RoW Short Takes

Sierra Wireless expands into Nordic regionVancouver-based Sierra Wireless Inc. is expanding into the Nordic region through a distribution agreement with Nordic-Gate, a Norway-based company. The two companies will work together to introduce the AirCard 750 wireless modem PC card to the corporate and business market segments throughout Norway and other Nordic countries. The AirCard 750 is a tri-band wireless modem card operating on GSM and GPRS networks. Sierra Wireless has been aggressively expanding into many regions of the world in a bid to build upon its leadership in the wireless PC modem card market.DragonWave unveils latest broadband wireless productDragonWave introduced the AirPair family of wireless radios that promise to deliver wireless Ethernet services at rates ranging from 50 Mbps to 100 Mbps. This new family of products will operate in both licensed and unlicensed spectrum. Ottawa-based Storm Internet Services is the first company to select the product and will use it to overhaul its current wireless network, which spans approximately 25,000 sq-km in Eastern Ontario. The AirPair product is the first to use the unlicensed spectrum at 24 GHz , providing service providers an alternative to the heavily used 2.4 GHz band. By using DragonWave's equipment, Storm will be able to double the capacity of its network, according to company president and CEO Barry Williams. Both announcements were made at the Broadband Wireless World Forum in Anaheim CA on February 12.SR Telecom acquires product line from NeraMontreal-based SR Telecom Inc. has agreed to acquire certain assets related to the Velocity 2000 product line of Nera Telecommunications Inc. With this acquisition, SR Telecom strengthens its position in the wireless field, especially in the licensed-exempt 2.4 GHz space. The significance of this agreement is that by acquiring technology that operates in the 2.4 GHz band, it allows SR Telecom to expand into the lucrative U.S. market. The company has traditionally made its products for other international markets, which use equipment based on different standards.CMC to create national testing laboratoryThe Canadian Microelectronics Corp. (CMC) has announced an initiative to bring microelectronics and photonics test tools and techniques online for researchers at Canadian universities. Under terms of the agreement, the CMC will manage $9.3 million provided to it by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) through Queen's University for the development of a National Microelectronics and Photonics Testing Collaboratory. This award builds upon earlier investments from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the CFI and the Ontario Innovation Trust, and will enable university researchers to use the Internet to access resources to test and validate microchip designs.Globalstar remains unaffected by parent companyExecutives at Globalstar Canada are saying that it will be business as usual at the Canadian satellite phone company, despite its parent company's recent filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. This move by Globalstar LP was not unexpected as it had already stopped paying its creditors last year.Telesystem, BCE revise stake in Look CommunicationsThe two major shareholders of Look Communications Inc. - BCE Inc. and Telesystem Ltd. - have clarified their new holdings within the restructured firm. Telesystem, the holding company of Charles Sirois, now holds shares totaling approximately 39% of Look. BCE, through its subsidiary Teleglobe Inc., holds shares representing about 34% of the wireless cable company and Internet service provider. Both companies have agreed not to provide any further funding for Look for a period of two years. The two companies have also agreed to support management in all of its decisions regarding the future direction of the company.Radarsat awarded environmental contractThe ICT Group of Radarsat International has been awarded a contract for the first phase of the Andaman Environmental Resource Information Network (AERIN) project in Southern Thailand. The contract was awarded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and is valued at $585,000.COM DEV and NSERC establish research chairCOM DEV International Ltd. and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council have established a research chair at the University of Waterloo that will focus on filter and switch technologies. NSERC is providing $1 million over five years and COM DEV will chip in $850,000 in cash and an additional $350,000 in in-kind contributions.Bell Mobility launches 1X network in GTABell Mobility has officially launched its next-generation wireless network, or 1X network, in the Greater Toronto Area. The company had been testing the network in the region since last November. Throughout this year, the BCE Inc. wireless arm will introduce the service across the majority of its current coverage area. In conjunction with the launch of the network, Bell has also unveiled a variety of cool phones. It will offer Kyocera and Samsung 1X phones and the Sierra Wireless AirCard 555.Wmode and PWS team up for ring tonesCalgary-based Wmode and Premium Wireless Services (PWS) are teaming up to provide mobile services through Wmode's clearinghouse micropayment system. The two companies have completed integration testing and will be demonstrating the flexible system at the GSM World Congress in Cannes, France later this month. Initially, the two companies will offer downloadable ring tones. According to the ARC Group, ring tones will dominate the mobile music applications market with 551.2 million users globally by 2006. PWS began offering downloadable ring tones in April 2000 through the www.yourmobile.com portal and already has more than 12 million customers in 85 countries and has registered 80 million individual downloads.SiGEM to change name; get financingOttawa-based SiGEM Inc. is currently seeking approval for a proposed private placement that would net the company about $7 million. The board is also proposing the company change its name from SiGEM to Mobile Knowledge Inc. The name change is part of a strategy to establish a solid brand recognition and clearly demonstrate its business plan under new leadership.Redline completes field trials of wireless systemRedline Communications Inc. has completed the field trials of its high-speed OFDM-based wireless broadband system. The Access Node 50 is a step up from previous systems which needed a direct line of sight to be able to transmit from one building to another. Redline is one of a growing list of companies that are offering non-line-of-sight broadband wireless gear using OFDM technology. The company expects to ship the product this April.Wireless Matrix receives order for satellite modemsWireless Matrix, Calgary, has received an order for 410 satellite modems from Nexterna Inc. The modems will be shipped, delivered, installed and deployed during the company's fourth quarter of fiscal 2002. Nexterna will use the modems as part of a locomotive management solution it deployed in partnership with GE Transportation Systems.WaveRider receives contract from City of Buffalo, MNThe Professional Services Group of WaveRider Communications Inc., Toronto, has received a contract from the City of Buffalo, MN to manage the second phase of the city's deployment of a non-line-of-sight broadband wireless network. The company will work with engineering firm Scientel to expand the city's current system.RAMtelecom serves up Internet to another communityRAMtelecom has signed an agreement that will see the satellite ISP provide Internet access to the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach. RAMtelecom now has more than 10,000 customers on its satellite broadband network.

RoW Short Takes

News | February 19, 2002

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