ROW Short Takes

BlackBerry under fire from rival software firmsResearch in Motion’s BlackBerry mobile email service is under attack from a number of competitors with the most recent assault coming from Good Technology Inc. and Seven Networks Inc. The two companies recently inked agreements with Sprint Corp. Good signed a deal with Cingular Wireless last month to sell the service. Good also has plans to adapt its mobile email software to work with email systems from IBM’s Lotus Notes and Domino, as well as Microsoft Corp. Exchange server. Other competitors gaining ground on RIM are Visto Corp., which recently inked an agreement with Rogers Wireless Inc., and Intellisync Corp., which has signed an agreement with MTS Communications (see brief below). Many analysts are worried about RIM’s future prospects due to a lingering patent dispute with NTP Inc. and increased competitive pressures from rivals. MTS inks agreement with IntellisyncMTS Communications has selected Intellisync Corp. to provide its mobile carrier’s email and synchronization platform. The Intellisync Wireless Email software is designed to keep devices such as the Treo 600, the Audiovox 6600 and others "in sync" with groupware applications such as Microsoft Corp.’s Outlook and IBM’s Lotus Notes. Looking to expand its wireless email and personal information management service to a broader market and to support the greatest number of devices possible, MTS opted to replace its existing wireless software provider. "Meeting the evolving needs of our customers is our key priority. Intellisync offered the right fit to enable the expansion of our wireless messaging solutions so we can continue to meet the dynamic needs of our customers," said Kelvin Shepherd MTS Allstream Inc. CTO and COO of MTS Communications. Telus Mobility adds new cell phones to lineupTelus Mobility has introduced a few new cell phones to its lineup of devices. Late last month, the company added the UTStarcom 860 from UTStarcom Personal Communications Division. And then earlier this month, the company announced the availability of two new Motorola-made handsets: the V265 and the V262. COM DEV wins $12-million contractCOM DEV International Ltd. has been awarded a contract from MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA) to provide information delivery subsystems for the CASSIOPE multi-purpose information delivery and scientific research mission. This particular mission is being developed by MDA, COM DEV, EMS Technologies, Routes AstroEngineering and Bristol Aerospace. Under terms of the $12-million contract, COM DEV will provide a variety of information delivery subsystems based on Ka-band communications technology. The company will design, assemble, integrate and test these products at COM DEV’s facility in Cambridge ON over the next 18 months. COM DEV has already been working on the contract under an Authority to Proceed, valued at $1.9 million. The balance of $10.1 million represents new work for the company. Spectrum Signal enhances software radio platformSpectrum Signal Processing Inc. has enhanced its software-defined radio (SDR) platforms with the availability of field programmable gate array (FPGA) algorithms. The FPGA algorithms will be available in the company’s flexComm product line. "These FGPA algorithms are expected to allow our customers to exploit off-the-shelf, front-end processing technology projects that require complex, wide and narrowband channelization," said Spectrum Signal VP of marketing Mark Briggs. The enhanced capability of the flexComm product line will reduce the development time, cost and technical risks of SDR applications. Infowave releases new mobile applications suiteInfowave Software Inc. has introduced the next version of its enterprise mobile application suite. Branding the service IW 2.7, it creates a mobile productivity environment for field and plant workers with integration to corporate systems. The way the new system has been built allows for rapid deployment of reliable, secure, scalable and maintainable mobile field information systems. Mmwave secures deal in Quebec with Sogetel Mmwave Technologies has inked an agreement with Sogetel, an independent telephone company in Nicolet QC to deploy a fixed wireless access network in 28 communities and on two First Nations reserves in suburban and rural parts of the province. Sogetel was one of the surprise winners in Industry Canada’s 2300 MHz and 3500 MHz spectrum auctions, held in 2004 and 2005. The company hauled in a combined seven licences, paying slightly more $106,000. The contract is initially valued at $2 million, but provides for recurring revenue. Network deployment is slated to begin this summer with the full network completed by November 2006. Upon completion of the network deployment by mmwave, broadband Internet service will be available to more than 11,000 dwellings in the Central Quebec region that are now limited to receiving dial-up service. WebTech inks deal with international transport firmWebtech Wireless Inc. has announced that it is collaborating with Atkins UK, an international supplier of highway management and maintenance services, to provide vehicle telematics systems in 150 key highway maintenance vehicles. The two companies have been working together on a variety of research projects. "The ability to manage our operations effectively is very important to us, so the use of cellular communications technology to provide regular positioning updates and telemetrics in a cost effective way is proving invaluable," Alan McKechnie, chief engineer for Atkins’ business excellence team, said in a news release. Digital Dispatch expands into new marketsDigital Dispatch Inc. is profiting from its diversification strategy, gaining additional momentum in new markets. The new company has inked an agreement with Avail Technologies Inc. to provide more than 200 Vector 530 mobile data terminals and communications infrastructure. As well, Digital Dispatch will provide iPilot 8000 mobile computers to the Mid-Atlantic and East Tennessee chapters of the American Automobile Association. Lastly, Vital Transportation Inc. plans to purchase 90 additional MC 1790 mobile computers for its fleet.

ROW Short Takes

News | July 15, 2005

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