Independent global mobile operator Telecom26 is helping long-term customer, SystemOne, with its initiative to enable real-time test result communication, timely containment and treatment actions for infectious disease programs in Ghana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

The testing programs are being implemented in conjunction with each country’s Ministry of Health and build upon SystemOne’s existing work across Africa tackling numerous diseases including TB, HIV, Ebola and now COVID-19.

According to a statement released, SystemOne’s Aspect software enables connected diagnostic data in real-time, which helps countries respond more effectively to outbreaks of infectious disease by identifying positive cases faster, reducing loss-to-follow-up, and allowing a big-picture view of disease spread across a region.

Aspect is compatible with multiple diagnostic devices, including the GeneXpert and the Abbott m2000, both of which are widely used for multiple diseases, including COVID-19 testing.

The companies say reliable connectivity is key to the success of SystemOne’s real-time diagnostic data software ….“speed of diagnosis and treatment is often the difference between life and death with many infectious diseases.”

Unreliable bandwidth and patchy connectivity are problems encountered by e-health programmes across the world.

The traditional route is to buy local SIMs to provide device connectivity. Unfortunately, this limits users to one mobile network operator (MNO) - and adds juggling multiple SIMs across devices to find the strongest local network to a long list of headaches.

“Telecom26’s Multi-IMSI global SIM cards were developed with the specific goal of improving connectivity in remote areas. They enable devices to automatically access and switch between multiple networks both in-country and across borders thus removing the need to worry about the coverage of a single MNO, or the existence of roaming alliances. Multiple-IMSI profiles are pre-loaded on every SIM allowing for simple reconfiguration if the primary network has poor or no service,” the companies claim.

Telecom26 has been providing its global SIM cards to SystemOne’s operations across both Africa and Asia for the past two years. The contract has been extended to provide connectivity to SystemOne’s new projects in Ghana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

In addition, SystemOne is trialling Telecom26’s multi-SIM routers in Mozambique and Zimbabwe. These enable SystemOne’s diagnostics devices to access connectivity and automatically switch between multiple cellular networks - and any WiFi or LANs - so that they always use the best performing connected network.

Brad Cunningham, COO at SystemOne, said, “We need a reliable connectivity supplier so that we can concentrate all our efforts on enabling timely disease identification and treatment. Telecom26 cares about our business and shares our values. Wherever we are in the world, Telecom26 provides the best connectivity service enabling our software to operate on multiple devices and networks with a single SIM under a single contract.”

Telecom26 says its SIMs are compatible with 1100 cellular networks from over 620 mobile operators in more than 220 countries.

Mike Ashdown, CEO of Telecom26 said, “SystemOne provides e-health and mobile health solutions to some of the more remote places in the world. Its innovative approach of integrating diagnostic devices with IOT is changing the way healthcare is delivered. We ensure that its team stays connected so that they can improve the lives of people living in limited or challenged mobile coverage areas across the world.”