Dear wireless colleagues and friends of paging,

My feature article this week corrects a serious omission from last week's newsletter. I wrote about the worrisome issue of how to support the many existing paging systems that use Glenayre infrastructure, especially the ReFLEX systems, which use almost all Glenayre equipment. It was a relief to announce that GTES (Global Technical Engineering Solutions) had been formed with ex-Glenayre paging infrastructure support and engineering people, for just that purpose.

What I failed to point out was that there are good sources of all the equipment needed to build a new ReFLEX system available today. So this week's feature article will show how to build a brand new ReFLEX paging system, using infrastructure and pagers which are currently in production. All you need is a license to operate the system, the determination to do it, and frequency assignments compatible with the systems currently deployed in Canada, the USA, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

News highlights this week:

• Arch financial results
• Metrocall financial results
• Iain Morris gets promoted at AMD
• New Nextel Mobile Resource Management service w/Motorola GPS-enabled mobile phone
• IBM is developing a major Instant Messaging application that integrates with e-mail

So now on to this week's news.

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.

The following ReFLEX System was put together using materials from the current three main manufacturers of ReFLEX paging equipment, TGA Technologies, Vytek Corporation, and Percomm. Other new ReFLEX products from several manufacturers are expected to be announced very soon. I will announce them here as soon as I am authorized to do so. Some are still in R&D and others are undergoing field testing, but the following products are all available now. One very important point is that these "campus" systems can be linked into one of the national or international public systems so that you have the best of both worlds—a private system with all the benefits of coverage that meets your requirements, reduced latency, and custom features when "on campus," and the ability to switch over (or roam) onto a wide-area system when you leave the campus.

Two-way text messaging has many advantages over voice communications. It is much more difficult to misunderstand a text message than a voice communication. For one thing you don't have to write it down. A text message doesn't interrupt you, you can read it and answer at your convenience. I think the discreet mode of text communications is better than voice for protecting the confidentiality of the content, and besides it is great to be able to receive e-mail "on the go" as well. Two-way pagers practically never miss a message. If a person happens to be in a weak coverage area, the system will keep trying to send the message until it receives an acknowledgment back from the pager. It doesn't matter if you are in the next room or on the beach in Miami — you always get the message.

In a way, the design of a two-way paging system is much simpler that a one-way system. The most complicated and expensive part of a traditional one-way system is the part that connects to the public telephone network. Sometimes hundreds of telephone trunks and thousands of numbers are required. With the wide use of e-mail and the tremendous popularity of the Internet, a two-way system doesn't have to be "telephone centric." The majority of messages on a two-way system go from "peer-to-peer" or from e-mail to paging subscriber and back, or from a web-entry page to the pager. All the complexity and expense of supporting telephone calls is not required in two-way.

For The Paging System Controllers:

TWO-WAY PAGING SYSTEM

The Sparkgap product line provides optimized, on-site service for 2-way wireless messaging. It is optimized in industrial, medical, public safety and public utility applications, as well as small and medium-sized common carriers. Using the Motorola ReFLEX™ air protocol, a single Sparkgap antenna site provides reliable wireless e-mail, 2-way paging, and telemetry service to a single building, or to thousands of users over a wide urban area.

The foundation of the Sparkgap solution is the Model 4101 Campus Server. This unit contains a database for up to 5,000 users, an e-mail interface, and a ReFLEX network controller. It supports wireless e-mail devices, pagers, and embedded telemetry modems from a several vendors, and it works with existing and emerging paging transmitters and receivers. Sparkgap can also link to a public carrier using RXP, maintaining contact with users that leave private coverage by seamlessly transitioning them to a nationwide network.

Private service extends from a single building interior to an urban area, depending on RF equipment, terrain and antenna placement. Beyond this, coverage continues transparently via roaming partnership with a nationwide carrier.

Private coverage can scale from one site to many sites. Users are always identified by a single email address regardless of their physical location, whether on-site or roaming on a carrier network.

With the addition of one or more Model 2100 Site Controllers, a Model 4101 can control multiple on-campus base stations, or even remote TX/RX installations. This is useful for large settings involving multiple buildings, and it also provides the ideal means for a paging carrier to overlay ReFLEX service onto portions of their existing coverage footprint.

The TGA Sparkgap provides unmatched value and flexibility for wireless e-mail, paging, and telemetry, using some of the most time-proven and reliable technology in existence.

For the Base Transmitters and Receivers:
Vytek PTX Direct Digital Paging Transmitters These transmitters are designed to meet both today's and tomorrow's most demanding paging requirements.They support on the fly ReFLEX, POCSAG and FLEX (2 and 4 level) modes and includes full simulcast capability. It interfaces directly with C2000, C-Net, & Zetron controllers includes complete remote programming and diagnostic capabilities. High power versions are also available up to 500 Watts.	TRANSMITTER
Vytek RF Audience II The RFA II is a 2-Way, ReFLEX25 Infrastructure Receiver that offers the wireless messaging industry the first real breakthrough in the performance and economy of ReFLEX25 systems. This new unit utilizes the latest in DSP technology to provide superior RF performance as well as the most comprehensive set of management features and built-in test functions in the industry!	RECEIVER

For the Pagers:
	Source: www.percomm.com/e80

About PerComm
PerComm Inc., a leading manufacturer of ReFLEX advanced messaging devices and FLEX and POCSAG 1-way devices, is a privately held Massachusetts company. In addition to the wireless messaging devices, PerComm also develops the OmniData™ telemetry module, the GPS network assist location and asset tracking device, and licenses the ReFLEX Reference Design & Chipset.

