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| FRIDAY - FEBRUARY 13, 2004 - ISSUE NO. 98 | ||||
Dear wireless colleagues and friends of paging, As I read the news releases coming out, I wonder, "where have these people been?" The communications industry has recently "discovered" push-to-talk and now they are all excited about getting the news in text on their cell phones. Maybe they will invent the light bulb one of these days. Instant Messaging is a little like passing notes in class. The ideas are not new, the human need to communicate is not new—what is new is how we do it. So, my editorial this week is on "Wireless Instant Messaging" (IM). After reading the press release that America Online and AT&T Wireless are launching simplified wireless IM, I thought it was time to get on the soapbox again, about two-way paging. Here is our chance. . . maybe, if it's not too late. More on this follows below. In my New Wheel of Fortune presentation (which is not so new anymore), I quoted Life Magazine as saying that the Gutenberg Printing Press was the "most far-reaching" of all the technological achievements of the past millennium. According to Life, it was that achievement, during a time when books were extremely expensive and in short supply, which "unleashed an information epidemic that rages to this day. In 1455, there were fewer than 30,000 books in the world. By 1500, there were over 9 million." I maintain that the Internet now far exceeds the printing press in importance. Of course one had to happen before the other one could. It has become the great social leveler. Now a poor kid in a remote village, can have the same access to this giant library of up-to-date information that we call the Internet, as can a rich kid in a private school somewhere. Education is all about getting access to information. This newsletter will probably be read by over 1,000 people in close to 50 countries. I could never—in a million years—get my ideas, opinions, and the news out to that many people every week—before the wide-spread use of the Internet. The Internet is alive with vital information that is fresh, and up-to-the-minute, not old academic tripe out of dusty books in a school library. It's fast, there is no concept of "long distance," and it's cheap too. So what's the point? Well, it's all over the news, on TV, and on the Internet, that there is another political fight going on in Washington DC about taxing the Internet. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., expressed his concern about what might happen if "the more than 7,000 taxing jurisdictions in this country are allowed to take a bite out of the Internet." It looks to me like they are going to kill-it-off (tax it to death) if we let them. We are all entitled to our own opinions and these are some of mine. Yours are welcome here too. Write to me. |
Keeping Paging Alive
A new issue of the Paging and Wireless Data Newsletter gets posted on the web each week. A notification goes out by e-mail to subscribers on most Fridays around noon Eastern US time. The notification message has a link to the actual newsletter on the Internet. That way it doesn't fill up your incoming e-mail account. There is no charge for subscription and there are no membership restrictions. Readers are a very select group of wireless industry professionals, and include the senior managers of many of the world's major paging and wireless data companies. There is an even mix of operations managers, marketing people, and engineers, so I try to include items of interest to all three groups. It's all about staying up-to-date with business trends and technology. I regularly get reader's comments, so this newsletter has become a community forum for the paging, and wireless data communities. You are welcome to contribute your ideas and opinions. Unless otherwise requested, all correspondence addressed to me is subject to publication in the newsletter and on my website. NOTE: This newsletter is best viewed at screen resolutions of 800x600 (good) or 1024x768 (better). Any current revision of web browser should work just fine. Please notify me of any problems with viewing. This site is compliant with XHTML 1.0 transitional coding for easy access from wireless devices. (XML 1.0 / ISO 8859-1) American Association of Paging Carriers A reminder to the paging industry: the Paging Zone will once again be a feature of the IWCE show in Las Vegas next month; it is sponsored by the AAPC. You should plan to come to the Paging Zone at the show, and if you haven't already done so, join the AAPC. It is the only organization that is fighting for the issues affecting our industry.
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| PAGING AND WIRELESS DATA NEWS CLIPS FROM THE WEB | ||
Editorial: So close, and yet so far. . . About three or four years ago, I became totally convinced that when the millions of Instant Message (IM) users on the Internet discovered two-way paging, this would be the "killer app" that the paging industry was looking for—and needing to survive. There are three main competing companies offering wired "IM" services, AIM and ICQ from America Online, Yahoo! Messenger from Yahoo, and MSN Messenger from Microsoft. The following is the most up to date share of market information that I could find:
AT&T and AOL just announced (press release follows) that they are getting together to simplify mobile Instant Messaging, then there was a similar announcement from Sprint about an enhanced offering using Yahoo! Messenger. To start with, a couple of new mobile phones will have IM built in so that "wireless customers can now use their phones to easily stay in touch with their online AIM and/or AOL buddies, see which buddies are logged in when sending instant messages, and conduct real-time IM chats." Following is some of the "buzz" picked up on the Internet this week (mostly about IM):
So if two-way paging fails, it will be just like a person, lost in the desert, who dies of thirst just one sand dune away from an oasis with a deep well of fresh water. I remember, one of the Harvard-MBA weenies saying that wireless e-mail and and wireless IM had no place on his two-way paging system. Well, that's just what happened. By the time he realized that he was wrong —it was almost too late— and there weren't very many subscribers of any kind on his system. The two-way pager, with its qwerty keyboard, low monthly cost, and great coverage, should be a huge success as "THE Wireless IM Device." By the way, it's not just teenagers using IM anymore; the latest growth area is among enterprise users. This is the "gold ring" — don't miss it.
