1. Which mobile devices can I use?
2. How do I obtain a mobile device?
3. How much does it cost to run?
4. DataRocket is a managed service. How safe is my data?
5. Why use Microsoft Excel to receive collected data?
6. Can I upgrade from DataRocket SBE to the full DataRocket?


1. Which mobile devices can I use?
DataRocket is designed for mobile phones with touch screens such as the ones shown here. They all run the Windows Mobile operating system with Word, Excel, Powerpoint etc, plus email capability and web browsing. These devices are all equipped with screen keyboards, some with a physical keypad as well. All can connect permanently to the GPRS (2.5G) mobile network, and most can connect to 3G and wi-fi networks as well.


In addition, DataRocket will also run on ordinary Pocket PC devices that connect to the internet via Wi-fi, Bluetooth and a mobile phone, or direct connection to a PC.

DataRocket does not currently work on devices that are not running Windows Mobile (eg Blackberry).


2. How do I obtain a mobile device?
Large screen mobile phones running Windows Mobile are now offered as alternatives to regular phones on most of the popular phone and data tariffs from all the major mobile network providers (O2, Vodafone, T-Mobile, Orange etc). Using your mobile phone to run DataRocket is a very efficient and cost effective additional use of a basic tool that almost all businesses use every day.

The mobile devices are also widely available separate to a phone contract from numerous outlets, mainly selling on the internet, and from specialised ESB recommended providers of business mobile packages that include voice and data tariffs and devices.


3. How much does it cost to run?
There is a cost to access the DataRocket service of £25 - £35 per user per month depending on the support options that have been chosen. In addition there will be data transfer costs that are charged as part of the mobile tariff and appear on the monthly bill from the chosen network operator.

The amount of data required to run DataRocket on a daily basis will vary depending on the number of data collection forms that are sent, and on the content of the forms. Most users will only need around 5MB per month, and most mobile tariffs include an allowance of much more data than that which should cover email and web browsing as well.


4. DataRocket is a managed service. How safe is my data?
When the ‘send’ button on a data collection form is pressed, the information on the form is sent directly to the ESB secure servers. These duplicated servers are located in two separate high security data centres with backup power sources. This level of data security is unlikely to be available in many organisations, especially the small to medium size enterprises who are the main users of the DataRocket service.

Data is viewed by downloading the information to a desktop PC using an https secure internet connection (the same protocol used for online credit card transactions). Our standard DataRocket package keeps user data on our secure servers for one month, but on request (and for a small charge) we can keep the data indefinitely.


5. Why use Microsoft Excel to receive collected data?
Spreadsheets are extremely versatile and widely used office software tools that can easily be configured to collect raw data and produce reports from the data. Most people who collect field data on paper forms bring their information back to an office and enter it into a spreadsheet and then analyse it. Therefore it makes good sense to cut out the ‘bring it back to an office and re-enter the data’ steps by using DataRocket to collect and send the data as illustrated in the diagram on the Home page of this site.

If you wish to import the field data into a database package instead of Excel, this can usually be accommodated by purchasing DataRocket Plus, or by opting for the full bespoke DataRocket system.


6. Can I upgrade from DataRocket SBE to the full DataRocket?
Yes. That is exactly how the product was designed to be used in larger organisations. Our long experience of developing bespoke mobile working applications has shown that at least 50% of development time is spent on making sure that field users are comfortable with using the application. The rapid forms design and deployment that can be achieved with DataRocket SBE is an ideal and very cheap way to prototype a fully integrated mobile working application and takes away expensive uncertainties from the project.