So, if you are interested in building a new ReFLEX two-way paging system what would be the next step? Simple, call me and we can discuss your requirements: .

Arch Wireless, Inc. (ticker: AWIN.OB, exchange: NASDAQ) News Release

March 1, 2004

Arch Wireless Reports Fourth Quarter and 2003 Operating Results

WESTBOROUGH, Mass., March 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Arch Wireless, Inc. (Nasdaq: AWIN, BSE: AWL), a leading wireless messaging and mobile information company, today announced net income of $16 million for 2003, compared to net income of $1.7 billion for 2002. Net income for 2002 included various bankruptcy-related items, including a $1.6 billion gain from the discharge and termination of debt upon Arch's emergence from Chapter 11 on May 29, 2002. For the quarter ended December 31, 2003, Arch reported a net loss of $1.4 million, or $0.07 per share, compared to a net loss of $8.3 million, or $0.42 per share, for the fourth quarter of 2002.

Revenues for 2003 totaled $597 million while revenues for the fourth quarter of 2003 totaled $135 million. For the twelve and three-month periods ended December 31, 2003, the company reported net cash provided by operating activities of $181.2 million and $34.4 million, respectively.

"Fourth quarter and full-year operating results met our expectations and were consistent with the financial guidance we provided in early 2003," said C. Edward Baker, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer. "Although the wireless messaging industry remains competitive, we continued to make steady improvements to network operations, business processes and customer service in 2003 while increasing our operating margins." Baker also noted that Arch's disconnect rate for units in service improved steadily during 2003, attributing the slowing pace of decline to a higher concentration of messaging units with large customers. "With an increasing percentage of our units in service held by large commercial enterprises," he said, "we've seen an improving trend."

J. Roy Pottle, executive vice president and chief financial officer, said Arch continued to strengthen its financial position during 2003 through the successful reduction of operating and capital expenses as well as the repayment of debt. "Total operating expenses declined by 29% during the year," he said, "while capital expenditures decreased to $25 million in 2003 from $84 million a year earlier." Pottle noted that a large part of the year-over-year reduction in capital costs was the result of improved pricing from new equipment manufacturers. Pottle also noted that Arch repaid $161.9 million of its outstanding debt in 2003.

Pottle said "Arch continued to reduce debt during the fourth quarter, well ahead of stated maturities." He said the company's wholly owned subsidiary Arch Wireless Holdings, Inc. (AWHI) completed optional and mandatory redemptions of its 12% Subordinated Secured Compounding Notes due 2009 during the fourth quarter. "Through January 30, 2004," he added, "AWHI has redeemed $60 million compounded value of the 12% Notes and had $50 million in aggregate compounded value outstanding with cash on hand exceeding $27 million."

Pottle said that during the quarter ended December 31, 2003, Arch determined, based on operating income and cash flows for the past two years and anticipated operating income and cash flows for future periods, that it was appropriate to recognize certain of its deferred tax assets. Accordingly, during the quarter Arch released the valuation allowance against its deferred tax assets totaling $219.6 million, which also resulted in a $217 million increase to stockholders' equity.

Arch's messaging units in service decreased by 280,000 during the fourth quarter and 1,452,000 for the year, compared to 503,000 and 2,584,000 for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2002, respectively. Total units in service at December 31, 2003 were 4,437,000, including 3,674,000 direct units in service and 763,000 indirect units in service. The decrease in units in service for the quarter and year above do not include the addition of 249,000 units which resulted from the reversal of the remaining portion of the one-time, 1,000,000 unit reduction recorded in the fourth quarter of 2000 for definitional differences and potential unit reductions associated with the conversion and cleanup of accounts acquired in the PageNet acquisition. Since Arch has completed the conversion and final review of these accounts, the remainder of this prior unit reduction was recorded as a one-time increase in the fourth quarter, which increased Arch's units in service at December 31, 2003.

Arch's financial results include separate results and cash flows prior to its emergence from bankruptcy on May 29, 2002 (the Predecessor Company), as well as operating results and cash flows after its emergence from bankruptcy (the Reorganized Company), reflecting the application of "fresh-start" accounting that resulted from Arch's chapter 11 reorganization. Consequently, and due to other reorganization-related events and adjustments, the financial statements of the Predecessor Company and Reorganized Company for the twelve- month period ended December 31, 2002 are not comparable to the financial statements of the Reorganized Company for the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2003.

About Arch
Arch Wireless, Inc., headquartered in Westborough, Mass., is a leading wireless messaging and mobile information company with operations throughout the United States. It offers a full range of wireless messaging and wireless e-mail services, including mobile data solutions for the enterprise, to business and retail customers nationwide. Arch provides services to customers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico and in the Caribbean principally through a nationwide direct sales force, as well as through indirect resellers, retailers and other strategic partners. Additional information on Arch is available on the Internet at http://www.arch.com.

Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act: Statements contained herein or in prior press releases which are not historical fact, such as statements regarding Arch's expectations for future reductions in operating expenses, future subscriber and disconnect rates, and maintenance of operating margins, are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause Arch's actual results to be materially different from the company's expectations expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expectations include, but are not limited to, declining demand for Arch's paging products and services, Arch's ability to continue to reduce operating expenses and maintain operating margins, Arch's ability to complete announced redemptions and payments on its long-term debt, Arch's future capital needs, competitive pricing pressures, competition from both traditional paging services and other wireless communications services, government regulation, reliance upon third party providers for certain equipment and services, as well as other risks described from time to time in Arch's periodic reports and registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Although Arch believes the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be attained. Arch disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

Source: Arch Wireless News Release

Metrocall, Inc. (ticker: MTOH, exchange: OTC Bulletin Board) News Release

1-Mar-2004

Metrocall Announces $20 Million Preferred Stock Redemption

Declares Dividend on Preferred Stock

Alexandria, VA, Monday, March 1, 2004 — Metrocall Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: MTOH), a leading provider of paging and two-way wireless messaging, today announced that on March 31, 2004, it will make a $20 million redemption of 1,797,103 shares, representing approximately 75%, of its outstanding series A preferred stock (series A preferred). The per share redemption price will be $11.129028. Following this redemption, the Company will have redeemed approximately 5.4 million shares, or approximately 90%, of the aggregate 6 million series A preferred shares issued in connection with its October 2002 reorganization. This voluntary redemption of shares will be completed using $20 million in cash balances generated from operations. Shares will be redeemed on a pro-rata basis from all holders of record on March 1, 2004. After the redemption, Metrocall will have approximately 605,000 shares of its series A preferred stock outstanding with an aggregate liquidation preference of approximately $6.7 million.

This payment follows a $20 million redemption of series A preferred completed on September 30, 2003, a subsequent $20 million redemption on January 6, 2004 and the retirement in full of approximately $81.5 million aggregate principal amount of Metrocall’s long-term debt securities completed on June 30, 2003.

Additionally, Metrocall's board of directors has declared a dividend on the series A preferred stock of approximately $0.42 per share, payable March 31, 2004, to holders of record on March 15, 2004. The dividend will be paid on all issued and outstanding shares prior to March 31, 2004. Please refer to the Company's most recent report on Form 10-Q, annual report on Form 10-K and proxy statement for details on these securities.

"Metrocall continues to make progress in executing our cash flow-focused business plan," stated Vincent D. Kelly, Metrocall President & CEO. "Upon the completion of this redemption, Metrocall will have retired $141.5 million, or 96% of the aggregate debt and preferred stock obligations associated with our October 8, 2002 plan of reorganization using cash generated from operations."

About Metrocall Wireless, Inc.
Metrocall Wireless, Inc., headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, is a leading provider of paging products and other wireless services to business and individual subscribers. In addition to its reliable, nationwide one-way networks, Metrocall’s two-way network has the largest high-powered terrestrial ReFLEX footprint in the United States with roaming partners in Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America. Metrocall Wireless is the preferred ReFLEX wireless data network provider for many of the largest telecommunication companies in the United States that source virtual network services and resell under their own brand names. In addition to traditional numeric, one-way text and two-way paging, Metrocall also offers wireless e-mail solutions, as well as mobile voice and data services through AT&T Wireless and Nextel. Also, Metrocall offers Integrated Resource Management Systems with wireless connectivity solutions for medical, business, government and other campus environments. Metrocall focuses on the business-to-business marketplace and supports organizations of all sizes, with a special emphasis on the medical and government sectors. For more information on Metrocall please visit our Web site and on-line store at www.metrocall.com or call 800-800-2337.

Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
This press release includes "forward-looking statements," within the meaning of the federal securities laws, that involve uncertainties and risks. These include statements regarding events or developments that Metrocall Holdings expects or anticipates will occur in the future. A number of risks and uncertainties could cause actual results, events, and developments to differ from expectations. Please refer to Metrocall's most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q and annual report on Form 10-K, and any subsequently filed reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K, as well as its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, for a complete discussion of these and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected by these forward-looking statements.

Metrocall Contact:
Timothy J. Dietz
Corporate Communications
(703) 660-6677 x6231
dietzt@metrocall.com

Source: Metrocall Press Release

AMD Promotes Billy Edwards to Chief Strategy Officer and Names Iain Morris as Head of Personal Connectivity Solutions Group

Executive Team Aligned to Further Bolster AMD's Customer-Centric Approach Globally

SUNNYVALE, CA — March 1, 2004 —Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) (NYSE: AMD) today announced the promotion of William T. "Billy" Edwards, Ph.D., to chief strategy officer and the appointment of Iain Morris as group vice president of its Personal Connectivity Solutions Group (PCSG). These changes signal the company's need to expand its executive leadership in support of the company's growing portfolio of global customers and promising market leadership opportunities.

In this newly created role, Dr. Edwards will be responsible for creating the Office of Strategy and Technology (OST), whose charter will be to explore new markets and expand leadership opportunities for AMD. The OST will be tasked with developing an integrated, proactive, cross-business-unit approach to strategic market and technology planning.

"AMD's ability to expand our pipeline of customer-centric innovations like AMD64 and MirrorBit™ technologies will hinge on developing a more advanced strategic planning function – based on stronger connections with our customers, partners and across our organization. Billy Edwards' new role extends his capacity to make additional outstanding contributions to AMD," said Hector Ruiz, AMD's chief executive officer. "His diverse technical and business experience and strong industry profile make him an ideal candidate to focus on extending AMD's technology leadership worldwide."