I guess we already missed the opportunity to be the commonly recognized leader in everyone's mind when it comes to supplying the link between the Internet and wireless devices. We did it first, in paging, but it was never very well known. I was out there peddling the first solution to carriers when I worked for RTS Wireless. I remember walking my dog early one morning in New York before going to work. My pager started beeping and when I read the message it was an e-mail from someone in New Zealand. Although I was already selling the equipment to facilitate this, it wasn't until that moment that the little light bulb went off in my head saying, "this is really cool!" Well, it still is cool even with one-way paging, but even better with two-way. It's up to us to get the word out to the public. Enthusiasm has to start at the top and then flow down to the troops. Sometimes it doesn't happen because the boss is surrounded by "yes people" who say only what he or she wants to hear and don't pass on ideas—either up or down. Read on. . . America Online and AT&T Wireless Launch Simplified Mobile Instant Messaging Services Dulles, VA and Redmond, WA - February 10, 2003 - America Online Inc., the world's leading interactive services company, and AT&T Wireless (NYSE: AWE) today announced the availability of new mobile instant messaging services that streamline the wireless instant messaging (IM) experience. An embedded version of the AOL® Instant Messenger™ (AIM®) service is now prominently featured on the main menu screen of select AT&T Wireless phones, bringing the power of instant messaging to the foreground of wireless. AT&T Wireless customers can already access AOL® services via SMS text messaging or the company's mMode™ service. This will be the first time that AIM will be embedded on select AT&T Wireless phones, just as the phonebook and text messaging features are today. Wireless customers can now use their phones to easily stay in touch with their online AIM and/or AOL buddies, see which buddies are logged in when sending instant messages, and conduct real-time IM chats. "Given the huge success of AOL Mail and AIM on mMode, we are excited to expand our relationship with AT&T Wireless and offer subscribers new and exciting mobile instant messaging services from AOL," said Bill Schwebel, Vice President and General Manager, AOL Mobile, America Online Inc. "These new mobile instant messaging services provide added convenience to AT&T Wireless subscribers, allowing them the ability to stay in close touch with friends, family and co-workers while on-the-go." "With this feature, instant messaging on wireless phones will finally be as simple as sending a text message," said Glenice Maclellan, vice president of messaging services at AT&T Wireless. "Together, America Online and AT&T Wireless are making it faster and easier for users to stay connected to their IM communities, which we expect will drive further adoption of wireless IM services. We believe that customers will choose to use some combination of text messaging, instant messaging, picture messaging, and wireless email based on individual needs and preferences," said Maclellan. In addition to the built-in versions of the AIM and ICQ® services, the IM-To-Text feature available on AT&T Wireless phones lets AOL members and registered users of the AIM service send instant messages directly from their desktop computers to AT&T Wireless customers simply by addressing the IM to the phone number of the person they want to reach. In turn, AT&T Wireless subscribers can respond to incoming messages from their phones - even if they don't have an AIM or AOL screen name. With AOL's IM Forwarding feature, subscribers also can forward incoming instant messages to their mobile phones through the desktop settings of their AIM and ICQ service, ensuring that their IMs follow them wherever they go. At launch, the embedded instant messaging feature is available on Nokia 3100 and 3200 handsets. IM-To-Text and IM Forwarding are available on all AT&T Wireless two-way text messaging capable phones. Additional instant messaging-enabled wireless phones will be rolled out throughout the year. Instant messages cost $.10 each to send; all instant messages received are free of charge. Only AT&T Wireless offers unlimited incoming messages free of charge. The new instant messaging software clients are based on the Wireless Village open standard for mobile instant messaging and presence services, which are used to exchange messages and presence information between mobile devices and Internet-based instant messaging services. The Wireless Village initiative lets device manufacturers such as Nokia develop wireless applications based upon a single standard, allowing wireless providers such as AT&T Wireless tools needed to deploy messaging and other applications in a quick and cost-effective manner. About America Online, Inc. About AT&T Wireless This press release contains "forward-looking statements" which are based on management's beliefs as well as on a number of assumptions concerning future events made by management with information that is currently available to management. Forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, management's expectations regarding: our future financial and operating performance and financial condition, including the company's outlook for the fiscal year 2004 and subsequent periods; our plans to evaluate strategic alternatives and the outcome of that evaluation; subscriber growth; industry conditions; the strength of our balance sheet; our liquidity and needs for additional financing; and our ability to increase revenue, margins and operating free cash flow. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are not a guarantee of performance and are subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside AT&T Wireless' control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements. Without limitation these factors include: the risks associated with the implementation of our technology migration strategy, our plans to evaluate strategic alternatives, our ability to continue to reduce costs and increase the efficiency of our distribution channels, the potential competitive impacts of industry consolidation or alternative technologies, potential impacts on revenue and ARPU from competitive pricing and slowing penetration in the wireless industry, the effects of vigorous competition in the markets in which we operate, the risk of decreased consumer spending due to softening economic conditions, acts of terrorism, and consumer response to new service offerings. For a more detailed description of the factors that could cause such a difference, please see AT&T Wireless' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the information under the heading "Additional Factors That May Affect Our Business, Future Operating Results and Financial Condition" and "Forward Looking Statements" in its quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed on November 14, 2003. Contact Info: Danielle Perry, AT&T Wireless Source: AOL Press Release Sprint enhances Yahoo! IM service Feb. 11, 2004 1:08 PM EST OVERLAND PARK, Kan.