Page 1 2 3 Page 1 2 3 | FRIDAY - APRIL 21, 2006 - ISSUE NO. 209 |
Dear friends of Wireless Messaging, Communications Problems Remain Before Next Hurricane Season, FCC Panel Told April 18, 2006 04:30 PM Federal emergency officials told regulators Tuesday they were working hard to improve flawed communications systems that hindered the Katrina disaster response, but they acknowledged many problems remain. Thomas Wetherald, deputy operations director for the National Communications System, which oversees emergency telecommunications preparedness, said his group has beefed up training, set up task forces to identify problems and improved the communications infrastructure. But under questioning, he and other disaster response officials said many challenges remain before the start of the next hurricane season beginning June 1. "There has to be better coordination between state and local groups,'' Wetherald told members of an independent panel gathering information to be presented to the Federal Communications Commission in June. "The feds have to understand how the states work.'' "This is not largely a technology problem; this is largely a procedural, human problem,'' he said. "I can tell you we are working on it.'' Harold Joyner, senior policy manager for the Florida Department of Emergency Management, added that "there will always be aberrational events.'' An effective response involves "serious planning in advance, good training and implementation and maybe a prayer or two,'' he said. Reports this year by the Homeland Security inspector general's office as well as a House panel reviewing the Katrina response found that massive inoperability - or failed, destroyed or incompatible communications systems - was the biggest communications problem that hindered first responders. For example, some 3 million telephone lines were knocked out after the Aug. 29 storm, at least 38 911 call centers went down and as many as 20,000 calls failed to go through, according to the FCC. In many cases, that prevented officials from establishing an accurate picture of the disaster's devastation. At the hearing Tuesday, panel members watched a demonstration of the Digital Emergency Alert System, a pilot project by the Association of Public Television Stations with the Homeland Security Department. The system seeks to improve the public alert system by datacasting text, voice and video alerts over public television stations to cell phones, computers, pagers and other devices, which may be incorporated for future disasters. The panel of federal, local and industry officials are reviewing the Katrina communications response effort and will make several recommendations by June 15 regarding ways to improve disaster preparedness, network reliability, and communication among first responders. [source] Now on to more news and views. |
A new issue of The Wireless Messaging Newsletter gets posted on the web each week. A notification goes out by e-mail to subscribers on most Fridays around noon central 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 web site. I am very careful to protect the anonymity of those who request it. NOTE: This newsletter is best viewed at screen resolutions of 800x600 (good) or 1024x768 (better). Any current revision of web browser should work 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.) MORE PAGES | |||||||||||
| AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PAGING CARRIERS |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| AAPC BULLETIN | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FEATURED ADVERTISERS SUPPORTING THE NEWSLETTER |
AQUIS COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Engineering Services
Special Projects
Expense Reduction Services
|
| ||||||||
Wireless Messaging Software
|
Newsletter repair prices—starting at:
**Special pricing on cellular and pager refurbishment**
Ask for Special Newsletter Pricing. Please call: (800) 222-6075 ext. 306 for pricing.
|
Advertise Here
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
DON’T WAIT FOR THE NEXT SATELLITE OUTAGE Allow us to uplink your paging data to two separate satellites for complete redundancy! CVC owns and operates two separate earth stations and specializes in uplink services for paging carriers. Join our list of satisfied uplink customers.
For inquires please call or e-mail Stephan Suker at 800-696-6474 or steves@cvcpaging.com |
Want to help the newsletter? Become a SPONSOR
|
When every second counts, manage them effectively. Messaging Business Opportunity Supplement your existing business by launching this new AssistSTAR message distribution management system. Increase your revenue without purchasing a lot of new infrastructure, by starting out with a subscription service on existing equipment. What is AssistSTAR? Subscription-based AssistSTAR to start Server-based solutions when you are ready Time-critical response When every second counts, manage them effectively. You are invited to view our emerging case study presentation by clicking here.
|
SEE WEB FOR COMPLETE LIST:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WIRELESS MESSAGING NEWS |
USA Mobility Announces Corporate Branding Program, Repositions Company as “One Source for WirelessSM”
Brand Identity Includes New Corporate Logo and Tagline
ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/—USA Mobility, Inc. (Nasdaq: USMO), a leading provider of wireless messaging services, today announced it has adopted a new corporate logo and new tagline, "One Source for Wireless," as part of a company-wide repositioning strategy.
