks
Support provided by Sierra Wireless through certification enabled PatrolPC to get to market quickly

Sierra Wireless Products & Services

EM Series module

Background

Headquartered in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, PatrolPC® is a US-based manufacturer of UltraRugged^™touch screen RhinoTab® MDTs that are optimized exclusively for Police, Fire and EMS vehicles. PatrolPC has been designing and deploying all-in-one tablet computers since 2001. The company offers a variety of customizable, ergonomically safe and officer-friendly platforms designed to fit any marked or unmarked vehicle or apparatus, and has thousands of units deployed in agencies throughout the U.S. The company sells directly to public safety agencies, and provides complete support from its offices in Massachusetts.

Challenge

PatrolPC has been providing its RhinoTab® product to public safety agencies since 2001. RhinoTab is lighter than competitive products, while offering 12-inch screens that are readable in direct sunlight, with a Bezel-Mounted Brightness Slider Control that allows convenient and quick brightness adjustments from 1200+NITS for true sunlight readability to ½ NIT for nighttime use. The product has 6 “Hot Keys” that allow first responders to pre-program those applications used most often for quick access. A built-in rugged bar-code scanner makes scanning drivers licenses quick and easy. The company also provides accessories and vehicle docks that allow quick release for use outside the vehicle.

With the recent launch of FirstNet™, the nationwide broadband network for first responders, the company recognized the need to enable FirstNet connectivity on the RhinoTab platform. Because the FirstNet network is being deployed in phases, PatrolPC realized that the RhinoTab would need to support both FirstNet and commercial networks. Ideally, the company wanted to accomplish this by incorporating a single embedded module.

The support we received through the certification process was critical in helping us get the product to market.

David Swithers
President, PatrolPC

Solution

Sierra Wireless was the only vendor that had a single module that would support both FirstNet and either AT&T® or Verizon®. PatrolPC designers were able to quickly incorporate the new EM Series module with minor modifications to connectors and the power supply.

Once the design was complete, PatrolPC had to get operator certification on all three networks. “Network operator certification is the most time-consuming and costly part of the process, and there is a huge learning curve. Having worked with Sierra in the past, we knew we could count on getting a reliable product. The support we received through the certification process was critical in helping us get the product to market,” said David Swithers, President of PatrolPC.

PatrolPC was one of the first vendors to successfully achieve FirstNet certification, and Swithers attributes this to PatrolPC’s US-based operations. While other vendors rely on imported motherboards that cannot be quickly or easily changed, PatrolPC is able to be nimble in responding to changing requirements.

“We rely on a lot of vendors like Sierra Wireless to be experts and supply us with the tools we need, and in the case of cellular, Sierra has always supplied reliable products and support when we’ve needed it,” explained Mr. Swithers, President, PatrolPC.

Results

PatrolPC has been selling the RhinoTab with support for FirstNet since July 2019. “We’re pleased to be able to offer a FirstNet™-compatible product for our first responders, and deliver it with the same level of support that we’ve always offered”, said Swithers, President, PatrolPC.

“We’re selling a tool that helps first responders do their jobs so it’s critical that it just works,” said Swithers. “Most first responders don’t care about the specs – they care that it does what they need it to do. We take pride in our ability to advise our clients with the best product for their needs, and to provide technical support from within the US. 95% of our support calls involve troubleshooting other vendor’s hardware and software but we do it because we know how critical our product is to keeping first responders connected and safe.”

We rely on vendors like Sierra Wireless to be experts and supply us with the tools we need, and Sierra has always supplied reliable products and support when we’ve needed it.

David Swithers
President, PatrolPC