"It is an exciting time in the industry and I am looking forward to helping to play a leadership role in AMD's success during our next phase of growth," said Dr. Edwards, newly appointed chief strategy officer. "I am pleased to have this opportunity to enhance our current market position, while defining and developing new market and technology strategies for the whole company."

Morris, a veteran in the semiconductor industry, joins AMD from Hewlett-Packard (HP), where he was senior vice president for the Mobility and Emerging Technology group. Prior to this, he was president of the Embedded and Personal Systems group there. At AMD, Morris will lead the strategy and global business activities of its expanding PCSG. Morris will also lead AMD's growing emerging markets initiative.

Prior to HP, he served a 23-year tenure at Motorola as senior vice president and general manager of its Personal Communications Sector (PCS) Americas Region, comprising of its cellular, advanced messaging and paging businesses in the United States and Canada.

"We are honored to have an experienced industry leader like Iain join the AMD executive team and I know we will benefit tremendously from his wealth of industry and international experience," said Ruiz. "Iain's solid track record, leadership skills and insight will support AMD's aggressive strategy to expand market share and deliver innovative solutions that address our customers' needs globally."

"This is an incredibly exciting time for AMD as the company extends its leadership and continues to develop customer-centric technology for consumers beyond the PC," said Iain Morris, AMD's group vice president of the PCSG. "I look forward to helping AMD grow its presence in new and emerging markets."

About AMD's Personal Connectivity Solutions Group (PCSG)
AMD's PCSG delivers high-performance, low-power embedded solutions that are designed to address customer needs in the non-PC Internet Appliance market. PCSG offers technologies from the AMD Alchemy™ Solutions and the AMD Geode™ Solutions product families covering a wide range of applications. Target markets for PCS solutions include client, mobile client, set-top box, and access/networking device markets. These products meet customers' needs for complete connectivity solutions.

About AMD
AMD (NYSE:AMD) designs and produces microprocessors, Flash memory devices and system-on-chip solutions for the computer, communications and consumer electronics industries. AMD is dedicated to helping its customers deliver standards-based, customer-focused solutions for technology users, ranging from enterprises to government agencies and individual consumers. Founded in 1969, AMD is a Standard & Poor's 500 company with global operations and manufacturing facilities in the United States, Europe, Japan and Asia.

AMD on the Web
For more AMD news and product information, please visit our virtual pressroom at www.amd.com/news/virtualpress/index.html. Additional press releases are available at www.amd.com/news/news.html.

AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, and combinations thereof, Alchemy and Geode are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. MirrorBit is a trademark of FASL LLC. Other product and company names used herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.

Source: AMD Press Release

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.

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:

• Displays up to four lines of text and 80 characters per line
• Zooms in on two lines for larger view
• Optimax® EL Electra Light for optimum readability
• 52 message slots for storing multiple pages
• Two notebook areas, including a personal notebook and a mail drop notebook

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:

• 16 message slots for storing multiple pages
• Six individual addresses to allow the user to receive individual or group pages
• 4 icons including Message Preview, Unread Message Indication, Alert Mode, and Out of Range Indication
• Saves messages when off or when the battery is being changed and offers the time and date when on standby
• RS232 programmable to allow for programming changes in the field

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
Las Vegas
booth number 10075

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two tone pager
QUATTRINO RE529

• Reliable operation
• Flexible programming
• Weather resistant

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. CLICK

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.

CONTACT

Advanced RF Communications, Inc. 301 Oak Street—Suite 2-46A Quincy, IL 62301 USA

For further information please contact: Fred Pakosta or Jim Neves

Telephone/Fax: 217-221-9500 E-mail: sales@advancedrf.biz CLICK Web: www.advancedrf.biz CLICK

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
Llacom, SA de CV
Mexico City
Telephone: 011 52 55 53734241

Enrique Llaca CLICK HERE TO E-MAIL

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.  CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

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 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. CLICK HERE

CONTACT

Zetron, Inc. P.O. Box 97004 Redmond, WA 98073-9704 USA

Tel: 425-820-6363 Fax: 425-820-7031 E-mail: zetron@zetron.com CLICK Web: www.zetron.com/paging CLICK

Prism Message Gateway Systems
Modular and Configurable

Your Choice of Options

• Radio Paging Terminals
• Voicemail Systems
• Email and Network Text Messaging Systems
• Digital Trunk Switching Systems
• Digital Trunk and Voicemail Concentrators
• Remote Network Encoders
• TNPP Network Routers

Popular Choice for Domestic and International

• Commercial Paging Carriers
• Private Paging Systems
• Hospitals
• Public Safety
• Federal, State and Local Government
• Industrial Paging
• Energy Companies – Load Management

Logical Choice

• Replace Outdated, UNLICENSED Paging Terminals
• Eliminate Outrageously High Support Costs
• Add New Paging System with ALL THE FEATURES
• Provide Your Customers With Features They Want
• Designed and Supported by Industry Experts

Go ahead… be choosy… choose Prism Systems International

MAXPage
It's like a Motorola PeopleFinder™ on Steroids!

More information

Commtech Wireless introduces MAXPage, a desktop paging terminal packed with features.