The re-branding initiative underscores USA Mobility's transformation from a purely traditional paging and messaging carrier to a leading provider of virtually any wireless solution, ranging from wireless phones to wireless email to a variety of GPS and other wireless data applications. The program also reflects the company's refocused business strategy aimed at servicing the full range of wireless needs for large enterprise customers in the business, government, healthcare and emergency response sectors.
Among such services, for example, USA Mobility provides Integrated Resource Management (IRM) systems for healthcare and other campus-based facilities that can effectively manage wireless communications throughout an entire organization. In addition, through various partnerships and alliances, USA Mobility is helping its customers leverage their investment in campus Wi-Fi networks by offering wireless VoIP and RFID asset tracking solutions that operate on an existing 802.11b network.
USA Mobility's new corporate tagline was chosen because it conveys our ability to consolidate wireless purchases through a single provider, a growing trend for most of our enterprise customers. By consolidating their purchases, buyers of wireless services are better able to: (1) consult with wireless professionals to choose a solution that best meets their organization's needs; (2) streamline and simplify the purchasing process; and (3) eliminate unnecessary costs.
"As our business strategy continues to shift toward emerging opportunities among our core business users, we believe it's essential for existing and potential customers to recognize and understand the scope of our service offerings," said Mark Garzone, executive vice president for marketing. "Our new corporate logo and tagline will not only create wide public recognition for the breadth of our wireless services, but our re-branding program will also underscore USA Mobility's long-term commitment to serving the wireless communications needs of our business customers nationwide."
Vincent D. Kelly, president and chief executive officer, said: "Managing a dispersed workforce in an increasingly time-sensitive and mission-critical workplace is a growing challenge for all organizations. Our goal is to provide customized wireless solutions for a variety of businesses and organizations that will help them better manage communications among employees as well as enhance their access to data."
Toward that end, USA Mobility has continued to expand its presence in the wireless marketplace in recent years by forming strategic alliances with numerous wireless providers—including Sprint Nextel, Cingular, Research in Motion, Pango Networks, Vocera Communications and many others—that have both broadened its service offerings and created access to a host of new customers. These relationships have also allowed USA Mobility to leverage the ubiquity, reliability and affordability of its own paging and advanced messaging networks.
Kelly concluded: "Our repositioning and branding strategy articulates more clearly than ever our commitment to being at the forefront of connecting our customers with the wireless technology and tools that are vital to their success."
USA Mobility's new logo and tagline were developed by Chernoff Newman, a South Carolina-based integrated communications firm with offices in Columbia, SC and Orlando, FL. USA Mobility intends to launch its new corporate and brand identity campaign this week. The campaign is expected to include a series of marketing initiatives to create a broader brand awareness of USA Mobility and its growing capabilities.
About USA Mobility
USA Mobility, Inc., headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, is a leading provider of paging products and other wireless services to the business, government, healthcare and emergency response sectors. USA Mobility offers traditional one-way and advanced two-way paging via its nationwide networks covering more than 90% of the U.S. population. In addition, the company offers mobile voice and data services through Sprint Nextel and Cingular Wireless, including BlackBerry and GPS location applications. The company's product offerings include wireless connectivity systems for medical, business, government and other campus environments. USA Mobility focuses on the business-to-business marketplace and supplies mobile connectivity solutions to over two-thirds of the Fortune 1000 companies. For further information visit www.usamobility.com.
