RoW Short Takes

Nortel Networks receives order from Western WirelessNortel Networks Corp. has received a US$90-million order from Western Wireless to deploy wireless infrastructure equipment to expand the operator’s coverage across the western United States. Under this agreement, Nortel will deploy CDMA-based equipment. This is the second contract Nortel has signed with Western Wireless since May when the companies agreed that Nortel would deploy GSM equipment. The GSM deployment will help Western Wireless subscribers roam onto other GSM providers’ networks. Telesat Canada still not paid for contribution levyTelesat Canada continues to fight with one its customers over contribution payments owed to Telesat by the customer. The battle began last year when Telesat announced in its Q2 results that one of its major customers had refused to pay a $2.6-million levy related to Telesat’s contribution obligations (RoW, Aug. 19/02). Since the dispute first came to light, the amount owed to Telesat has increased to $3.4 million. In the July 30 news release announcing its Q2 2003 results, Telesat writes, "The company is pursuing various avenues in order to enforce payment." C-COM delivers system to Ontario governmentOttawa-based C-COM Satellite Systems has delivered an iNetVu Mobile antenna system to the Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) of the Ontario government’s Ministry of Public Safety and Security. The system will allow the OFM to transmit significant amounts of information from response vehicles back to a command centre. SAMSys Technologies inks deal with RF TechnologySAMSys Technologies Inc. has inked a value-added reseller agreement with RF Technology Group. Under terms of the agreement, RF Technology will integrate SAMSys’ RF reader technology into its product offerings. Mobile Computing undertakes significant restructuring effortMobile Computing Corp. has decided to restructure and has entered into agreements with The VenGrowth Fund Inc., The VenGrowth II Investment Fund Inc. and NBC Canada West Capital Inc. MCC has been unable to refinance debentures and would have to pay $6.1 million on both Aug. 8, 2003 and Nov. 30, 2003 if restructuring efforts weren’t undertaken. Accordingly, the company has signed a letter of intent with VenGrowth for the sale of all existing business and assets to a new company wholly owned by VenGrowth, "New MCCco." Agilent Technologies design tools selected by NECNEC Compound Semiconductor Devices Ltd. has selected Agilent Technologies Inc.’s RF and mixed signal design software tools as its new standard for mobile communications RF integrated circuit development. Agilent’s RF Design Environment is the result of an alliance the company has with Cadence. In other Agilent news, the company has introduced a new amplifier characterization product that provides wireless system developers a measurement-based behavioural model during the design phase of systems. ZTE engineers certified for X-treme Mobility GatewayA team of ZTE Corp. engineers has recently graduated from a 724 Solutions Inc. Gateway Competency Program certifying them to provide implementation, joint development and customer service support for 724 Solutions’ X-treme Mobility Gateway product. With the team having graduated from the program, the two companies have set up the ZTE Competency Centre at the company’s labs in Nanjing, China. SR Telecom receives three orders from RussiaValued at more than $7 million, the three projects involve the deployment of SR Telecom Inc.’s flagship SR500 point-to-multipoint fixed wireless access system. The SR500 will be deployed in Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) networks. The projects are with Kazakhstan Electricity Grid Operating Company, Transneft Open Joint Stock Oil Transportation Company and Alstom France. MDSI system selected by top-tier utility companyMDSI Mobile Data Solutions Inc.’s Advantex product has been chosen for deployment by one of the largest utility companies in the United States. The Advantex system will help the utility manage a workforce of approximately 2,400 working in both Canada and the United States. The identity of the large American-based utility company was not disclosed in a July 29 news release announcing the contract. Rogers Wireless network being used for telematics offeringRogers Wireless Inc. has announced that its GSM/GPRS network is being used by two telematics service providers. On July 22, the company announced that Datacom Wireless had introduced its Mobicom Fleet Management Service and that it would operate over the company’s network. Earlier this week, Rogers Wireless also announced that Grey Island Systems Inc. would use the company’s network to extend the reach of its InterFleet product across Canada. Contec and Dejima enter into co-marketing partnershipVancouver-based Contec Innovations and Dejima are teaming up to enable mobile wireless carriers to drive more revenue from wireless data services. The Dejima Direct Mobile Access product allows wireless subscribers to request information from the wireless web using a myriad of request methods including voice, text abbreviations or free-form text. This eliminates the need for subscribers to either scroll through menus or remember keywords. Contec’s Hornet server is a mobile application server that hosts the applications. Staples to expand customer base through wireless adsStaples Business Depot is targeting the teen market through a combination of print, broadcast and email ads in a bid to expand the company’s reach. Teens will be encouraged to participate in a contest, which they can enter by sending a text message, to win movie passes and mobile phones. For entering the contest, they will receive a coupon with which to purchase items at Staples. To redeem the coupon, they need to simply show the coupon on their phone to the cashier. Stratos launches new maritime communication serviceStratos Global Corp. has launched Inmarsat Fleet F55, a new voice and data communications service for the maritime industry. The F55 is part of the Fleet family of products, which also include the F77 and F33. The F55 serice will bring traditional fleet services of 64kbps mobile ISDN for voice, fax, large data file transfer and video conferencing. As well, mobile packet data service will provide always-connected benefits combined with data-based billing as opposed to billing based on time. In other Stratos news, the company has been awarded a five-year contract to upgrade and enhance the telecommunications infrastructure on the Ramform Banff vessel, operated by PGS Production AS in the British sector of the North Sea.

RoW Short Takes

News | July 31, 2003

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