—Sprint PCS launched an enhanced version of the currently available Yahoo! Inc. Messenger service that allows users to view who is online, send messages and conduct multiple conversations from their wireless handset. Sprint PCS said the Java-based downloadable application, which will cost $3 per month, is built specifically for the mobile environment and builds upon the previously announced Yahoo! Mobile Photos client application. "With the introduction of Yahoo! Messenger for Mobile, Sprint is taking wireless [instant messaging] to a new level with an application that is truly optimized for the mobile environment," said Jeff Hallock, vice president of consumer product marketing at Sprint PCS. Source: RCR Wireless News IP Market Expected to Reach $15.2 Billion in 2005, Growing 17.2 Percent from 2003, According to TIA Study ARLINGTON, Va.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Feb. 10, 2004— Migration to IP Technologies, Such as VoIP, Driving Growth of Enterprise Applications Total Internet protocol (IP) revenues are expected to grow in 2004 by 7.8 percent, achieving a total of $13.9 billion, according to the newly released TIA's 2004 Telecommunications Market Review and Forecast, an annual publication of the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA). Although IP revenues declined over the past two years due to decreased prices, IP backbone or core traffic has grown and the market is beginning to take off. In fact, in 2003, IP accounted for the majority (58 percent) of network traffic for the first time. The study predicts that the U.S. IP traffic will rise by a factor of more than six, increasing to 1,633 petabytes per month in 2007, a 58.3 percent compound annual increase (2004-2007). "The rapid growth of IP traffic on the network -- 75 percent in 2003 -- clearly indicates that the migration to IP is in full swing. We are therefore pleased that the FCC is addressing the issue as a national priority and acting this week to begin to clarify the regulatory issues surrounding IP applications such as VoIP," said Matthew J. Flanigan, TIA president. "In order for the IP market to grow and for service providers as well as enterprises to take advantage of the flexibility, cost-efficiencies and convergence capabilities of IP networks, we believe regulation should be very minimal, as we noted in TIA's Principles for VoIP and the Public Interest (http://www.tiaonline.org/media/press_releases/uploads/voippolicy.pdf) statement released last week," Flanigan said. The report also predicts the IP market will reach $18.7 billion in 2007, with a 9.7 percent compound annual growth rate from 2004 to 2007. This projected growth reflects that companies are beginning to migrate to convergence technologies to enhance productivity, reduce costs and upgrade the enterprise network to accommodate new applications and technologies. Voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), for example, is both a driver and beneficiary of broadband connectivity and may provide cost savings to both carriers and enterprises. Carriers are now building IP overlay networks with gateways for transport to and from legacy voice and data networks. IP applications revenues are expected to grow even faster. IP revenues for audioconferencing, videoconferencing, Web conferencing, follow-me services, unified messaging and instant messaging totaled $1.5 billion in 2003, more than twice the $696 million of 2002. Revenues will increase to a projected $11.4 billion by 2007, a 66.5 percent compound annual growth rate. TIA's 2004 Telecommunications Market Review and Forecast provides an overview of telecom's interrelated market segments including network services, enterprise and consumer, mobile and wireless communications, and international markets. It's available in hard copy or on CD-ROM. To order, please visit http://www.tiaonline.org/media/mrf.cfm or call (703) 907-7074. To obtain a press copy of the report, please contact Jennifer Mead at (703) 907-7723 or email jmead@tiaonline.org. The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) is the leading trade organization serving the communications and IT industry, with proven strengths in standards development, domestic and international public policy, and trade shows. Through its worldwide activities, TIA facilitates business development opportunities and a competitive market environment. The association provides a forum for its member companies, the manufacturers and suppliers of products and services used in global communications. TIA represents the communications sector of the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA). Visit us at http://www.tiaonline.org. Source: Business Wire Paging Carriers Fight Preemption of Reverse Toll Billing AAPC, jointly with Arch, Metrocall and Allied, has opposed the petition filed by the Puerto Rico Telephone Company (PRTC) seeking an FCC order preempting "reverse toll billing" or "wide area calling" arrangements for wireless carriers in Puerto Rico. PRTC argued in its petition that such offerings are inconsistent with, and thus preempted by, number porting and pooling requirements imposed by the FCC. Without conceding that PRTC is correct insofar as other wireless carriers are concerned, the paging carriers pointed out that they are not subject to Local Number Portability and Thousand Number Pooling obligations. The paging carriers further pointed out that since they do not port numbers or receive numbers ported from other carriers, provision of "reverse toll billing" or "wide area calling" arrangements to paging carriers remain as feasible now as before wireline-to-wireless LNP became effective. They concluded there is accordingly no basis for preempting PRTC's provision of WAC arrangements to paging carriers. AAPC, jointly with Arch, Metrocall and Allied, has opposed the petition filed by the Puerto Rico Telephone Company (PRTC) seeking an FCC order preempting "reverse toll billing" or "wide area calling" arrangements for wireless carriers in Puerto Rico. PRTC argued in its petition that such offerings are inconsistent with, and thus preempted by, number porting and pooling requirements imposed by the FCC. Without conceding that PRTC is correct insofar as other wireless carriers are concerned, the paging carriers pointed out that they are not subject to Local Number Portability and Thousand