Dear Friends and Industry Colleagues,

Welcome to all of the members of the Texas Association of Paging Systems (TAPS) who are now receiving the newsletter. Several were already subscribing and now we have the rest. A message from Ted Gaetjen the president of TAPS follows further down.

Most of the comments about the new format last week were favorable. The only way to make it work well is for everyone to read it with browsers. Most modern e-mail clients can handle HTML reasonably well, but many e-mail servers will block long messages with graphics.

There is another new personal communications device this week, and there were several last week. It looks to me like there is a definite trend towards "do-everything" communicators:

• e-mail
• voice
• web browsing
• business apps
• PDAs (calendar, address book, telephone number list)
• Instant Messaging
• etc.

Anyone who has watched a kid on the Internet with Instant Messaging would agree that when these kids grow up they are going to want an IM device that they can take with them. This is already becoming an important part of two-way paging.

FCC deregulates broadband services

February 21, 2003 8:45 am ET

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has voted [yesterday] to allow the regional Bells to stop sharing most of their broadband networks with competitors, but left the decision on sharing most pieces of local telephone service networks to state public service commissions.

• The regional Bells aren't required to share fiber-based, next-generation broadband loops with competitors, although the FCC requested that the Bells continue to share older broadband loops beyond the "last mile" into homes or businesses.
• The Bells are no longer required to share that last mile of line with other DSL providers.
• The Bells no longer have to share high-capacity loops such as DS-1, also known as T1, lines for business customers. States have 90 days after the 300-plus page order is filed to rebut the national finding. The filing date has not been determined.
• For switching facilities, the "brains" of local phone networks, the states have nine months after the FCC ruling is published to set their own sharing rules for all but large business customers. If a state finds that the ability of the CLECs to compete is impaired, the commission set a three-year deadline for the CLECs to move off the UNE system and build their own facilities.
• For large-volume customers, the regional Bells are no longer required to share switching facilities with CLECs.

Source: MacCentral

Narrowband PCS Auction to Commence September 24, 2003

The FCC has scheduled a Narrowband PCS auction (Auction No. 50) commencing on September 24, 2003, to sell the licenses remaining after the last auction held in the fall of 2001 (Auction No. 41). In general, within the continental United States, only Channel 31 is available. Channel 31 is a 50 KHz channel at 901.700-901.750 MHz paired with a 150 KHz channel at 930.850-931.000 MHz.

The short form (Form 175) registration deadline is set for August 8, 2003, with the auction commencing on September 24, 2003. The FCC's Public Notice concerning the auction, including a complete list of licenses being offered, is posted on the AAPC Newsroom web page.

Source: Courtesy of the AAPC

Wow! Anyone bidding on this will surely need some help. I am ready, willing, and able. What an opportunity! Is there anyone at Microsoft reading this? This is it—a last chance to get a nationwide pair of channels for two-way wireless data.

Palm Releases Tungsten W With AT&T Wireless

February 20, 2003

Palm today announced the availability of the much-anticipated Tungsten W handheld with AT&T Wireless services. The GSM/GPRS device, which includes e-mail, SMS, voice service, Internet browsing and business apps, is now available for pre-order at several retail Web sites and will be sold through CompUSA, Franklin Covey and other retail stores starting Feb. 28.

The Tungsten W handheld is the first Palm-branded integrated GSM/GPRS wireless handheld with a built-in keyboard; one-handed navigation; dual expansion; and high-resolution color screen. The battery promises 10 hours of talk time.

The suggested retail price is $549, but may be less based on AT&T Wireless service activation. AT&T's monthly data plans range from $29.99 for 10 MB to $99.99 for 100 MB; an 8 MB plan is available for $19.99 with a voice plan.

Source: Wireless Week and Palm.com

CFI to Equip Entire Fleet of 2,400 Trucks with Aether MobileMax™

OWINGS MILLS, Md.—Feb. 19, 2003—Aether Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: AETH), a leading provider of wireless and mobile data solutions, today announced that Contract Freighters, Inc. (CFI) has agreed to equip its entire fleet of 2,400 trucks with Aether MobileMax™. Based in Joplin, Missouri, CFI is a premier North American carrier and operates one of the most technically-advanced fleets in the country. The company began using wireless tracking and mobile communications nearly 10 years ago and features a state-of-the-art operations center widely regarded as a model for the industry. CFI plans to complete the conversion to Aether’s leading fleet tracking and messaging solution by December 2003.

Source: Aether Systems Press Release

Andrew buys Allen Telecom

Feb. 18, 2003 11:14 AM EST

ORLAND PARK, Ill.—Andrew Corp. said it has acquired Allen Telecom Inc. in a stock-for-stock transaction valued at about $500 million, making the combined company a leading global wireless infrastructure subsystems supplier.