Safe Harbor 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 USA Mobility's expectations for future operating and financial performance, 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 USA Mobility's actual results to be materially different from the future results 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 paging products and services, the ability to continue to reduce operating expenses, 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, the timely and efficient integration of the operations and facilities of Metrocall and Arch as well as other risks described from time to time in periodic reports and registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Although USA Mobility 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. USA Mobility disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
Contact: Bob Lougee (703) 721-3080
Source: USA Mobility
TPC Systems Gives Area Hospitals New Life with Wireless Communications Systems
Thursday, April 20, 2006 1:30 PM
Milford, Connecticut—(SBWIRE)—04/20/2006—Regional technology solutions provider TPC Systems (www.tpcsystems.com) continues to gain market share, having just been awarded the contract for installation, training and support of the Vocera Wireless Communications System at Norwalk Hospital. Norwalk is the seventh hospital in the New York–Southern New England area that has chosen TPC Systems over significantly larger multinational providers to deploy and support Vocera (www.vocera.com), a breakthrough wireless platform that provides hands-free, voice communication throughout any 802.11b networked building or campus.
“Norwalk Hospital has been providing Norwalk and the surrounding area with high-quality service for over a hundred years,” says Bernadette Rose, project leader, Telecommunications/IT. “We chose TPC as our wireless communication system provider, because, like Norwalk Hospital, it has deep roots in Fairfield County and is dedicated to providing high-quality professional services and customer care. The Vocera Wireless Communications System TPC is installing is going to provide great benefits to our patients and staff. The clinicians will have hands-free devices that will allow them to connect directly with other healthcare providers, eliminating the wait time involved in paging one another. These mobile devices will also be connected to the hospital telephone system so that incoming calls may be directly transferred to the mobile unit—another big time savings.”
Norwalk follows closely on the heels of neighboring Stamford Hospital, where TPC recently completed a large-scale deployment of Vocera.
A regional solution provider with strong ties to the communities and institutions it serves, TPC began life in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in 1935. Since then TPC grown to be one of the leading providers of communications and safety technologies to healthcare facilities, schools and other businesses in Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Unlike many national providers, TPC offers customers a level of service and support that is more reminiscent of 1936 than 2006, when you had a personal relationship with the people you did business with. Indeed, TPC prides itself on being a “high-tech, high-touch” business, with a team of customer care specialists who work pre-sale through installation and training to ensure that customers have the right solutions for their problems and that their people have the training and comfort level they need use to properly use and benefit from the technology.
“Healthcare customers are often at a disadvantage when they buy technology,” explains Kenny Schiff, TPC’s chief technology officer. “They know that technology can help save lives, but finding the money and the time, in the form of training, to support these new technologies can be daunting. Too many vendors just drop ship the technology, get it up and running and then leave. Not TPC. We understand hospitals and we take the time from the very beginning to get to know them,” says Schiff.
“We don’t go away when the implementation is done. Because we are a locally based company, we’re there for the long haul. We’re there to help them change and grow and take advantage of the product. We’re going to be there today, tomorrow, next week, six months from now, because we know that customers need not just the proper tools but the proper training, support and customer care to make their implementation successful.”
Stamford Hospital, which is working with TPC to expand its Vocera system, is a perfect case in point.
“Stamford Hospital’s existing Nortel Companion wireless voice infrastructure had become obsolete, and we needed to find a way to quickly and efficiently deploy a replacement technology that would work with our nurse call and telephony infrastructure,” says Michael Deluca, Stamford Hospital’s director of infrastructure services and security officer. “Because we are in the midst of several other key resource-intensive technology initiatives, there is no way that we could have properly deployed Vocera without TPC’s hands-on help.”
About TPC Systems
Milford, Connecticut-based TPC Systems, Inc. is a full-service convergence technology and communication solutions provider, providing integrated systems and professional services to healthcare facilities, schools and businesses. In continuous operation since 1935, TPC prides itself on being a high-tech, high-touch firm. Technology itself is only part of the solution. Exceptional customer care is what gives customers the greatest return on their investments.