Alpha, Numeric, Tone, & Voice
MAXPage, from Commtech Wireless, is the ideal replacement for the Motorola PeopleFinder™. With its advanced features, it can be used with Alphanumeric, Numeric, Tone only, Coaster pagers as well as 2-tone voice pagers in countless applications.

Serial Interface
With the inclusion of a serial interface, MAXPage can interface with Comp, TAP, Scope™, Waveware & Tekk systems as well as Commtech's Wireless Callpoints.

Telephone Interface
Anyone can be given easy access to the MAXPage system through its telephone interface. Once the system is connected to a telephone port, anyone can pick up a telephone, dial the MAXPage unit and use the keypad on their phone to send messages to pagers. The telephone can also be used to transmit voice messages to 2-tone voice pagers.

Alarm Inputs
A powerful feature of MAXPage is its onboard alarms. The four, dry contact closure, onboard alarm inputs will automatically dispatch messages to pagers or groups when activated. Alarms not cleared within a configured time frame can activate a repeat message (escalation) to either the same pager/group or to an alternative pager/group.

Features*

• 1000 Pager capacity
• Selectable 2 or 4 watt transmitter
• Reminder messages
• Dual mode function keys - one touch messaging
• 2-tone voice paging - from on-board mic or telephone
• 4 alarm inputs
• Voice prompted telephone paging
• QWERTY keyboard interface (PS2)
• Windows® interface for advanced features
• Serial interface for Comp/TAP/Scope™/Waveware/Tekk
• Coaster paging management system

*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.

SPECIAL OFFER

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.

CONTACTS

Chris Kephart 888-645-7545 972-221-4528 ckephart@mckcom.com CLICK

Ken Knapp 888-223-4028 217-221-0985 kknapp@4isctech.com CLICK

Web: www.4isctech.com CLICK

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

CONTACT

Hark Systems, Inc. 2675 Lake Park Drive N. Charleston, SC 29406

Tel: +1 800-367-4275 or 843-764-1560 ext. 8104 Fax: +1 843-764-3692 E-mail: leanne@harksystems.com CLICK Web: http://www.harksystems.com CLICK

Paging Technician

Mark Hood mehood@cox.net
Telephone: 757-588-0537

Paging Field Engineer/Electronic technician in the Hampton Roads, Virginia area.
Download resumé here. CLICK

CALL CENTER

Please click on the image above for more information.

• ISO 9001 - 2000 certified manufacturing facility.
• THE High-Quality RF design and Contract Manufacturer of choice.
• Do you have a product or product component that you would like to have manufactured?
• Would you like to have us design and manufacture a product just for you?
• Would you like to know firsthand that your contract manufacturer is one of the leading providers of service with the highest degree of quality in mind?

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.

Br501plus Numeric	We offer full product support (ODM/OEM) for our worldwide customers, including a complete design center, research facilities, proto-typing, field services, contract manufacturing, commodity sourcing, and distribution.
In addition to both Numeric and Alphanumeric pagers, we have designed, engineered and manufactured 1-way Telemetry devices, paging receivers, 2-way paging (ReFLEX) telemetry devices, DECT phones/devices and PDA accessories.	Bravo 800 Alphanumeric

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.

Programming Concepts, Inc. Since 1979

RTS Wireless ADVX System
Support and Enhancements

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
or 631-563-3800 x220.

DX Radio Systems

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:

• Repeaters
• Repeater Systems
• Paging Transmitters
• Paging Systems
• LTR & MPT1327 Trunking Systems
• MPT1327 Trunking Repeaters
• SmarTrunk II Trunking Repeaters
• Complete Trunking Systems
• Airport Ground to Air Base Radios
• Airport Ground to Air Systems
• Rural Radiotelephone Link Systems
• Antenna Systems
• Combining Systems
• Complete Turnkey Systems
• Engineering & Installation of All Systems

Performance that is tough to find anywhere at a price you can afford.

CONTACT

DX Radio Systems, Inc. 10941 Pendleton Street Sun Valley, California 91352-1522 USA

Telephone: 818-252-6700 Fax: 818-252-6711 E-mail: Info@DXRadioSystems.com CLICK Web: www.dxradiosystems.com CLICK

@Road® Expands Suite of Applications for GPS-enabled Mobile Phones

@Road TimeConnect^SM automates time and task information to improve field force productivity

FREMONT, CA – March 1, 2004 – @Road (Nasdaq: ARDI), a leading provider of mobile resource management (MRM) services, today announced the availability of @Road TimeConnect^SM, an automated time tracking and task management application for Nextel® GPS-enabled mobile phones by Motorola. This new application allows for automatic capture and transmittal of time and task details with the push of a button using a GPS-enabled phone with Nextel service. Mobile workers can choose from a variety of pre-selected messages to automatically record shift and job start and stop times; task start and stop times during a job; and break times during a shift.

@Road TimeConnect helps companies eliminate time-consuming, redundant, paper- and pen-based administrative activities associated with recording job status information. From any Internet-connected PC, managers, supervisors and dispatchers can review the status of any job, or see which workers are on a break or available for work or reassignment. Managers can print time sheet and task reports, and export time sheet and task data directly into payroll, accounting and other back office systems.