Number Pooling obligations. The paging carriers further pointed out that since they do not port numbers or receive numbers ported from other carriers, provision of "reverse toll billing" or "wide area calling" arrangements to paging carriers remain as feasible now as before wireline-to-wireless LNP became effective. They concluded there is accordingly no basis for preempting PRTC's provision of WAC arrangements to paging carriers. Source: courtesy of the AAPC Wow, Now this is Wireless Data! DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA TO LEAD NATION IN PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS February 12, 2004 WASHINGTON—The District of Columbia Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) today announced the selection of Motorola and Flarion Technologies to build a first in the nation Public Safety high-speed wireless broadband data network. "Our first responders give their all everyday; we owe them the best available tools available to do the difficult job of keeping us all safe," said District Chief Technology Officer Suzanne Peck. "This is a major step towards delivering critical information to police, fire, and emergency medical services workers wherever they need it to safeguard our lives." The program includes installation, testing, and operations of the network for a year. The network will use 10 transmission sites that provide citywide coverage for first responders to access this new wireless public safety data network in the field. "This network will enable significant new capabilities—link hospitals and ambulances with realtime video, download mug shots to officers in the field or even convey the detection of a chemical weapons attack via wireless devices," said Peck. She added "I'm pleased that we can now deliver broadband to our first responders where it never before seemed possible. The applications our first responders have asked to support wirelessly are only the tip of the iceberg. Just as the Internet has matured into a powerful communications tool, this network will serve as a catalyst for innovation." "Flarion is pleased to be working with OCTO and Motorola in this very important technology initiative," said Ray Dolan, chairman and CEO of Flarion Technologies. "Together, we will deliver a broadband solution that is secure, spectrally-efficient and affordable, providing our nation’s first responders the tools they deserve." The schedule is to have the initial installation completed by summer, and to test the network for a period of one year following installation. "Motorola is proud to be a part of this innovative broadband data network that builds upon the success of the District's recent major upgrade to its public safety wireless radio communications system," said Rich Baids, Motorola vice president and general manager, Radio Systems Division. "Motorola is pleased to work together with OCTO and Flarion to deliver this cutting-edge highspeed data solution that once again showcases the District's position as a national leader in public safety communications. This data network will serve as a model for other public safety agencies." Unfortunately, not all jurisdictions have the ability to install a broadband network such as this due to the limited radio spectrum allocated to public safety. The District Government is a founding member of the Spectrum Coalition for Public Safety, a national coalition of state and local governments formed to secure nationwide spectrum in the 700 MHz band. Peck added, "Our needs are not unique. Every first responder across the country requires access to bandwidth-intensive applications anywhere. Only Congress can allocate this spectrum to our first responders. If we miss this opportunity, public safety communications will be hampered for decades to come." For more information, visit www.octo.dc.gov and www.spectrumcoalition.org. Source: Flarion (pdf) | ||
| FEATURED ADVERTISERS | |||||||||||||||||
| Advertiser Index | |||||||||||||||||
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Motorola Introduces Two New Pagers Ideal for Health Care, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and Utilities Markets Motorola's newest one-way pagers—the Advisor II pager and the LS355 pager—are ideal for users in demanding business environments who need a convenient and cost effective way to stay in touch. Both the Advisor II pager and the LS355 pager were developed for use in hospitals and medical facilities, manufacturing environments, utilities, hospitality applications, campus settings, and for businesses that own and operate their own paging systems.
Both the Advisor II pager and the LS355 pager are available in POCSAG, UHF or VHF models and ship with a one-year standard warranty. As part of the continued support of these pagers, Motorola offers a two-year Express Service Plus program. This feature provides hardware repair coverage for two years beyond the standard one-year warranty for a total of three years of pager repair coverage. Both pagers are available through Motorola Authorized Resellers. MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners. © Motorola, Inc. 2003. | See you at the IWCE show in  | ||||||||||||||||
For more information on advertising click here. | |||||||||||||||||
A fast and reliable alarming system is an indisputable prerequisite for emergency fire and rescue services to respond successfully and efficiently. State-of-the-art paging enables groups as well as individuals to be alerted. The Quattrino Voice and Memo two tone pagers are suitable for everyone, even for those working in an emergency during severe weather conditions. Continual further development of previous popular models has resulted in a practical, reliable and user-friendly device, innovatively housed with ergonomic operating controls. Design elements include a very long standby function and weather proofing to the European IP54 specifications. I am an authorized Manufacturer Representative for Swissphone. Please contact me directly for any additional information. |
Advanced RF Communications offers a complete line of products and services to support your new or existing paging system. Our RF and System engineering team utilizes the latest technologies and techniques to deliver reliable high-speed digital data messaging or tone/voice paging for local or wide area simulcast one-way or two-way paging systems. Advanced RF Communications is a proud sponsor of the: American Association of Paging Carriers
Our System design and installation services integrate all the "boxes" and deliver fully operational one or two-way paging "system". We can also "tune-up" that existing paging system with our diagnostic and troubleshooting services to restore System performance that has deteriorated over time.
