RoW Short Takes

Microcell integrates i5 operations under PCS bannerMicrocell Telecommunications Inc. decided to integrate Microcell i5 operations under the Microcell PCS banner earlier this month. This marks the second such move in the last month as the company tries to streamline operations, cut costs and eliminate duplication within the executive ranks (RoW, April 3/02). Microcell i5 was formed nearly two years ago with a mandate to develop and operate mobile Internet services for its own customers and for other carriers. Its flagship product, Masq, was launched in September 2001 and was dubbed as "a range of flexible user authentication and mobile signature solutions" (RoW, Sept. 18/01). Demand for such services by other network operators didn’t materialize, however, as Sirois and team weren’t able to make a single sale. The company has thus decided to discontinue external marketing of Masq. BCE Inc. pulls plug on future funding for TeleglobeMedia and communications conglomerate BCE Inc. will cease providing further long-term funding for Teleglobe Inc. The decision was made due to several factors including Teleglobe’s revised business plan and outlook with associated funding requirements, an assessment of Teleglobe’s future prospects, and an analysis of the state of the industry. BCE will, however, continue to fund Teleglobe on a weekly basis up to a maximum aggregate of between US$100 million and US$125 million. The revised outlook for Teleglobe demonstrates that it is no longer possible to meet the break-even point in 2003 and the prospect for a recovery isn’t expected for the foreseeable future. Bell Mobility selects Sun’s Java technologyBell Mobility, the wireless arm of BCE Inc., has selected Sun Microsystems Java technology to deliver wireless services to handsets across the company’s next-generation 1X network. "Using Java technology, Bell Mobility will revolutionize the way Canadians use wireless devices delivering new services early in 2003," the company said in a news release. Java technology is expected to provide consumers with a richer and more engaging wireless experience. In other Bell Mobility news, the company has announced the commercial availability of the AirCard 555, developed by Sierra Wireless Inc. Nortel Networks lands a couple of wireless contractsThe cellular provider in the Netherlands, Dutchtone, has selected Nortel Networks Corp. to upgrade its network with GSM/GPRS equipment. No value for the contract was provided in a new release issued by Nortel. This contract win follows on the heels of those announced with mm02, Pelephone, Telefonica and Cingular Wireless. The estimated value of those contracts added together is approximately US$900 million. U.S. wireless carriers exhaust traditional subscriber baseAccording to a recently released Yankee Group report, U.S. wireless carriers are beginning to exhaust their traditional subscriber base and will soon have to look to alternative markets for new additions. The report, Can U.S. Carriers Become Profitable in Wireless Prepaid?, states that the use of pre-paid services will enable the carriers to reach these alternative subscriber bases and make wireless phone usage more appealing to a larger percentage of the population. At the end of last year, pre-paid subscribers accounted for about 12% of all subscribers. The Yankee Group projects that this figure will grow to approximately 30% by the end of 2006. 724 launches mobile gateway for wireless operatorsToronto-based 724 Solutions is now offering on a commercial basis its Mobile Internet Gateway, which is designed to provide cost-effective access to 2.5G and 3G networks. The company will deliver the product through distribution and integration alliances with its major partners. To this end, 724 Solutions recently signed an agreement with Hewlett-Packard. The company contends that the technology was designed to scale to more than 10 million users running a total of 10,000 transactions per second. Eleven Engineering announces modular SPIKEEleven Engineering Inc. has created a modular development system for its xiSPIKE (SPIKE) wireless video game control technology (RoW, Feb. 19/02). "The modular development approach enables manufacturers to significantly reduce development and testing time on wireless gamepads and other wireless products for video game control," company CTO John Sobota said in a news release. Wildcard Wireless and Motorola enter into agreementVancouver-based Wildcard Wireless Solutions Inc. and the commercial, government and industrial solutions sector of Motorola Inc. have entered into a product development and supply agreement. Under terms of the agreement, Wildcard will develop a new version of its TransAKT wireless point of sale (PoS) terminals, which will operate on Motorola’s iDEN mobile phones. Handsets to support the new PoS terminal include the i80s, i85s, i50sx and i55sr. MDSI upgrades PECO to Advantex r7 systemMobile Data Solutions Inc. (MDSI) has signed a contract to upgrade PECO Energy Company’s mobile workforce management system. PECO, an existing MDSI customer which has already implemented two generations of its products, will upgrade to the company’s Advantex r7. The system will be used to support and schedule work orders for PECO’s 320 electric field service dispatchers, mobile workers and supervisors. RIM signs distribution deal with Vodafone UKResearch in Motion Ltd., Waterloo ON, has signed a distribution agreement with Vodafone UK. Vodafone will soon begin offering the BlackBerry wireless handheld to the U.K. carriers’ corporate customers. This agreement follows similar ones in Europe where the BlackBerry is seeing significant interest (RoW, March 5/02, Feb. 5/02 and Aug. 7/01). CSI Wireless releases new GPS modulesCalgary-based CSI Wireless Inc. has begun marketing two new GPS modules to the original equipment manufacturers market. The Evolution is a printed circuit board, which provides accuracy within two or three metres, and is ideal for various applications including the marine market. It is capable of receiving differentially corrected data from land-based beacon stations and from space-based augmentation systems. The higher-performance SX-1 also offers these features, but incorporates the company’s COAST and e-Dif technology, which enable the data to be used for up to 40 minutes. Paradigm signs agreement with alarm monitoring firmParadigm Advanced Technologies Inc. has announced that its PowerLOC division has inked a contract with Maximum Monitoring Services Ltd. Under terms of the contract, Maximum will purchase and license PowerLOC Vehicle Location Devices to its home alarm dealer channel. Maximum will also introduce the L-Biz Internet-enabled, GPS, wireless tracking and location technology into the monitoring and alarm markets. CHUM Television launches MuchMobile across CanadaCHUM Television has launched MuchMobile, the first Canadian extension of a specialty television brand into the wireless sector. The service will be available to subscribers of Telus Mobility, Bell Mobility, Rogers Wireless Communications, MTS Mobility and SaskTel Mobility. Free interactive content that will be available will include news, trivia and other games. The content was created by Airborne Entertainment Inc. A notable exception in the carriers is Microcell PCS. Airborne CEO Garner Bornstein tells Report on Wireless the reason for Microcell’s absence is it is undergoing a restructuring. RAMTelecom rolls out high-speed satellite networkOttawa-based RAMTelecom has announced that its high-speed satellite network is ready to shift into high gear for corporate Canada. The company’s services are being carried over Telesat Canada’s satellite facilities. Demand for PDAs decline, new report indicatesGlobal demand for PDAs continues to decline as manufacturers try to switch from selling electronic organizers to handheld wireless devices, according to International Data Corp.’s quarterly PDA report. In the first quarter of 2002, shipments fell by 12.1% compared to the first quarter of last year. While IDC admits that sales during Q1 are usually soft, the research firm states general demand has been stagnant for the past year.

RoW Short Takes

News | April 30, 2002

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