ROW Short Takes

Universities choose Aruba mobility product for campusesRyerson University and the University of Windsor have installed wireless coverage products from Aruba Networks, the company announced. Aruba notes in a media release that both sales represent a change in vendors for the schools. Ryerson is installing 200 single-radio 802.11 a/b/g access points to cover 24 buildings throughout its campus, with another 300 to follow by September 2006. Ryerson is currently testing the use of IP phones over the Wi-Fi network. In a media release, Ken Woo, assistant director of communications services at Ryerson is quoted as saying: "With our legacy equipment, we had a difficult time controlling and managing spectrum, especially in high-density classrooms, and we also had no way of enforcing our usage policies. For example, we had students using wireless for peer-to-peer communications in the classroom. We couldn’t control this. But Aruba’s centralized system now lets us detect and control ad-hoc networking environments and set policies that evenly load balance traffic across different (access points) and channels." The University of Windsor is providing coverage on its campus using 74 Aruba dual-radio 802.11 a+b/g thin access points, with plans to provide coverage in six more buildings. TenDigits launches out-of-box CRM BlackBerry solutionVancouver-based TenDigits Software Inc. has announced the launch of its MobileAccess for Microsoft CRM product. The product can be deployed in as little as two hours and will give BlackBerry users immediate access to Microsoft CRM data and allow changes to be instantly made both on the mobile device and back at the company, according to TenDigits. The company is likely hoping to tap into a market of over 130,000 licensed users with 3,600 customers for the MSCRM product. Wireless Age wins contract from Canadian governmentToronto-based Wireless Age Communications Inc. has been awarded a one-year contract by Ottawa to supply airtime and equipment maintenance to the Canada Border Services Agency on the Niagara frontier. No value for the deal was divulged in a media release announcing the agreement. Wavesat says it has 802.16-compliant product strategyMontreal-based Wavesat says it will provide a direct path from fixed to mobility with its new Evolutive WiMAX strategy. The evolution will be accomplished using OFDM sub channelization and fully integrated subscriber chips in multiple packaging and low power consumption. Wavesat also promised backward compatibility with fixed legacy products as well as the ability to adapt to country-specific requirements. In other Wavesat news, the company has announced that it has created a successful testing solution for WiMAX platforms using its reference kit with Agilent’s WIMAX test equipment. Wavesat CTO Pierre Lamoureux noted in a media release that, " presence of Agilent’s interaction with our lab teams generated very productive exchanges for confirming the test procedures and development of an easy-to-use and powerful solution to accelerate the time to market demands for WiMAX system vendors." Digital Dispatch expands into new markets for hosted ASPDigital Dispatch Systems Inc., Richmond B.C., says that it has won a new customer for its eFleet hosted ASP wireless dispatch service. Eagle West Truck and Crane of Abbotsford B.C. has selected the company to provide dispatch services to its fleet of cranes, and to track its fleet of trucks and trailers. The truck company will buy Vector 530 mobile data terminals for its trucks and the Vector AVL for tracking its trailers. It has also signed a multi-year contract, with an undisclosed value, for the hosted service. Ericsson, MyThum to SMS-enable G4techTVEricsson Canada Inc. has inked its second SMS deal with Rogers Media, this time to enhance several shows on G4techTV with SMS interactivity. Viewers to the channel will be able to send, read and react to SMS messages shown on screen in real time. The service is being provided with the assistance of MyThum Interactive Inc. Shows to incorporate the new interactivity are G4TV.com, Filter, Cheat, Cinematech and Icons. Earlier this year, Ericsson and MyThum announced a similar deal for Rogers’ OMNI.2’s late-night television programming. In a media release announcing the deal, it was noted that Canadians now send 3.4 million text messages per day. Stratos, Wireless Matrix extend cooperation agreementStratos Global Corp. and Wireless Matrix Corp. have extended their existing exclusive service agreement for wireless data communications equipment and support service for remote monitoring applications in North America. The extension will run through 2007 and is expected to be worth approximately US$3 million. Under the terms of the agreement, Wireless Matrix will now supply SDX 1100 fixed site data terminals and mobile satellite data airtime to Stratos for use in remote monitoring. The majority of sales are expected to be for the monitoring of navigational lights on cell towers over 200 feet tall. Stratos has already placed an order for 600 units of the SDX 1100, which will be shipped by April 20. Federal Aviation Authority rules could create a significant market for the gear. A media release announcing the contract extension notes that there are an estimated 25,000 cell phone towers that require safety lights. Nortel expands Haitian CDMA wireless networkNortel announces that Haiti Telecommunications International S.A. (HaiTel) is expanding and enhancing its wireless network with its CDMA wireless infrastructure gear. The telco is deploying base station controllers, switching platforms and other related core infrastructure products from Nortel to add capacity to its existing CDMA2000 network and upgrade to CDMA2000 1X. When completed, it’s expected to be Haiti’s first 3G network. No value for the contract was announced. The upgrades are expected to be completed by mid-2005 and Nortel says they will boost the network’s capacity by more than three times to allow HaiTel to accommodate new subscribers. In addition to the sale, Nortel announces that is is donating computers to several public schools in the telco’s coverage area. HaiTel will install the equipment and provide Internet access. The new wireless services will be available to residential and business customers in Haiti’s most populated coastal cities, as well as in the central part of the country where agriculture is the main economic activity. Haiti has one of the lowest tele-densities in the western hemisphere, and the rollout of high-speed wireless service is being touted as a way to create opportunities to better run their businesses. FatPort wins Choice Hotels endorsed vendor statusWi-Fi provider FatPort announces that it has been selected as an endorsed vendor by Choice Hotels. The hotel chain has directed its Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality and Clarion brand hotels to offer high-speed Internet access as a guest service. FatPort is already operating in five Choice hotels. Nortel makes undisclosed investment in TrapezeNortel was among several investors in Trapeze Networks during a series C round that pumped $17.5 million into the company. Duff Ackerman & Goodrich led the round with $4 million. It was Nortel’s first investment in Trapeze, the value of which was not disclosed. The two companies have worked together in past. Last month saw the two organizations plan to develop an integrated WLAN portfolio with new WLAN features that would embed Trapeze’s technology into Nortel platforms. Telus Mobility launches new BlackBerry for Mike customersTelus Mobility Mike customers are now being offered the BlackBerry 7520 device with global positioning system capabilities. The unit also has Bluetooth support for wireless headsets, earpieces and car kits, enhanced image viewing capabilities, 32 MB of flash memory, as well as design enhancements such as a larger keypad and scratch-resistance metal bezel. The device is being aimed at business clients, especially those for whom GPS would be valuable such as in the fleet management sector. CRC, C-DOT team up for fixed WiMAX products developmentThe Communicatons Research Centre Canada (CRC) and C-DOT, India’s government telecom technology centre, along with Wavesat, have begun working on a cost-effective fixed wireless access product and service based on the IEEE 802.16-2004 standard. The two government labs are jointly developing a MILTON-based core broadband platform for India, powered by Wavesat’s WiMAX silicon chip technoogy. It’s hoped the partnership will result in an acceleration of the delivery of broadband point-to-multipoint systems in India. C-Com reports sales increase and continued profitabilityOttawa-based C-COM Satellite Systems Inc. reports a 19.6% increase in sales resulting in income of $0.044 per share for the first quarter ending Feb. 28, 2005. Income rose to $13,297 compared to the same quarter in the previous year when the company experienced a net loss of $78,516, or $0.26 per share. Revenues for the quarter were $1.17 million. The company is debt free and hopes to increase its cash position moving forward.

ROW Short Takes

News | April 19, 2005

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