Interview with Domenico Petrone, VIASAT GROUP President
Mr President, themarket is changing under the pressure of technological evolutions that will modify the world of public and private services. Which is the role of your company?
We have always been recognized as top players in a market that looks at technological innovation as a key factor to respond to our customers requests in terms of service improvement. Efficiency and competitiveness are the way to survive. Only in the last year, four Italian companies have been incorporated in the Group (Sherlock, Helian, Datamove and Anthea in Viasat) and one in Spain (MobileFleet in Viasat Servicios Telematicos). In the upcoming months, two companies – Emixis in Belgium and Locster in France- will be integrated in a single legal entity. A perspective that clearly expresses our desire to expand and maximize our solution ‘ecosystem’ dedicated to targets and future Smart Cities.
Assisted driving, protection and safety on board, then. What about people, companies and public administration?
An extraordinary revolution is going to embrace the field of data analysis. The Internet of Things, -with the help of 5G- will significantly impact all fields in the upcoming years and generate a huge amount of data from a variety of sensors (cars, motorcycles, bikes, homes, infrastructures, etc.). Our Urban Security solution, for instance, supports local administrations with road safety to contrast the circulation of uninsured – or unverified – vehicles; loose cannons on our streets and other services dedicated to territorial and citizen safety.
Prevention is better than cure.
Prevention is a primary topic of our Group. The first, original satellite anti-theft device was born with the idea of preventing vehicles theft and -in the unfortunate event of this happening- ensuring a rapid discovering. In the following years, further vehicle protection services have been provided; drivers assistance and safety, mechanical failure protection, prompt intervention in case of danger. In this sense, we have been forerunners of the European eCall. I like to remember how, just at the beginning of this year, the agreement between AREU (Regional Emergency Emergency Agency) and TSP Association -an organization belonging to Confindustria Digitale, of which Viasat Group is one of the founders, was renewed. Access to emergency call services is provided by NUE 112 from “Third Party Service Providers” (TPSP). A service that Viasat has been offering to its customers for several years, with insurance black boxes or satellite anti-theft devices, ensuring 24-hour assistance through the Operations Centre.
Data is a true value generator, such as the application of Artificial Intelligence for automatic, safe, efficient and sustainable mobility. What about people?
At Viasat, we do believe that sustainable development and growth cannot exist without technological innovation; we also know that people will continue to play a key role in this scenario. From this point of view, the investments to strengthen our network of European Operations Centers take great importance. Our customers can rely on 24/7 service with the help of hundreds of qualified operators who contribute to the success of our Group.