For more information, please contact:
Kenny Schiff
Chief Technology Officer
Voice: 203.878.1321, x107
email: kschiff@tpcsystems.com
Source: SBWire
Analysts Weigh In On Potential Motorola/Siemens Com Merger
April 20, 2006
By Susan J. Campbell
TMCnet Contributing Editor
Talks of Motorola taking over Siemens’ Communications division have sparked attention throughout the industry. Analysts with Infonetics Research, an international market research and consulting firm specializing in data networking and telecom, offered their opinions of the benefits and even the likelihood of the potential merger.
Jeff Heynen, Directing Analyst, Broadband and IPTV, noted that although Motorola (News - Alert) has shown an interest in Siemens’ Communications division, it seems unlikely at this point that an acquisition will take place.
Heynen continued saying that, “Motorola is definitely interested in Siemens’ wireless products and customers, but appears disinterested in their wireline division. Siemens would prefer to sell off its entire Com division, so I don’t think it’s the right fit.”
Instead, Heynen suggested that a Nortel-Siemens team would make a better combination as together, the two would become the number one or number two player in enterprise telephony, next-gen voice, optical switching and wireless infrastructure. This type of combination would also satisfy the demand of CEO Mike Zafirovski that Nortel remain active only in those markets where it can achieve at least a 20 percent market share.
Michael Howard, principal analyst and co-founder of Infonetics Research also predicts that a Nortel-Siemens merger would be a better choice as it would create a new number one player in worldwide optical gear, just passing perennial number one Alcatel. The cultures, however, would pose somewhat as a challenge as they would most likely not marry as well as their market shares.
Directing Analyst, Service Provider Next Gen Voice and Mobile Core, Stephane Teral contributed that the vendor landscape is experiencing a shake-up with consolidation among large service providers. “The prospect of having China as the world’s fourth largest economy builds the case for more transatlantic M&A activity that will create more super vendors to respond to large, complex network infrastructure projects.”
Teral also highlighted that as Siemens is the number two company in the $2 billion next gen voice trunk media gateway and softswitch market and is generally strong in both wireline and wireless, a Motorola-Siemens deal would create just such a super vendor. Teral has for some time anticipated that Siemens would sell its communications division, but has doubts about a genuine interest by Motorola to buy the entire Siemens Com package.
The proliferation of mergers and acquisitions in the telecommunications industry has resulted in the creation of vendor giants that may or may not deliver the most competitive services for consumers. If indeed Motorola is seriously considering purchasing the communications division from Siemens, the resulting giant, or super-vendor as to quote Teral, would likely consolidate operations as the wireline division is beyond the scope of Motorola’s current competitive strategy.
Susan J. Campbell is a contributing editor for TMC and has also written for eastbiz.com. To see more of her articles, please visit Susan J. Campbell’s columnist page.
Source: TMC.net
Study finds cell phone use distracting while driving
By Jeffrey Silva
Apr 20, 2006
WASHINGTON—A new government study examining actual driver habits when behind the wheel found cell phone use the most common distraction for operators of motor vehicles.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, which characterized as “landmark” research findings from the 100-car naturalistic driving study, said the number of crashes and near-crashes linked to dialing is nearly identical to the number associated with talking or listening. As such, researchers said dialing is more dangerous but occurs less often than talking or listening.
“This important research illustrates the potentially dire consequences that can occur while driving distracted or drowsy. It’s crucial that drivers always be alert when on the road,” said Jacqueline Glassman, acting administrator of NHTSA. Her remarks were made during a news conference today at VTTI in Blacksburg, Va.
The study tracked the behavior of the drivers of 100 vehicles equipped with video and sensor devices for more than one year. During that period, vehicles were driven nearly 2 million miles, yielding 42,300 hours of data. The 241 drivers of the vehicles were involved in 82 crashes, 761 near crashes, and 8,295 “critical incidents.”