"Like our other mobile resource management solutions, @Road TimeConnect is designed to replace labor-intensive and error-prone business processes with an automatic data capture, transmission and processing solution based on open-standards," said Krish Panu, president and CEO of @Road. "We believe that @Road TimeConnect will assist customers in streamlining their operations, which can help automate payroll and billing processes, speed up billing cycles, lower operations costs and improve their customers' satisfaction."

@Road TimeConnect is a free feature for @Road Pocket Edition and @Road Pathway customers, and is available for Nextel's i58, i88 and i730 phones by Motorola. @Road TimeConnect can be downloaded directly from the @Road application menu on any of these Nextel handsets.

@Road expands services for new handsets
@Road also today announced the availability of GeoManager^SM Pocket Edition and @Road Pathway^SM services for Nextel's i730 color phone by Motorola, the third handset model compatible with @Road MRM services. @Road subscribers can also configure their i730 phones to automatically launch @Road MRM services when the phones are powered on.

About GeoManager Pocket Edition and @Road Pathway
GeoManager Pocket Edition and @Road Pathway services offer a number of advanced features, including:

• Configurable reports, including time in transit, start/stop activity and mileage
• Historical activity and location information for mobile workers and resources
• Customer-configurable maps and pre- and user-defined landmarks designed to provide current location and proximity information about mobile workers
• "Store-and-forward" of captured data for mobile workers outside a coverage area or on a phone call
• Automated time tracking and task management for effective mobile resource management
• Information is accessible from any Internet-connected computer
• Compatible with three Nextel phones by Motorola: i730, i88s and the ruggedized i58sr
• Uses iDEN, Nextel's 2.5G wireless network, the largest guaranteed all digital packet data network in the U.S.

About @Road
@Road (NASDAQ: ARDI) is a leading provider of mobile resource management (MRM) services, a rapidly growing category of productivity solutions integrating wireless communications, location technologies, hosted software applications, transaction processing and the Internet to help companies better manage mobile workers. Any size organization, in any industry or public sector, in which improving the productivity of mobile workers has an impact on revenue, expenses, customer service and competitive advantage, will benefit from @Road MRM services. Because @Road offers MRM services on a hosted basis, customers avoid expensive and complex software and IT infrastructure investments. Since @Road delivers services on a subscription basis, customers can experience a rapid and measurable return-on-investment.

@Road delivers its MRM services to more than 125,000 mobile workers in North America every day. The company has headquarters in Fremont, CA, and secure networked data centers on both U.S. coasts. For more information, visit the @Road web site at www.road.com.

###

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this press release are forward-looking statements involving risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the ability of @Road to successfully market, deploy and support the @Road Pathway, GeoManager Pocket Edition and TimeConnect services, to sell the @Road Pathway and GeoManager Pocket Edition services, the limited operating history of @Road, rapidly changing customer demand, dependence of @Road on mobile data systems technology, wireless networks, network infrastructure and positioning systems owned and controlled by others, and general economic and political conditions. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the @Road Report on Form 10-K/A dated July 29, 2003, Report on Form 10-Q dated November 14, 2003 and in its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. @Road undertakes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

@Road is a registered trademark of At Road, Inc. The @Road logo, GeoManager, @Road Pathway and @Road TimeConnect are trademarks and/or service marks of At Road, Inc. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.

Source: @Road Press Release

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.

• Automatic Past Due
• Prompts and Disconnects!
• Customer Alerts!
• Over 70 reports!

Contact Netflow, Inc at: 800-236-5861
or e-mail: sales@netflow-usa.com
Visit us on the web: www.netflow-usa.com

GL3000 Cards

• RAM Cards, CPU’s, LCC, UOE, QVSB’s, T1s, DIDs, SIO, Drives, Almost any card you need—priced right.
• TOWERS (NEW) Self supporting, Guyed, Monopoles, with all the hardware
• Antenna Line Hanging kits, and misc hardware.

Transmitters

• (12) Motorola Nucleus, 350W, VHF, Advanced Control
• (2) Glenayre QT5994, 45W, 900 MHz Link TX, w/ Hot Standby
• (1) Glenayre QT6994, 150W, 900 MHz Link TX.
• (3) Glenayre QT4201, 25W Midband Link TX.
• (15) Glenayre RL70XC, Midband Link RX.
• (10) Glenayre GLT5340, 125W UHF TX.
• (75) Motorola PURC 5000, UHF, 110W, ACB
• (12) Glenayre GLT85/8600, 250/500W, 900 MHz w/C2000
• (5) Micor PURC UHF, 250W Complete – (Make Offer)

Motorola PURC UHF RF Trays & UHF 110W PAs, tested and ready to ship. Motorola PURC Advanced Control Units, tested and ready to ship.

TOO MUCH TO LIST • CALL OR E-MAIL

Rick McMichael 888-429-4171 rmcm@preferredwireless.com CLICK

Mark Dawson 972-467-8188 markd@preferredwireless.com CLICK

Paging Training Course

Specially designed course for sales, marketing, and administration personnel. Engineers will only be admitted with a note signed by their mother, promising that they will just listen and not disrupt the class.

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. CLICK

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:

• FLEX or POCSAG decoding
• TNPP input & output
• TAP input & output
• POCSAG output (encoder)
• Parallel printer output
• Serial inputs & outputs (up to 2)
• Relay outputs (1-256 or more)
• PC interfacing
• Interception
• Remote control
• Cross band repeating
• Paging infill
• LED Sign Control
• Remote Printing etc.

