Frequently Asked Questions

We are asked questions all the time about our software and our delivery and business model, which we will regularly capture and update here.

Q: How is your offering different from other vendors in the industry?
A: Most of the vendors in the industry are Application Service Providers (ASP's), hosting the application, providing access via the web, and charging customers "by the drink". That is, they usually will charge up front for the GPS/communications hardware and then a monthly fee per vehicle for the software that is higher or lower depending upon functionality, information provided, reports, etc.

OnTerra's offering is LICENSED and installed at your site, which means you pay once for the software and use it indefinitely. You have the option of paying an annual fee for technical support and software updates if you so choose.

Q: Is one approach better than the other?
A: Not really. Either approach is good and is entirely dependent upon the customer's situation and need. We just happen to like the approach that gives customers more control over their software operation.

Q: In what situation is OnTerra's approach the right one for us?
A: OnTerra's approach is a good fit for you if some of the following characteristics apply to you:

You have a solid IT environment with some Microsoft servers
You have other data (GIS, employee, etc.) or applications (dispatch, etc.) you wish to integrate
You have a wide variety of communications needs. We can support cellular, RF, HF, satellite, or any mixture thereof.
You use a wide variety of GPS modems and don't want to be locked into a proprietary brand modem (as is offered by many ASP's)
You have a need to contain monthly ad infinitum costs
You would like to tailor the solution to your specific needs as opposed to force-fitting a hosted application

Q: Does your application send alerts?
A: We support a variety of alerts via a variety of methods. We have standard alerts such as inside/outside geofence, speeding, idling for > x minutes, etc. We also have custom alerts that we can build quickly for you - for example, "outside of geofence for > x minutes", "need to change oil based on virtual odometer", etc.

We can deliver these alerts via email, text, pager, even instant messaging if desired!

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