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Need a good paging engineer? Jason Loefer is looking for a job. Atlanta Area Download his resumé here. | |||||||||||||||||
 Authentium's COMMAND Antivirus™ COMMAND Antivirus™ is used by leading education institutions, Fortune 500 companies and government agencies for one simple reason - it works. Based on the proven F-Prot engine and developed continuously over a period of more than ten years, COMMAND Antivirus™ deploys more easily, detects more viruses (and potential viruses), handles more file extensions, and returns fewer false positives than competing antivirus products. Authentium's new representative for Mexico: Enrique Llaca Enrique Llaca | Advertise Here Your company's logo and product promotion can appear right here for 6 months. It only costs $500 for a full-size ad in 26 issues—that's $19.23 an issue. Details about the NEW 2004 advertising plans can be read here. | ||||||||||||||||
 AAPC’s Mission Statement Defines Purpose
Our industry must move forward together or we will perish individually. If you want to get involved, please click here. Come and join us! The AAPC "newsroom" is a great source of information. The AAPC also hosts the Paging Technical Committee site. There is a lot of good paging industry information here. Click on the logo above to get a membership application. | Zetron Simulcast System High-speed simulcast paging with protocols such as POCSAG and FLEX™ requires microsecond accuracy to synchronize the transmission of digital paging signals.  Zetron's Simulcast System uses GPS timing information to ensure that the broadcasted transmissions between the nodes of the Simulcast System and associated transmitters are synchronized to very tight tolerances. This system is ideal for public or private paging system operators that use multiple transmitters and wish to create new paging systems or to build out existing systems into new regions. For more information about Zetron's High Speed Simulcast Paging System, the Model 600 and Model 620, go to: www.zetron.com/paging.
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WHAT WE DO. . . Prism Systems International designs and manufactures the Prism Message Gateway™ Series of products—modern communication systems for radio paging, voice messaging and e-mail messaging. With several models of PMG's available you can choose a conventional radio paging terminal, or add voice mail and email to provide all of your messaging requirements in a single integrated system. Some of our products include:
Prism Systems International, Inc. |  MAXPage
Commtech Wireless introduces MAXPage, a desktop paging terminal packed with features. Alpha, Numeric, Tone, & Voice Serial Interface Telephone Interface Alarm Inputs Features*
*Some of the features listed are optional and are not supplied as standard For more information, simply fill out the feedback form or contact us on the details below.
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The RIM 957 has a large, high-resolution display screen. This data-only handheld also offers:
Wynn & Associates is offering a special discount on these RIM (data only) units to readers of this newsletter. Please call 301-292-3030 or e-mail and mention The Paging and Wireless Data Newsletter to receive this special offer. | |||||||||||||||||
 ISC Technologies is the industry leader in the pre-owned Paging equipment marketplace. We specialize in purchasing, reconditioning, reconfiguring and sales of quality paging infrastructure. We can customize and configure equipment at a fraction of the cost of new. All equipment carries a standard warranty to insure your trouble free operation. At ISC Technologies we service what we sell and more. Our factory-trained technicians repair most Quintron, Glenayre, Motorola, and Skydata equipment. All of our repairs are done on a Time and Material basis, saving you money over flat rate repair. From vacuum tubes to surface mount equipment, we are ready to handle your repair needs quickly and cost effectively.
Web: www.4isctech.com |  Wireless Communication Solutions Hark Systems has provided the wireless industry with innovative products for over 20 years. The Omega family of products continues that tradition. The Omega Gateway performs the function of a TAP Concentrator, a TNPP Router, and an Internet Paging Gateway. This allows the paging operator with TAP and TNPP connections to their paging network to offer e-mail and Internet based paging services. Any message coming in via any supported protocol (SMTP, SNPP, TAP, TNPP, HTTP) can be converted to another protocol and sent. Pages can also be sent to e-mail boxes for safe keeping. Subscribers can log on with a web browser and view stored alpha messages. The TNPP router function has the most extensive routing and filtering capabilities in the market today. The Internet Gateway also has extensive anti-SPAM and other selective filtering options to protect your system. The Gateway is available as a turnkey system or software only. The Omega Unified Messaging Platform gives you the competitive edge by offering the ability to bundle a variety of services that can include Voicemail, FAXmail and e-mail as part of customized subscriber packages. Subscribers can view faxes, listen to voicemails, and modify features using a common browser. System administration can also be performed remotely as well as locally. This robust set of features allows the system operator to build a profit center with low initial expense and expand as needed
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Mark Hood mehood@cox.net Paging Field Engineer/Electronic technician in the Hampton Roads, Virginia area. | |||||||||||||||||
Daviscomms USA Inc. is your direct connection to Daviscomms (S) Pte Ltd., the leading pager manufacturer in the world with many years experience in Engineering, Design, and Manufacturing of highly-reliable, premium-quality FLEX and POCSAG Alphanumeric and Numeric pagers. Daviscomms offers unparalleled quality, features and functions. We perform our own stringent quality testing as well as certification by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) to meet all of their standards. All of our paging products meet FCC and IC Standards for use in the USA and Canada. Our manufacturing facility, located in Malaysia, is a 40,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility. Customers, globally, choose Daviscomms for our QUALITY, RELIABILITY, ON-TIME DELIVERY, COMPETITIVE PRICING and our TOTAL COMMITMENT to providing the best value for their needs.
