Mobile Communications Roundup
Demand for mobile communications grows despite slowdown.
JOHN BENDEL
TECHNOLOGY EDITOR
Freight is down, but shippers increasingly demand that carriers have mobile communications according to Bill Hannon, Corporate vp transportation & logistics for Aether Systems, Inc., of Owings Mills, Md.
In an exclusive interview, Hannon told HDT that Mobile Max2, the Aether mobile communications product aimed at the long-haul and truckload markets, has been selling well; 15 carriers have bought the system in recent months. But that doesn't mean the broader marketplace is out of the economic woods.
"Since Aether's been in this business the 3rd quarter (of 2001) is one of the best quarters we've had," said Hannon, "But I don't think that's indicative of the overall economy. Given the state of what's going on and the amount of freight being hauled, there are probably some investment decisions on hold right now in terms of technology solutions."
Hannon said that despite lower freight levels, shippers continue to push carriers toward mobile communications. He cited U.S.A. Cartage of Williamsport, Md., which recently committed to Mobile Max2.
"Ralph Richman is the president. (Richman is currently chairman of the Maryland Motor Truck Association.) In some conversations with him, he said many of the RFPs (Requests for Proposal) he's getting from shippers right now are requiring some kind of mobile com tracking capability.
"It's easy for the shippers to demand this from folks. What we see is in many cases, a lot of shippers and customers are pushing carriers to have some kind of a mobile com. The trucking companies are trying to figure out how to meet all these requirements on top of everything else that's going on," said Hannon.
"We've seen with trucking companies, one thing they're worried about is increased insurance rates. So we're aware of that and concerned with the impact that has overall."
As a result of that and other economic factors, Aether has taken steps to lower the capital outlay required to install Mobile Max2.
"We work with some financial institutions so that rather than somebody having to make a huge outlay on day one, we can bundle the service together so the hardware is included in with the monthly service fee. Especially for some of the smaller companies it makes it a little easier to handle in terms of budgeting."
Symbol Teams With IBM
Symbol Technologies, Inc. and IBM Corp. have formed an alliance to design and implement mobile computing systems using the popular 802.11b wireless communications standard. (See " Commercial Fueling: Mobile, Digital and National" in this issue). The alliance will target transportation logistics among other market areas.
Handheld device maker Symbol, based in Holtsville, N.Y., recently reported that its PDT 7240 mobile computers with integrated bar code scanning and wireless communications have gone to war with the U.S. Marines. Mobile computing systems for military and federal agency use are part of a contract awarded to Symbol by the Department of the Defense.
IBM, of course, is the computer giant based in Armonk, N.Y., which just announced development of an alternate type of transistor — the basic building block of microchips — that could lead to major computing performance, function and power consumption improvements.
By the way, IBM's AS/400 computers, long popular among truckers, have been officially renamed eServer iSeries/400.
Wireless Providers Fail To Meet E911 Deadline
Sprint PCS is now rolling out America's first E911 — Enhanced 911 — system in Rhode Island. But a deadline for E911 systems nationwide came and went on October 1, 2001, and that angers some public safety groups.
By October of last year, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) expected wireless providers to have the ability to report the location of cell phones on their networks. The E911 system will enable police, fire and rescue workers to find callers in trouble, even when the caller can't say where he or she actually is — a disoriented person in a car wreck, for example.
Wireless companies complain that the FCC mandate is expensive and difficult to meet. Critics say the companies are dragging their feet to save money they freely spend on projects that promise profit.
Among the critics are the National Emergency Number Associations, the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International Inc. and the National Association of State 911 Administrators. The groups charge that stalling is intolerable in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks. They want the FCC to stop granting waivers and extensions to cellular and begin fining them for the lack of progress.
Two locating systems are available for wireless phones. One involves Global Positioning System chips in handsets. The other relies on sophisticated triangulation from cell towers to locate a handset.
Motient And TMI Hook Up In The Sky
Two satellite service providers have integrated their satellite operations in a new business unit called Mobile Satellite Ventures LP.
Motient Corp., Reston, Va., and TMI Communications of Gloucester, Ontario, Canada, received the go-ahead from regulatory authorities in the U.S. and Canada.
Motient, once known as American Mobile Satellite, provides the satellite service used by the Mobile Max2 mobile communications system that serves the long-haul truckload market. Motient originally developed MobileMax2, which is now marketed by Aether Systems, Owings Mills, Md. (see above).
TMI Communications provides the satellite service for the trucking communications systems offered by Cabit Systems, Toronto, Ontario, Canada and Seimac, Inc., of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, among others.
The new company, Mobile Satellite Ventures, is expected to develop, deploy and operate a new spot beam satellite system supported by ground stations. Spot beam technology focuses a satellite's antenna to geographically defined areas.
