Telenetics Forms Wireless Data Network Division, Names John McLean Division President
LAKE FOREST, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 13, 2000--Telenetics Corporation (OTCBB:TLNT - news) announced today that subsequent to the acquisition of Eflex Wireless, Inc. (``Eflex') on January 7th, it has formed a new 'Wireless Data Networks Division.'
John McLean has been named President of the Division. John McLean joins Telenetics after serving 27 years with GTE in several senior management positions including Vice President of GTE Telecommunications Products and Services and Vice President of Technology at GTE Wireless.
Commenting on the focus of the new division, John McLean stated, ``Our goal is to build the most advanced and commercially viable cellular data network. The Stealth(TM) technology developed at Eflex Wireless and Telenetics' AirWave(TM) module are at the core of this network. Our technology provides two-way communications between remote customer devices such as utility meters, traffic controllers, industrial equipment, parking meters, and other similar devices located anywhere within the cellular coverage, and Telenetics Wireless Data Network Control Center. The advantage of our technology is that we do not use any cellular voice channels to communicate. Instead, our proprietary technology will utilize the little-known cellular control channels and cellular interoffice signaling networks to communicate. Control channels are essentially a wireless data link for communicating between cellular telephones and the cellular systems without interfering with the carrier's revenue generating voice channels. The control channels are very robust and work in many areas where cellular voice calls are unreliable. They are underutilized, cost efficient and ideal for remote monitoring, data acquisition and data collection applications. The commercial applications for our technology are unlimited.
``Telenetics is an innovator in wireless data communications and has recognized that cellular systems throughout the world provide the best alternative for wireless data solutions in the rapidly growing market of data gathering and remote monitoring in the industrial applications. By using existing cellular networks, Telenetics provides the best geographic and in-building coverage, the highest reliability, the most flexibility and the lowest capital investment requirements. The Stealth(TM) wireless technology is very complementary and synergistic with Telenetics business strategy. The challenge of the new division will be to utilize the Stealth(TM) and AirWave(TM) technologies to develop a seamless wireless data network as well as products and services that set new standards for capability, flexibility, ubiquity and price. I am very pleased and honored to have the responsibility for the success of this division.'
The Stealth(TM) proprietary technology also addresses key issues of cellular carriers and potential Telenetics' customers. Its stealth mode minimizes the burden that remote devices place on the control channels and essentially eliminates the cellular switch resources that must be dedicated to each device. This eliminates any restrictions on the number of devices a cellular carrier can handle on its network. With cellular carrier issues addressed, customers have no constraints on the number of devices they may deploy. The Stealth(TM) technology also provides enhanced security on device communications, robust device functionality and ability to be reconfigured over-the-air.
Prior to joining Eflex in 1999, John McLean had over 30 years of experience in the communications industry, including 27 years with GTE and several years with AT&T Bell Laboratories. He served as Chairman of CTI, GTE's cellular company in the interior of Argentina, and successfully obtained the shareholder and bank financing needed to significantly grow the business. He held various other executive positions at GTE including Vice President of Technology at GTE Wireless, Vice President of International Business Development and Vice President of Business Development at GTE Telecommunications Products and Services.
Telenetics announced on January 10 that it has acquired Eflex. Eflex was founded by former senior executives of GTE Wireless and other industry experts. Eflex has developed proprietary technology for sending and receiving data over the existing control channels of cellular networks. Telenetics believes that the technology will support a wide range of wireless data applications including utility meter reading, remote alarm monitoring and reporting, messaging, vending automation, vehicle tracking and remote diagnostics, traffic management and many other remote monitoring and data acquisition applications.
Based in Lake Forest, California, Telenetics manufactures proprietary wireless and wired products for the rapidly growing industrial automation markets. Telenetics uses cellular networks to collect data from industrial devices such as meters, remote terminal units, traffic controllers, industrial controls, remote sensors and data loggers and transmit it through wireless cellular and radio frequency networks or telephone lines to a host site, direct or via the Internet. Telenetics wireless solutions are used in many applications such as AMR projects, power outage detection, traffic automation projects, flow measurement and remote monitoring.
Forward Looking Statement Disclosure: Certain of the statements contained in this press release are ``forward-looking statements' that involve risks and uncertainties including those statements regarding the viability of EFLEX's technology and ability of the Company to integrate this technology with its products. Actual future results could differ materially from these statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include but are not limited to, inability of the Company to integrate EFLEX's technology with its products, increased competition within the utility and industrial automation markets, the inability of the Company to fund its expected continued growth, adverse changes in the cellular services market and those discussed in the Company's Form 10-KSB for the year ended December 31, 1998 and the Form 10-QSB for the nine months ended September 30, 1999. |