At Daviscomms, we are proud to provide our customers with end-to-end manufacturing solutions while delivering superior quality and support. Daviscomms is at the forefront of the industry with its commitment to leading-edge technology, cost-effective manufacturing and the highest degree of customer service. Daviscomms delivers low cost, high volume manufacturing solutions to our customers. We help maximize time-to-market objectives while minimizing procurement, materials management, and manufacturing costs. For information about our contract manufacturing services or our Bravo-branded line of numeric and alphanumeric pagers, please call Bob Popow, our Director of Operations for the Americas, 480-515-2344. (Scottsdale, Arizona) or visit our website www.daviscommsusa.com. |
RTS Wireless ADVX System Programming Concepts, Inc. provides authorized RTS ADVX Wireless Gateway Support & Enhancements. Our RTS lab includes source code control, development tools, and test beds for all deployed RTS systems. Call now to sign-up for our first class support of your aging RTS system. More info ... PCI (www.programmingconcepts.com) has been in business for 24 years providing custom application programming for medium to large businesses. PCI's primary business segments include web enabled application development, financial industry systems, telephony (IVR, CTI, and Wireless), Secure Enterprise Instant Messaging System, Microsoft Customer Relationship Management (MS-CRM) Applications, and a wide variety of commercial applications. Contact Sales sales@programmingconcepts.com | ||||||||||||||||
DX Radio Systems, Inc. manufactures high quality, high specification type communications products. The following is a list of products that DX Radio Systems, Inc. manufactures or supplies as a single supplied product and can be included as part of a turnkey system:
Performance that is tough to find anywhere at a price you can afford.
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| TECHNICAL TOPICS |
POCSAG Paging Technical Committee Details are still being worked out, but the tentative agenda begins at 8:00 AM and includes PTC Subcommittee Meetings, special presentations on security and encryption by Allan Angus and Gagan Puranik, PTC Reports, and papers on other topics (Gagan will announce a Call for Papers soon). The meeting should wrap up by 2:00 PM. All meetings are open, but please let Stephen Oshinsky ( Conference room location, lodging, and other details will be announced as available. Hope to see you there! Best Regards, Kim Spitznagel RFSSI |
| FEATURED ADVERTISERS SUPPORTING THE NEWSLETTER | ||||||||||||||||||||
 ProfitPlus by Netflow—the software that streamlines pager billing and system maintenance. ProfitPlus interfaces to your Zetron terminals allowing easy changes to pager settings and billable services. Zetron Interface: Multiple Zetron Series 2000 terminals supported. Default pager settings. Terminal/phone number association. Future activation/deactivation dates. Easy group maintenance. Automatic Billing Records: Point of Sale transaction automatically enters pager airtime into monthly billing cycle. Contract pricing. Recurring and one-time billing capabilities. Tracking: Agent commissions. Phone number inventory/analysis. Product inventory transfer from stockroom to sales locations to customer. Capcode usage reports. Duplicate capcode detection.
Contact Netflow, Inc at: 800-236-5861 | GL3000 Cards
Transmitters
Motorola PURC UHF RF Trays & UHF 110W PAs, tested and ready to ship. Motorola PURC Advanced Control Units, tested and ready to ship.
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Supports both current and future radio paging network needs. Offers both analog (2-tone, 5/6-tone, Quick-Call I and II) formats with voice and digital (Golay, POCSAG and FLEX™) paging formats. Can be tailored to meet special operating requirements of your organization. Features redundant AC and DC power supplies, plug-in hard disk drives, standard MS Windows 2000 operating system, voice prompts, caller password screening, direct connection to your dispatch console and more. You can use common time source for logging. Supports PURC transmitter control or can be connected to existing transmitter control system. Redundancy option with geographic separation is available to provide additional protection for critical message control points. Let us discuss your specific needs. Other PMG models are available with more features and capacities. Also inquire about TGA’s Special Network Application Platform (SNAP)* featuring e-mail messaging inbound and outbound with Web Site Hosting, and don't forget:
* TGA SNAP is a trademark of TGA Technologies, Inc. | Developers and Manufacturers of Paging and Mobile Data Equipment Selective is a developer and manufacturer of intelligent paging receiver/decoders and mobile data equipment. The PDT2000 Paging Data Terminal is a large display pager designed for desktop or in-vehicle mounting and it, along with our range of other Paging Data Receivers provide a significant message processing capability. The PDT and PDR range have multiple uses and capabilities including:
Our mobile data equipment includes a range of Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs) which may be interfaced to a variety of wireless networks including trunked and conventional radio, paging, GPRS & CDMA cellular, Mobitex etc. Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) and GPS solutions, Dispatch & Messaging software. Local area paging systems, paging interception and message reprocessing software, field force automation and mobile dispatch solutions. We export worldwide.