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.

CONTACT
Postal Address:	Selective Communications Group Ltd. PO Box 8798 Symonds St. Auckland, New Zealand
Street Address:	3/2 Haultain St. Eden Tce Auckland, New Zealand
Web site: E-mail:	www.selective.co.nz CLICK info@selective.co.nz CLICK
Phone: Fax:	+64-9-3021142 +64-9-3021148
SECOND TERM SUPPORTER

I am an authorized Manufacturer Representative for Selective. Please contact me directly for any additional information. CLICK

GTES is the only Glenayre authorized software support provider to the paging industry.

The GTES team consists of highly qualified and seasoned associates who were formerly a part of Glenayre's paging infrastructure support and engineering operations. We are poised and ready to "Partner" with you to ensure the viability of your network, reduce your long-term cost of ownership, and to provide future solutions for profitability. GTES will offer product sales, maintenance services, software development and product development to the wireless industry.

GTES SUITE OF PRODUCTS

GTES Partner Program
Software and/or Hardware Support Programs

Product Sales
Software and Hardware Sales

On-Site Services
Upgrades, Relocations, Repairs, Consolidations

Software Development
New features, application development

Product Training
GL3000, GL3100, GL3200, GL3300, N2000, C2000

CALL US TODAY FOR YOUR SUPPORT NEEDS

TRANSMITTERS AND RECEIVERS
SALCOM designs and manufactures a range of VHF and UHF FM radio transmitters and receivers to integrate with systems data equipment as well as for voice operation. The design philosophy has always been to be low cost and yet meet the most demanding compliance requirements. Salcom's synthesized UHF and VHF transmitters, receivers and transceivers are utilized in many areas of the telecommunications industry, often in conjunction with Salcom signalling products. To realize additional market segments for the RF products, specialized OEM products have been developed utilizing the standard core technology. Most of these products are utilized in third party telecommunications and telemetry systems.

PAGING EQUIPMENT
Salcom manufactures an extensive range of POCSAG paging products suited to a wide range of system applications such as remote switching, automatic machine monitoring, security and fire alarm systems and nurse calling systems.

EMERGENCY TRANSCEIVER
A transceiver has been developed to meet the demand for a low cost, simple to use, fully immersible, floatable emergency radio. It provides a means of communication from aircraft to personnel in distress where they can not be reached and no alternative communication method exists.

SEA AIR AND LAND COMMUNICATIONS LTD
120 St Asaph Street
Christchurch, New Zealand
Phone: +64 3 3792298 • Fax: +64 3 3651580

I am an authorized Manufacturer Representative for SALCOM. Please contact me directly for any additional information. CLICK

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• PATRON •
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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."

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Satellite Uplinking Service
Affordable and Reliable

• Own and operate our own satellite uplink
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• Completely redundant hardware
• Access to knowledgeable technical staff 24/7

Glenayre Technical Support
Paging Terminals & Transmitters

• Paging terminal upgrades, relocations, troubleshooting, emergency repair & training
• Transmitter installation & maintenance
• Experienced industry technicians and engineers
• Satisfaction Guaranteed

Call or write today to learn more Alan Carle, Dir of Engineering 888 854 2697 x272 or

acarle@ucom.com

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.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. CLICK

IBM heeds message to integrate IM, e-mail

March 1, 2004, 4:00 AM PT

IBM wants to take the mess out of messaging, with an experimental application called NotesBuddy.

NotesBuddy, which is already used extensively inside Big Blue, seeks to blur the borders between instant messaging and e-mail.

In NotesBuddy, IM dialogs are stored in e-mail in-boxes, and people can search for them by subject or other classifications. The application can also automatically determine whether to send a note as a message or e-mail, depending on the present status of the recipient. Links to the company's phone system also exist.

Indeed, NotesBuddy is a project that aims to eliminate one of the major problems of IM. Namely, that it often functions like a technological island.

With popular versions of IM, "you have no connection to your business documents," said Alan Tannenbaum, a senior technical staff member at IBM whose research focuses on human-computer interaction.

NotesBuddy could help point the way toward a more unified, useful version of IM. As the use of IM as a business tool grows, the urgency to unite instant messaging with other software is increasing. At IBM alone, there are 315,000 employees and 280,000 regular IM users, Tannenbaum said. About 140,000 employees, nearly half the company, are active on IM at any given time.

While IBM has no plans to release NotesBuddy as an independent application, some of its features have already been incorporated into Big Blue's Lotus e-mail and calendar software, and more will follow, the company said.

"It makes a lot of sense to link (e-mail and messaging) together," said Robert Mahowald, an analyst at IDC. "In the next three to four years, I don't expect to see any stand-alone IM clients."

IM integration is already occurring with other applications. Last year, Yahoo struck a deal with Web conference company WebEx that enables companies using Yahoo Messenger Enterprise Edition to launch Web meetings during an IM session. Similarly, Microsoft has integrated messaging into the Live Meeting videoconference service it acquired from PlaceWare and has launched software, called Live Communications Server, that can integrate instant messaging with the company's Office software. Further integration is inevitable, analysts said.

"Customers want to collaborate (with) the applications they are working in," Mahowald said.

Microsoft is also testing automatic collaboration through its Notification tool. The technology will be embedded in future Microsoft software and is intended to let computers and cell phones automatically filter messages, schedule meetings without their owners' help and derive strategies for getting in touch with other people.

