Vianet Connect CCTV service could save industry £500m

Story link: Vianet Connect CCTV service could save industry £500m by Jan Harris

Vianet, which recently launched ‘Connect’, the world’s first mobile CCTV service which monitors live images over a secure 3G network, estimates that the UK’s construction, rail and utilities industries could save £500m a year by installing mobile CCTV.

Commodity theft is becoming an increasing problem for the construction, rail and utilities industries, with the cost of this type of theft estimated at £400 million a year in Home Office figures. The problem has increased because of growing international demand for copper and a rise in prices on world markets.

Cable theft is also a growing problem. Network Rail incurred costs of around £10m in 2006/07, due to cable theft in the North East alone, while The Times reported that it costs the electricity industry £3m a year to replace electricity cables.

Vianet believed that installing mobile CCTV cameras could help prevent this sort of theft and save the industry millions of pounds.

Vianet’s Connect 3G connectivity service provides mobile surveillance, and does not involve the costs associated with fixed-line CCTV. As the system is wireless, it is swift to install and easy to manage. It is also simple to add cameras when needed.