I am an authorized Manufacturer Representative for Selective. Please contact me directly for any additional information. | |||||||||||||||||||
 TRANSMITTERS AND RECEIVERS PAGING EQUIPMENT EMERGENCY TRANSCEIVER SEA AIR AND LAND COMMUNICATIONS LTD I am an authorized Manufacturer Representative for SALCOM. Please contact me directly for any additional information. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Paging Training Course
This is a one-day training course on paging that can be conducted at your place of business. Please take a look at the course outline to see if you think this might be beneficial in your employees: Paging training course outline. Although it touches on several "technical" topics, it is definitely not a technical course. I used to teach the sales and marketing people at Motorola Paging and they appreciated an atmosphere where they could ask technical questions without being made to feel like a "dummy" and without getting a long convoluted overly-technical answer that left them more confused than before. A good learning environment is one that is "non-threatening." Let me know if you would like to receive a quotation, or if you would like to have any additional information. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Signal Pro Test Equipment For Sale
This equipment is used for monitoring, optimizing, and capturing paging data which includes full messages, capcodes, times, frame information, and other technical data. For more information click here. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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For more details, and pricing on the 2004 advertising options please click here LOOK — more poster options • PATRON • All these terms mean the same thing: "people and companies that want to help keep the newsletter publication going with weekly news about business trends and technology in paging and wireless data." | Examples of New Poster Ads
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Satellite Uplinking Service
Glenayre Technical Support
Call or write today to learn more Alan Carle, Dir of Engineering 888 854 2697 x272 or | CUSTOM APPLICATIONS
Outr.Net has a web page on Wireless Forms for Timeports at: http://www.outr.net/overnight_pw.htm Their latest newsletter is: "Business Development in Mobile Data" Please call me so we can discuss your need or your idea. Or contact me by e-mail for additional information. | |||||||||||||||||||
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Amtrak to offer Wi-Fi in six Northeast stations February 09, 2004 4:05 pm ET Amtrak and AT&T Wireless Services Inc. have inked a deal to put wireless Internet access in six of the railroad's stations along the Northeast Corridor. "Amtrak is excited to be able to offer our customers another way to meld their busy schedules and the work they need to get done," Sally Bellet, Amtrak vice president of real estate development, said in a statement. "Our arrangement with a proven wireless carrier such as AT&T Wireless is just the thing to help keep Amtrak travelers and station visitors connected to their e-mail and the Internet." Anyone with a Wi-Fi-enabled laptop or PDA will be able to access the system, according to Amtrak. Customers of AT&T Wireless will just have to enter their user credentials to go online. Other users can connect to the Wi-Fi service with an online credit card payment of US$9.99. They will then get unlimited access from a single location for 24 hours. Amtrak is set to launch the new service early this summer. The railroad said AT&T Wireless will be responsible for the design, installation, management, operation and maintenance for the Wi-Fi systems in each of the six stations. The stations are Boston's Route 128 station; Providence; New York's Penn Station; Philadelphia's 30th Street Station; Wilmington, Del.; and Baltimore's Penn Station. Source: MacWorld Checking In On Wi-Fi Worldwide, Pyramid Research expects to see a doubling of hot spot locations in 2004. Numerically, Asia leads in total deployments, but Europe and North America are gaining ground. China is a wild card due to the government's restrictions on external equipment vendors, but it still has potential. Estimated Number Of Hot Spot Locations 2002-2004
Note: A hot spot equals one location, regardless of how many access points it may include. "N/A" indicates a provider may have had hot spots in 2002, but Pyramid was unable to confirm the number. Source: Wireless Week (Original source: Pyramid Research) Proxim Extends Wi-Fi Leadership with New Generation of ORiNOCO Wi-Fi Access Points New AP-4000 Access Point Raises the Bar with Industry-Leading Performance, Advanced Security and Increased Manageability SUNNYVALE, Calif., Feb. 9, 2004 – Proxim Corporation (Nasdaq: PROX), a global leader in wireless networking equipment for Wi-Fi and broadband wireless, today introduced a new generation of Wi-Fi access points for enterprise customers. The ORiNOCO AP-4000 Access Point is an enterprise-class, tri-mode access point that delivers unprecedented capacity, rigorous security and scalability, and increased reliability and manageability – all features that have become increasingly important to enterprises and their users. With standard, built-in 802.11b/g and 802.11a radios, the AP-4000 is the first enterprise-class access point to offer automatic support for all Wi-Fi client types. Proactive security measures including rogue access point detection, coupled with secure management interfaces such as SNMPv3 and HTTPS and industry standard Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) make the AP-4000 Access Point an ideal solution for Fortune 1000 organizations as well as small to medium enterprises, that wish to add mobility to their existing