ROW Short Takes

Cell-Loc lands major contract for Beacon technologyCalgary-based Cell-Loc Technologies Inc. (CLTI) has secured a contract valued at a minimum of US$18 million with a subsidiary of Brazil’s largest bank Banco ITAU for its Beacon Location Network technology. ITAU Seguros S.A., an insurance company, plans to use the Beacon technology to enable rapid stolen vehicle location, remote disabling and recovery in the city of Sao Paulo. Deployment of the network is scheduled to begin immediately and is scheduled for completion and to be fully operational by the third quarter of 2005"Different technologies have been competing for some time to position themselves in this market. The technology that can profitably offer the lowest price points, while routinely providing both accuracy and reliability, will ultimately emerge as the frontrunner. For numerous reasons we believe that Sao Paulo, Brazil is the ideal location to deploy CLTI’s proprietary technology, and it presents the greatest opportunity to confirm the company’s leadership in this emerging market," Cell-Loc president and CEO Sheldon Reid said in a news release. The Beacon network determines the location of the end-user unit by a technology called time difference of arrival (TDOA) of network signals between base stations. Trilateration and a series of proprietary calculations are performed on the TDOA measurements to determine the location of the Beacon unit. Digital Dispatch on a roll Richmond BC-based Digital Dispatch Systems Inc. has secured yet another customer for its mobile data terminals, marking the seventh such contract since September. Yellow Cabs of Georgia in Atlanta has purchased 100 GDT 890 mobile data terminals, communications infrastructure and dispatch applications. Digital Dispatch also announced that it has received a follow-on order from Taxis G7 of Paris, France for an additional 225 mobile data terminals. The two orders are worth approximately $800,000. SaskTel says Microcell can become CLEC with E911Saskatchewan’s incumbent telephone company SaskTel says in response to a short article in the November 4 isssue of Report on Wireless that Microcell Telecommunications Inc. can in fact become a CLEC in the province without having to offer E911 services. A SaskTel spokesperson tells Report on Wireless that the CRTC made the determination in Telecom Decision 2003-53 at paragraphs 83 and 86 of the decision. Paragraph 86 of the decision reads: "For competitive equity towards wireline LECs, the Commission considers that wireless carriers should be able to operate as wireless CLECs in communities where neither wireless E9-1-1 nor wireline E9-1-1 services are offered. Accordingly, the Commission concludes that in a community where the ILEC provides basic 9-1-1 service, the wireless carrier must provide a comparable level of service, in order to attain or maintain status as a wireless CLEC." Saksatchewan is one of the few regions of Canada where Microcell doesn’t operate as a CLEC. WebTech Wireless lands $2.2-million Saudi contractWebTech Wireless has inked a $2.2 million-contract with Saudi Arabian application service provider Motabei Electronics Systems (MES) Co. Ltd. The contract includes both products and monthly subscriber services over a two-year period. The contract has been delivered in phases with the first seeing WebTech seed the Saudi telematics market with a 100-unit development system in May 2004. The second phase is the product and services delivery portion, which is expected to take place this month. TELUS offers new home monitoring serviceTELUS Corp. has introduced TELUS HomeSitter, a new home monitoring system based on broadband wireless technology. Customers can remotely monitor their house or business through the use of wireless technology and web cameras. Users can choose to view real-time video or short video clips recorded after a camera’s motion sensor detects movement. Customers can choose to be to notified by wireless phone, pager, or email when a sensor detects movement in the home. The service is being offered to TELUS high-speed Internet subscribers for $9.95 per month. Comment period on satellite use policy changes extended Industry Canada has extended the deadline for comments to Notice DGTP-007-04 regarding broadcast satellite spectrum policy changes from November 29 to December 13. The comment period extensions follows a request by the Canadian Association of Broadcasters. Policy changes are in related to two of three applications submitted to the CRTC for the provision of subscription radio services via satellite. The third, by CHUM Ltd., proposes to use a terrestrial-based over-the-air system. XM Satellite Radio Inc. and Sirius Satellite Radio Inc., two American companies, are backing two separate bids for Canadian services. Aliant Mobility launches new smartphone in territoryAtlantic Canada mobile operator Aliant Mobility has launched the Treo 600 smartphone and accompanying corporate email solutions to customers throughout the region. The business email service, dubbed OneBridge Mobile Groupware, allows customers to view various types of attachments, including MS Word and MS Excel documents. VP of Aliant Mobility Chuck Hartlen says in a news release that these two products are welcomed additions to the company’s growing portfolio of products and services. "The combination of OneBridge Mobile Groupware and Treo devices provides customers with a powerful communications tool combining wireless voice and data capabilities. With OneBridge Mobile Groupware, Aliant can give customers a flexible wireless email solution with access to Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Notes, or Novell GroupWise today, while also providing a comprehensive platform upon which to mobilize other enterprise applications in the future," Aliant’s extended systems chief marketing officer Jeffrey Siegel, adds in the same news release. RIM introduces new BlackBerry Java developer toolsResearch in Motion Ltd. has introduced new Java developer tools for its BlackBerry wireless voice and data system. On November 30, the Waterloo ON-based company announced the availability of the new Java development environment for its BlackBerry 4.0. The new release, which supports J2ME, provides developers with greater flexibility and support when developing applications for BlackBerry through an enhanced application programming interface set, documentation, code samples and applications, an improved integrated development environment and more. "BlackBerry continues to open new opportunities for developers in the world of wireless data and communications by providing a development environment that removes many of the complexities traditionally associated with wireless technology. We are pleased to introduce a new release of the Java development environment for BlackBerry that builds upon our open, standards-based platform and provides additional resources to advance the wireless strategies of our development partners and customers," says David Yach, senior VP of software at RIM. Telus Mobility launches world’s first Fastap handsetTelus Mobility has launched the Fastap LG 6190 handset, the world’s first wireless phone that integrates text keys around the standard numeric phone keyboard. It is available exclusively in Canada through Telus Mobility. The technology integrated into the handset makes it easier and quicker for users to type out text messages. "The standard phone keypad hadn’t been improved in 50 years. With Fastap, it’s now been upgraded to allow our clients to type at warp speed," Telus Mobility VP of products and services Robert Blumenthal said in a news release. The device is being sold at an introductory price of $99 if the user signs up for a three-year contract. Rogers Wireless debuts mobile text to landline servicesRogers Wireless Inc. has introduced new services that will allow its subscribers to send text messages from their cell phone to any landline phone and have the message read to the recipient. The TXT 2 Landline service is a premium messaging application being provided to Rogers Wireless from TeleMessage.

ROW Short Takes

News | 12/02/2004 5:00 am EST

To keep reading, get a free trial.

Already a Subscriber?

Reuse & Permissions

Inside The Wire Report

Information

Hill Times Publishing

Get in Touch With Us