Only the best at the top

The work of Eltel’s power line technicians is not suitable for wimps. Much of the work is done atop a 40-meter mast, sometimes in pouring rain, snow or sleet, and in temperatures ranging between -40 °C and +30 °C. To give the work that extra little spice, the power line has 110,000 volts running through it, when not under maintenance.

The work of Eltel’s technicians is clearly very demanding, and the tools must be able to cope. Eltel has chosen to equip its technicians with Panasonic Toughpad FZ-G1 tablets.

“Our technicians operate in very challenging circumstances. They must have equipment that can stand up to the environment,” Juhana Koli, Eltel’s Head of Workplace Services, says.

“It’s very important for us that the device withstands knocks and falls, as well as rain and other adverse conditions. Good performance, mobile functionality and battery life are also essential for our technicians’ work.”

Accessing systems from the field

In addition to power line installations, Eltel uses Panasonic Toughpad for example in the replacement and maintenance of electricity meters.  The fact that technicians can log in to both Eltel’s own systems and the customers’ systems during field work is a significant advantage.

“Data communications work very well in the Toughpad devices. We have many web applications, production systems and electronic interfaces which are utilized out in the field. On top of that, we have several large customers with systems we need to be able to access with mobile devices,” Juhana Koli says.

According to him, another significant benefit is the Toughpad FZ-G1’s ability to be converted into an office PC with the addition of a docking station, an additional display and a keyboard.

Toughpad tablets have the best features

But why choose Toughpad, when there are other rugged devices on the market as well?

“We have had a good partnership with Panasonic and Kaukomarkkinat for a long time. We have used the previous generation of ruggedized Panasonic devices for many years now,” Koli says.

“Panasonic’s devices have always proven to be reliable and durable. There are many competing devices on the market, but their components and performance are not on the same level. Moreover, the current Toughpad is important for us because it can be equipped with the Windows 7 operating system, which we use extensively in our IT systems.”

Eltel has utilized the deployment service offered by Kaukomarkkinat. Under this service, the equipment is delivered pre-installed and ready to use. The functionality of the devices and applications has been tested, so the customer gets the most out of the tablet.

Positive feedback from the technicians

Technician Jari Mäkinen also commends the Toughpad FZ-G1 on its durability and functionality.

“We carry the Toughpad tablet with us all the time, basically! It has accurate maps, and the GPS allows us to find our way. There’s less driving back and forth, as the data communications capability allows us to exchange images and other information with our back end systems,” Mäkinen says.

“This is a good and durable device! I have been in rough situations with it myself a few times, and it never missed a beat. Any old device would not last in our line of work.”