Ethernet networks, set up guest and employee networks, or simplify moves, adds and changes. With the launch of this new Access Point, combined with the announcement (also issued today) of Proxim's ORiNOCO Switching System, Proxim can offer customers the most appropriate Wireless LAN (WLAN) architecture for their deployment size and applications. Proxim's new ORiNOCO AP-4000 Access Point is designed primarily for data-oriented networks and vertical voice deployments, such as healthcare, education and retail. "Proxim is unique in its ability to deliver a full set of solutions for wireless convergence – from indoor/outdoor products that extend service reach for service providers, to data, voice and cellular over Wi-Fi, to give enterprise users the integrated, mobile connectivity they require," said Kevin Duffy, vice president of product management and R&D. "Our new generation ORiNOCO AP-4000 represents an unprecedented level of performance and functionality for access points and will give our customers the ability to quickly and cost-effectively deploy Wi-Fi for mobile enterprise and hot spot applications. The combination of this new access point with Proxim's ORiNOCO Switching System and our complete set of point-to-point and multipoint wireless broadband solutions, clearly sets Proxim apart from other wireless vendors in the market." The University of Tennessee at Knoxville currently uses over 1,250 Proxim ORiNOCO AP-2000s to give Wi-Fi access to students, faculty and staff across campus. The University is now evaluating the wireless capabilities of the new ORiNOCO AP-4000. Philippe Hanset, senior network engineer, at University of Tennessee, commented, "Proxim's new AP-4000 family delivers the added scalability we need to expand the reach of our wireless network as we add buildings, departments and new users. We look forward to seeing how the added features of this new generation of APs can take our network even further." Advanced Capabilities to Simplify Installation, Increase WLAN Reliability The ORiNOCO AP-4000 Access Point greatly reduces deployment costs through features such as automatic channel selection, cell-sizing control for different user densities and support for standard Power over Ethernet (IEEE 802.3af). To further increase WLAN reliability, the AP-4000 uniquely offers assured software upgrade, ensuring a valid firmware image is in use at all times, which is especially important for updates of large networks. Support for up to sixteen separate VLANs per radio with different security settings, maximizes flexibility by allowing multiple networks on the same access point for different user communities, such as employees, contractors and guests. In addition, the AP-4000 is completely software upgradeable to address users' current applications and enable easy, low-cost migration to new applications in the future. Industry-Leading Performance Proactive Security Integrated Management Part of Proxim's Complete Wireless Networking Portfolio Pricing and Availability About Proxim Safe Harbor Source: Proxim Press Release PMA: 19-inch wireless digital picture frame debuts February 12, 2004 10:45 am ET PhotoVu LLC on Thursday introduced the PhotoVu PV1900, a custom-made 19-inch wireless digital picture frame. The device is used to display digital photography in homes or businesses, mounted on a wall like a regular picture frame and capable of retrieving imagery over a wireless network. The PV1900 incorporates a 19-inch LCD display and support for either wireless or wired (Ethernet) connectivity. The display can also pull images from a USB-based drive. The PV1900 is essentially a self-contained Linux server with a display, according to technical information posted on PhotoVu's Web site. It communicates using the IEEE 802.11b ("AirPort") protocol. Users can customize the wood frame and matting to suit the decor in their environments. PhotoVu says that the PV1900 is suitable for displaying up to 8-megapixel images—sometimes more, depending on the compression used. The PV1900 is capable of displaying digital photos on any Mac, Linux, Unix and Windows computers within range of the wireless network. The device sports its own built-in Web server—users configure the device to display images using a Web browser. The PV1900 carries a price tag of US $1,549 and can be ordered through the PhotoVu Web site. Source: MacCentral | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UNTIL NEXT WEEK | ||||||||||||||||||||
FLEX, ReFLEX, FLEXsuite, and InFLEXion, are trademarks or registered trademarks of Motorola, Inc. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| THE PAGING INFORMATION RESOURCE | ||||||||||||||||||||
) Slang. n. A person, especially a man, who is regarded as being weak and ineffectual.
The Advisor II pager's alphanumeric four-line display and expanded functionality incorporate many of the most advanced paging features available. A major advantage of the Advisor II pager is that it is synthesized which enables the user to program the pager to a specific frequency in the field. Other features of the Advisor II pager include:
The LS355 numeric pager enables users to receive a "call-back" number that can be returned at the user's convenience. This pager has a one-button design for ease of use. Features of the new LS355 pager include:
CLICK
) know if you plan to attend so he can plan appropriately for the conference room, lunch, snacks, etc.
TWO-WAY PAGING
If you see someone in the field (like salespeople, technicians, and delivery people) using paper forms, their company could probably save a pile of money, and get much better timeliness, accuracy and efficiency, by using converting to Outr.Net's Wireless Forms. Custom applications for as little as $995, delivered in just a few days.