"Over time, what will be interesting to see is how companies integrate all forms of communication so that a user could respond to an incoming voice message with an (instant) message or filter out unwanted or obsolete messages," said Duane Bray, who heads up interactive design for Ideo, one of the world's largest industrial designers.

The move to integrate IM with other applications "signals the fact that IM is becoming a serious part of business communications," Bray said.

"We're all struggling with managing an overwhelming amount of communications," Bray added.

To address this issue, IBM kicked off an "Ease of Use" initiative about five years ago that seeks to create computers and software applications that operate more intuitively, said Tony Temple, an IBM fellow and vice president of the Ease of Use program.

The effort applies to PCs and cell phones, as well as voice navigation systems for phone systems and consoles for managing server banks.

Building a better IM
With the Ease of Use and NotesBuddy projects, IBM approached the design of its tools with a blank slate, a typical method for the computing giant. Rather than show a focus group a proposed prototype, IBM simply starts by asking people what they might want in a computer.

"We never get through to looking at a visual treatment until we get to detail design," Temple said. "The higher fidelity of materials you show people, the less likely they are to criticize it, because they are concerned they will offend the designer."

A large number of testers is also crucial, the company said. In earlier years, focus groups might have consisted of 12 people from the same vicinity. Now, IBM uses a broader, more multicultural group of testers. More than 30,000 people have downloaded various versions of NotesBuddy, Temple said. Roughly 85 percent of those people come from inside IBM.

NotesBuddy seeks to resolve some of the most common complaints with IM. In part, messaging owes some of its problems to its heritage. It grew up independently but rapidly became very popular.

As a result, many of the most commonly used features of e-mail—such as automatic message storage or the ability to forward messages without cutting and pasting—are largely absent from IM. In addition, e-mail and IM often share features that are similar but function differently, such as address books and buddy lists, which ideally should be identical.

"In the early days, instant messaging vendors and e-mail vendors were generally different people," Tannenbaum said.

"Status" and "availability" were one of the first messaging features to be tied into the Lotus e-mail client. In Lotus Notes 6.5, a bug pops up next to e-mail addresses in an in-box to indicate that the sender is also available on IM. This notification system was one of the first features to come from NotesBuddy.

In the most current version of NotesBuddy, IBM is experimenting with color to signal availability of a person. If someone is available, for instance, his or her name is published in green in both e-mail boxes and IM address lists.

IBM's IM tool lets users substitute a picture instead of an IM name. During a demonstration on Tannenbaum's system, a picture of Sam Palmisano—IBM's chief executive—was in black and white, meaning that he was out. By contrast, the chosen picture of one of his colleagues was in color, indicating that the employee was online.

Much of the current work on NotesBuddy revolves around better organization to avoid information overload. An italicized address, for example, indicates that a message from that person needs to be received immediately. If the recipient is offline, the message will be sent to a pager.

Conversely, if a person is offline, but the message isn't urgent, instant messages are converted to e-mail to eliminate the "stale message" phenomenon. Messages can be typed or left as a voice message. Text messages can be read or heard in simulated voice.

With IBM's in-house NotesBuddy system, users can move a cursor over a person's IM identifier, prompting a small window that shows the person's full name, title, the group they work in, their phone number and their current status for availability.

NotesBuddy also saves IM in e-mail in-boxes. People can insert a subject line on an IM message that lets them later search for a message by topic, name or date. By contrast, with most versions of IM, the instant messages vanish unless they're consciously preserved, and then they generally get saved as text files in independent folders.

"The need for saving messages and retrieving them is going to be a critical factor in the future use of instant messaging," Tannenbaum said. Preservation like this isn't part of Lotus Notes now, but it will be, he said.

Another design experiment in NotesBuddy is vanishing windows. Because some people keep five or six chats going at once, their desktops can become cluttered. In NotesBuddy, active dialog windows can be placed under the graphic for the person's address. There isn't a window that clogs the desktop, but the chat continues.

"You need things like this in chat, or it becomes overwhelming," Temple said.

Source: ZDNet.com

I hope that you enjoyed today's newsletter. Spending just a few minutes each week reading this will keep you keep up to date with business trends and available technology in Paging and Wireless Messaging. Support, making this newsletter possible, comes from individuals and companies who want to help Keep Paging Alive. You can help by signing up a friend to receive the newsletter, or through direct support with your company's advertising.

Please remember the IWCE (International Wireless Communications Expo) will be held in Las Vegas this month, and will have The Paging Zone, dedicated to Paging and Wireless Messaging.

I will be there in the Prism Systems International booth #9077 along with my friends and colleagues Jim Nelson and Ron Mercer. I want to extend a cordial invitation to all of my readers, to stop by to meet us and get acquainted. I expect to see many old friends there and to make many new ones.

With best regards,	Brad Dye WIRELESS DATA CONSULTANT
	Voice:
	Fax:
	E–mail:	brad@braddye.com
	Web:	Consulting and Job search page MAY I HELP YOU?
	Anyone wanting to help support the Paging and Wireless Data Newsletter can now do so by clicking on the PayPal DONATE button to the left.

FLEX, ReFLEX, FLEXsuite, and InFLEXion, are trademarks or registered trademarks of Motorola, Inc.
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