“The huge database developed through this breakthrough study is enormously valuable in helping us to understand—and prevent—motor vehicle crashes,” said Dr. Tom Dingus, director of VTTI.
States and cities around the country have responded to distracted driving by outlawing driver use of hand-held cell phones, while permitting hands-free devices. However, U.S. government officials and academics point to research showing hands-free gadgets do not improve driver attention.
The mobile phone industry was not immediately available for comment.
Source: RCR Wireless News
| FEATURED ADVERTISERS SUPPORTING THE NEWSLETTER |
WIRELESS REBOOTING SOLUTIONS WISP NETWORKS • DIGITAL CAMERAS & SIGNAGE INFORMATION KIOSKS • CO-LOCATION FACILITIES
NOW YOU CAN DO THE LEGWORK OF AN ENTIRE WORKFORCE . . . IN AN INSTANT. Put the innovative technology of Nighthawk to work for you. For more information on any of our products or services, please contact us. Nighthawk Systems, Inc. Phone: 877-764-4484 |
|
GTES has recently made the strategic decision to expanding its development activities to include wireless location technologies; a market that researchers forecast could reach $3.6 billion by 2010. In support of this new strategic direction, GTES has developed SHERLOC™ a complete one-stop wireless location service, providing the flexibility of being protocol neutral and network agnostic. Targeted at business customers who need to track their high-value shipments or better manage their service or delivery fleets, SHERLOC™ is a hosted application that combines configuration flexibility with ease of use. GTES is offering SHERLOC™ services both directly and through authorized resellers. If your company has an interest in finding out how location services can enhance your revenue stream, and has the contacts and expertise to make you successful in the location marketplace, please contact us for further information at www.sherlocgps.com and select “Reseller Opportunities,” or call us at 770-754-1666 for more information. www.gtesinc.com GTES is the only Glenayre authorized software support provider in the Paging industry. With over 200 years of combined experience in Glenayre hardware and software support, GTES offers the industry the most professional support and engineering development staff available. Continued Support Programs CALL US TODAY FOR YOUR SUPPORT NEEDS
|
Wireless Communication Solutions
|
|
| |||||||||||
The Paging Industry expects quality, reliable, and high performance paging products. We at Unication have listened and delivered.
About Unication Co., Ltd.
|
 Prism Message Gateway Systems Your Choice of Options
Popular Choice for Domestic and International
Logical Choice
Go ahead . . . be choosy . . . choose Prism Systems International
Streaming Video from the |
Device Trends: What's Next?
04.14.06
The ability to communicate instantly, from anywhere—via voice or e-mail—remains the key reason for owning a handheld device in the corporate world. But enterprise users and industry analysts see emerging considerations that increasingly influence device purchases: security, changing user interfaces, and, particularly, new mobile enterprise applications.
“There are new technologies for various pieces of the infrastructure, and of course powerful new devices, but for the enterprise user, there is still one overriding need: communication,” says Roger Cass, CTO at Cincinnati-based healthcare firm MediSync.
“Enterprise mobile users are, in my opinion, less interested in up-to-the minute news from the Internet at large or even access to corporate information systems," he notes. "Instead, they rely on other people to send them important information through mobile communications media: email, text messaging, paging, voice calls, and voicemail. Of these technologies, email is the medium for the most complex communications on the most flexible schedule, while voice communication is best for
Security showdown
Device management and security will inevitably become far bigger concerns for enterprise users over the next 12 months.
“Most users—and companies—have had a ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ security policy attitude and have been lucky up until now,” says Jack Gold of J.Gold Associates. “We expect some major security breaches, and especially compliance breaches, to occur in the next 12 months, as devices get relatively huge amounts of memory and processing capability, and users deploy unsafe practices in keeping data on their mobile devices.” (See Five WiFi VOIP Security Issues.)