The company will have about 7,000 workers, pro forma annual revenues of about $1.3 billion and annual research and development spending of $90 million.

“The addition of Allen’s strong presence in the attractive areas of filters, base station antennas, in-building systems and geolocation also diversifies and expands our product offerings, opening up new revenue streams and enabling us to provide customers with the most comprehensive product portfolio in the industry,” said Ralph Faison, chief executive officer and president of Andrew.

Source: RCR Wireless News

BOLDstreet Launches First Wireless Internet in Canadian Restaurant Chain

Feb 19, 2003, 8:16pm

BOLDstreet Wireless Internet launched Wi-Fi service in 10 Lone Star Café and Big Daddy's Crab Shack and Oyster Bar restaurants throughout Ontario, eight of them in Ottawa and Toronto. BOLDstreet's network of public access locations (hotspots), the first to be installed in a national restaurant chain in Canada, will provide mobile professionals with high-speed and inexpensive wireless Internet service. Service is available in prime downtown locations including in Toronto, on King Street in the financial district, on Front Street near the Skydome and Air Canada Centre and in Ottawa, on Elgin Street - a popular night spot for the after-work crowd.

To connect to BOLDstreet's wireless Internet service, users need a laptop or other portable computing device with a web browser, a Wi-Fi compatible network card and a BOLDstreet account; first-time users can sign up for an account online and start using the service immediately. They start their computer, select the wireless signal, launch their Internet browser and enter a user name and password.

BOLDstreet's service uses the standards based Wi-Fi (802.11b) technology to create a high-speed local area network - without cables and wires. Using their own Wi-Fi-enabled laptop computers or other personal computing device, mobile professionals can check email, download corporate data or surf the Internet while waiting for a next appointment, conducting a meeting or enjoying coffee away from the office or home at hotspots.

Source: 802.11 insider

A message from the Texas Association of Paging Systems

From: Ted Gaetjen <tedasap@asapchoice.com>

Date: Fri Feb 14, 2003 10:05:32 AM US/Eastern

To: brad@braddye.com

Subject: From the newsletter

Brad,

I am the president of TAPS-Texas Association of Paging Services. TAPS was formed in the early 90's when FNUSA-Florida Network USA was, in our opinion, abusing its affiliates. We built a network in Texas on 152.480 that today has over 230 transmitters in Texas. We also teamed up with carriers in Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kansas, New Mexico and others to provide an alternative to the national monopoly for nationwide, paging coverage.

TAPS is actively seeking carriers on 152.480 to expand our footprint. We currently lease channels from Spacecom for satellite distribution of our traffic and several of our members are using Spacecom to "key" their transmitters. Any member of our group can use the satellite to carry traffic or "key" their transmitters at a very nominal cost ( we actually track the bits used and each member pays it share of the satellite cost based on its percentage of the total traffic on the bird). Our deal with Spacecom gives us one channel on two different birds and we actually send all the traffic down both birds 24/7. This arrangement gives us the back-up we need in the event of a failure of a satellite. All traffic to Spacecom is sent via the internet and Spacecom provides us with two different ISPs at their POP in Chicago so if one fails the other is active, 24/7.

Any carrier on 152.480 which desires coverage in Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Kansas or Oklahoma can participate in our "co-operative" by allowing us to use their coverage and receiving our coverage. TAPS currently uses a reciprocal agreement which charges $ 0.005 ( 1/2 of one cent ) for the transmitters in Texas per capcode per month and pays the same amount to our affiliates in the other states.

We feel, as you do, that paging will never go away and realize that the independent carriers need to help each other by taking advantage of economies of scale provided by a co-operative effort.

Any help you can provide by "getting the word" out would be appreciated by TAPS and any carrier on 152.480 who wishes to participate in our "co-operative " effort.

Ted Gaetjen
Asap Paging Inc.
P.O.Box 607
208 N. Texan
Hallettsville, Texas 77964

Telephone: 800-460-7243
E-mail: tedasap@asapchoice.com

Ted will be at IWCE in Las Vegas. We have exchanged cellphone numbers and hope to meet there. Let's see if we can get enough carriers together to offer nationwide paging coverage on 152.480 MHz.

Wireless Automation

These are absolutely the coolest wireless solutions. This is what I like. Please excuse my enthusiasm, but I believe the following four categories offer us so many potential business opportunities that it is hard to decide where to start. You don't have to be a ReFLEX carrier to offer any of these solutions to your customers. You can re-sell both the equipment and the on-going monthly service.

