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Gold/Mining/Energy : Research In Motion - RIM.T -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Ron Schier who wrote (617)	2/23/1999 9:07:00 AM
From: Ron Schier	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 848

Wireless demand grows worldwide (brief quote by Jim Balsillie) STEVE MERTL VANCOUVER (CP) - Say it's coffee break at your office and you wander down to the vending machines, only to find the pop machine is still out of diet soda. This might not happen if Gordon Ray, chairman of U.S.-based Numerex Inc., has his way. The machine would already have told its supplier to bring extra diet sodas on the next restocking run. The vending machine would be equipped with a wireless transmitter that can provide detailed restocking data, as well as alert the company about problems such as jammed chutes or full coin boxes. The wireless system by Numerex subsidiary Cellemetry is characteristic of the explosion of such services well beyond cellular telephones and messaging. "We have increased customer service with inexpensive, reliable wireless data," said Ray. The future of wireless is under scrutiny this week at the Inter Comm '99 telecommunications industry conference in Vancouver. There were 300 million wireless service subscribers worldwide last year, a figure that's expected to grow to 715 million by 2003, said Vino Vinadrai, director of industry relations for Bell Mobility, Bell Canada's wireless subsidiary. In some Scandinavian countries, the penetration rate of wireless telephones is higher than conventional wireline phones, he said. "The trend is going upward (in Canada) but the penetration rate is not reaching the levels of Finland, for example," said Vinadrai. Demand for wireless data service is expected to outstrip voice service in the next few years, driven by the introduction of more advanced third-generation cellular systems that can accommodate heavy data traffic. Such systems open the door to wireless electronic commerce, internet access and tele-medicine for remote areas, he said. The demand for new products and services is dictating the direction of technology development, said Frank Safertal, vice-president of Hughes Network Systems. In some cases, especially in developing countries, phone companies are leapfrogging fibre-optic wireline systems and going straight to wireless. It can cost as little as one-third as much per installed line, especially for bringing service to rural areas. Besides lower installation and operating costs, wireless systems can be set up or expanded more quickly and are easily moved if necessary, said Safertal. They're also less disruptive to the physical environment, requiring construction of transmission towers instead of digging up streets to bury cable. Wireless is attractive even in heavily networked countries, said Safertal. The United States, for instance, has 1.1 million commercial buildings but only 50,000 are wired for fibre-optic cable. The cost has many customers opting for wireless voice and data networks for their buildings. Competition and falling prices have helped fuel the wireless explosion, said James Balsillie, chairman of Toronto-based Research In Motion Ltd.(RIM), which focuses on wireless messaging services. But don't expect wireless to take over completely, he suggested. The attraction of new-generation, high-speed data transmission will always be weighed against the cost. "This is a quest for the sweet spot in the market," said Balsillie. "You must assess the tradeoffs as well as the benefits that come with the technology." The benefits of Cellemetry, a joint venture between Numerex and Bell South, are obvious, said Ray. "It is ideal for short, infrequent and important data messaging," he told the conference. Cellemetry, and its California competitor Aeris, use cellular phone systems' under-utilized control channel to send quick bursts of data. Besides the prosaic job of keeping a vending machine filled, the system can alert railways if a crossing barrier hasn't come down or help utilities diagnose faults in remote parts of their power grids. One popular application allows office-equipment leasing companies to track the use and health of photocopiers without the customer having to file paper reports, said Ray. Another use is allowing a Minnesota school system to alert parents just as the school bus approaches their home so kids don't have a cold, potentially dangerous wait outside. © The Canadian Press, 1999

To: Ron Schier who wrote (617)	3/1/1999 8:35:00 PM
From: Ron Schier	Respond to of 848

Follow-up to RIM's Dec 2/98 announcement (Itronix OEM radio modem contract) Itronix to Provide BellSouth Field Service Technicians With Powerful Wireless Field Computing Solution SPOKANE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 24, 1999-- Deployment of 15,000 Rugged Wireless Field Computers Represents One of the Largest Deployments of Mobile Computing Technology to Date Itronix Corporation, a world leader in the design and manufacture of ruggedized wireless mobile computing devices for field automation solutions, today announced that BellSouth will be deploying 15,000 Itronix X-C 6250 wireless notebooks to the telecommunications giant's national field workforce. Representing one of the largest deployments of mobile computing technology to date, the new, state-of-the-art ruggedized computers from Itronix will replace existing equipment to offer improved productivity and customer service. Itronix designed the X-C 6250 wireless computer specifically for data intensive field applications where fast processing and durability are primary concerns. BellSouth field representatives will use this mobile solution to access existing BellSouth computer systems easily for network testing, maintenance, work assignments and customer information. "The new mobile systems will transform the way every technician in BellSouth's operations works -- and help us provide faster service to our customers," said Gloria Perkins, director, Installation and Maintenance for BellSouth. "It's a significant commitment and BellSouth is the first regional operating company to take such an important step. This gives our people in the field as much computing power as office-based workers." The new Itronix computers offer field workers several advantages over the slower Computer Access Terminals (CAT) systems they replace. While the CAT required a technician to use a dial-up connection to transmit data at 1,200 bps, the new systems can transmit data at up to 33.6 kbps via wireline connections or 8 kbps wirelessly. In addition, the new computers are Windows-compatible and Y2K compliant and feature a full-size computer screen with touch panel and keyboard. During its trial, the new system saved technicians significant time logging on, processing orders and accessing information. For example, logging onto the company's network was reduced from about three minutes using the older CAT system to less than one minute using the new Itronix computers. Closing out a service order was reduced from five minutes to 51 seconds and the time required to view a line record was reduced from more than two minutes to only 43 seconds. "Itronix offers mission critical mobile computing solutions that ensure fast and dependable computing power anywhere," said Matt Gerber, vice president of marketing for Itronix. "By placing mobile computing tools in the hands of front line field technicians, customers like BellSouth gain a significant competitive advantage." The Itronix systems employed by BellSouth come equipped with 32 megabytes of RAM, an Intel Pentium processor, a back-lit color screen, a 33.6 Kbps wireline modem, a wireless modem and a 2.1 gigabyte hard disk. The ruggedized notebooks can withstand submersion in water, extreme temperatures and other hardships experienced in an outdoor environment. About Itronix Itronix is the world leader in providing mission-critical wireless field automation technology to mobile workforces. Since its inception Itronix has deployed rugged, wireless field computers designed to deliver results in many applications, including product service, power utilities, insurance estimating and telecommunications. The company is a subsidiary of Dynatech, a world-class global communications equipment provider focused on leading-edge communications technology solutions. Itronix is headquartered in Spokane, Wash., with a manufacturing plant in Liberty Lake, Wash., and sales offices located throughout the United States. International markets are served through a network of distributors. Additional information about Itronix Corporation and its complete line of products and services can be found on Itronix' Web site at itronix.com. CONTACT: Copithorne & Bellows Kathryn Gilmore, 206/727-2715 E-mail: kathryn.gilmore@cbpr.com