“Mobile management and security are the top issues of concern for IT when considering mobility," concurs Forrester Research Inc. analyst Ellen Daley. “The trend is that ‘organic’ mobility—people buying devices and just connecting to the network—is getting clamped down on by IT from a policy perspective and is now starting to be enforced via software tools.”
“Handheld device ‘lock-down’ will gain traction this year,” agrees Shawn Merdinger, an independent security consultant who has worked for Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO - message board) and TippingPoint in the past.
iAnywhere Solutions Inc. and Nokia Corp. (NYSE: NOK - message board) are among the major vendors in this space, according to Daley.
New business apps
IT managers will also see more applications arrive on handheld devices, as businesses figure out that these gadgets can do more than just email. (See David Heit, Sr. Product Manager, RIM.)
“We see increased interest in the next year for 'line-of-business' [LOB] applications—like field service, sales force applications, and logistics—relative to ‘information’ applications like wireless email,” says Daley.
“Many companies who have already deployed email are now searching for the next thing," adds Jack Gold, "and that next thing will be connections to back-office systems, such as SFA, CRM, dispatch, and time- and expense-management.”
This move could benefit Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT - message board), says Daley. She expects Redmond to gain more traction in this space with the newest version of its desktop-like mobile operating system. “Windows Mobile is starting to be chosen for LOB applications,” she asserts. (See AT&T, Microsoft Hit the Road.)
Data entry alternatives
Naturally, others are looking beyond traditional handheld OS suppliers such as Microsoft, Palm Inc., and Research In Motion Ltd. (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM - message board; Toronto: RIM) into alternative mobile operating systems and new user interfaces for handheld devices. (See Got Copyright, Comrade?)
“The Debian Linux Nokia 770 [smartphone] rocks—but a faster PDA from Nokia is needed to really show its potential,” says consultant Shawn Merdinger. (See Nokia Brings Java to Linux.)
You can also expect to see voice-recognition systems start to become increasingly prevalent on these mobile devices.
”This may be the year of alternative, multi-modal user interfaces," Jack Gold tells Unstrung. “We are now at a point where embedded voice recognition can actually work, since devices now have very significant processing power and memory capabilities. Look for voice recognition to go from just a dialing interface to a query engine that can retrieve information for users from back-office systems.”
Others, however, dismiss the prospects for more voice-driven handhelds. “I don't think voice has much of a future, as it is hard to keep it secure, accurate, and non-irritating to those nearby,” contends Craig Mathias, analyst at the Farpoint Group.
Wider user pool
But as handhelds break bigger in the enterprise market over the next year, spreading from higher-ups to mainstream mobile workers, vendors will be driven to spice up the types of devices they offer to users.
”We see mainstream companies—not just early adopters like the previous two years—defining mobile strategies," says Daley. "These strategies are all-encompassing, including devices, wireless WAN, wireless WAN, and even RFID in some cases.”
”I do not expect the pace of mobile device proliferation to slow down,” adds Gold. “But there will be increasing variety and segmentation in devices, with specific product lines from vendors targeting enterprise users, like Nokia’s e-series, much as happened in the notebook space.”
This could also mean more consolidation in the market as major players pull together the technology they need to present users with a comprehensive mobile strategy. "Many of the smallish companies will fade or be acquired, as the 'big boys'—MSFT, SAP, Oracle, IBM—make a more concerted push into the marketplace with middleware and other mobile solutions, and mobility becomes part of their platforms,” says Gold.
Battery bummer
One constant problem for vendors and users in the expanding handheld market will likely not go away soon: battery life, or, rather, the lack thereof. “Battery life is really the only limiting factor these days, says Merdinger. “Storage, CPU, RAM, speed, size, costs are all pretty much solved issues... Battery life still sucks though.”
— Dan Jones, Site Editor, Unstrung
Source: Unstrung
News, opinions, opportunities, and products to help your business grow. |
CLICK HERE
CLICK HERE 