Nokia GSM Phones

I am able to offer up to 20,000 units (per month) brand-new Nokia GSM phones (model #3390) 1900 MHz, to anyone from outside of the USA. These phones are all ESN unlocked. All phones must be exported, and are in original-new boxes and have never been used. Price is very low and depends on quantity—heavy discounts are possible. Let's make a deal. Other new models are available as well.

I also have some great deals on refurbished phones. They are Samsung, LG, and Motorola, refurbished CDMA phones.

brad@braddye.com  CLICK TO MAIL

March 10 - 14, 2003
Las Vegas Convention Center
Las Vegas, Nevada

I hear that exhibit space in the "Paging Zone" section of the show is sold out. They expect to double the floor space dedicated to paging next year. I am planning to attend and have already bought my plane ticket. Come and join us. There will be over 350 exhibiting companies and over 10,000 attendees there.

For more information, please visit their web site.

Two-way Paging Network and Transmitter Controller

TGA Technologies believes that the future of the radio paging industry lies in the evolution of 2-way paging for both man and machine, based on the ReFLEX™ format. To that end, TGA has produced the SPARKGAP™ ReFLEX Network Manager. This device is fully ReFLEX 2.7.x compliant and will support campus, local, regional or national networks.  When used in conjunction with the TGA PRISM paging terminal, SPARKGAP offers a controlled path for growth in paging technology.

I completely agree with TGA's strategy. If you would like to have more information about the SPARKGAP™ click here.

TGA will have a working Sparkgap ReFLEX system in booth 9077, in the Paging Zone, at IWCE.  They will also have operating pagers and telemetry units and people who know about all aspects of this new step in our industry.

AAPC’s Mission Statement Defines Purpose

• Identifying issues of common concern to its members
• Providing an effective forum for the discussion and progression of issues relating to the industry
• Monitoring and addressing regulatory and legal matters as a unified organization
• Providing research into and development of our industry and its current and prospective markets
• Providing education and resources to address the challenges and trends affecting our operating environments
• Encouraging and maintaining high standards of ethics and services
• Championing the industry and representing paging carriers with a positive voice

Our industry must move forward together or perish individually. For more information, please click here.

CUSTOM APPLICATIONS

For All Popular Wireless Handhelds

For more information contact me directly, and please check out their web site at: www.outr.net.  CLICK

Wireless Messaging Software

InfoRad® Wireless Office (Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP) is designed for the professional who needs full-featured wireless messaging capabilities. Features include enhanced user interface,  message log with search function, scheduled paging,  group and individual message addresses, TAPI Smart™, multiple protocol SMS communication compatibility. AlphaCare™ support services available. With a 32-bit architecture, InfoRad Wireless Office is designed for compatibility with Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP. For more information on InfoRad Wireless Messaging software, and a free demo, please click on the logo.

  CLICK

I am a manufacturer representative (MR) for Vytek Wireless Products. (Formerly Sonik.) Please look at what they have to offer to the Paging and Wireless Messaging industry.

brad@braddye.com  CLICK TO MAIL

To let me know if you would like to receive a price quotation on any Vytek product, click on the link above. Vytek will be in booth 10082 at the IWCE show is Las Vegas next month. I will be hanging around there somewhere. If you are going to be there too, write down my cell phone number (972-523-8258) and give me a call from the exhibit floor so we can meet. I really enjoy meeting readers of my newsletter.

Check out this great telemetry product:

Why shouldn't your paging system be using these?

VYTEK's PL-900 Paging Data Receiver

WIRELESS DATA

Wireless Data—breathing new life into the paging industry. The Daviscomms TMR (Telemetry Messaging Receiver) is a one-way FLEX™ telemetry device and is being manufactured by Daviscomms in Singapore. It is being stocked and distributed in the Americas by Vytek Wireless Products as the PageLink™ PDR (Paging Data Receiver). To download the product brochure, please click here.

Legacy Technology Solutions LLCCLICK

Paging infrastructure repair with warranty. Please ask for Virgil Jarrard, President, and tell him Brad sent you. Toll-free voice: 1-877-436-8044 or voice: 972-436-8044, fax: 972-436-8944. They are located in the Dallas suburbs, and they sometimes have good deals on reconditioned paging equipment as well. Check with them for current product availability. You can send Virgil an e-mail by clicking on the Legacy Technology name above.

Would you like to put something in the newsletter?

If you have any wireless equipment that you would like to buy or sell, please let me know. Everything that is offered for sale in this newsletter is on the honor system. There is no charge for the listing, but if a sale is made, I ask the seller to send me a 10% commission, much the same as the voluntary payments that are requested on the Internet for shareware.

brad@braddye.com  CLICK TO MAIL