Com-Net, Marconi ally for TETRA sales push
Com-Net Ericsson Critical Radio Systems, Lynchburg, VA, has entered into a strategic alliance with London-based Marconi to distribute Marconi’s terrestrial trunked radio (TETRA) digital mobile equipment.
Com-Net Ericsson will sell fixed-element components and user terminals for customized, turnkey private communications systems. The two companies will also jointly develop next-generation TETRA products.
Com-Net Ericsson expects its distribution of Marconi’s TETRA portfolio to help the companies’ joint efforts to further penetrate the global market while expanding the North American market for next-generation digital radio communications.
“They have the only proven 800MHz TETRA solution,” said Steve Savor, Com-Net Ericsson’s chief executive officer.
Luciano Maciotta, managing director of Marconi’s Mobile Radio Business, said, “Com-Net Ericsson is a natural partner for this division of Marconi’s business, with a strong presence in major markets, including the North American private mobile radio market.”
Com-Net Ericsson is investigating intellectual property rights (IPR) connected with TETRA and plans to resolve any potential issues regarding rights owned by other companies.
“We have had positive signs from the other [TETRA] vendors that IPR issues can be resolved, and we intend to have them resolved for the benefit of the American public,” said Beth Jones, Com-Net Ericsson’s public relations manager. “The demand for the access for this advanced technology is increasing in the United States, and for good reasons.”
Jones said that Com-Net Ericsson intends to apply for FCC type acceptance for the Marconi products as early as the end of August.
Com-Net Ericsson and Marconi demonstrated their TETRA portfolio – the Elettra system – at the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International Conference & Exposition in Boston. (“Elettra” is a name shared by radio pioneer Guglielmo Marconi’s daughter and yacht.) The demonstration included interoperability tests of TETRA equipment at the Com-Net Ericsson and Marconi booths.
TETRA is a time-division, multiple-access (TDMA) standard adopted by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) for digital trunked radio products.
IFR Systems, Wichita, KS, has signed an agreement to be the exclusive seller for Hameg Instruments, Frankfurt, Germany, in the United States and Canada. “We believe IFR Systems is the ideal partner for helping Hameg become a leading supplier of oscilloscopes and other instruments in North America as well,” Karl Hartmann, Hameg’s president, said.
HTE, Lake Mary, FL, has signed a contract with the city of Nogales, AZ, worth more than $270,000, to supply the city’s police force with software that will enable the force to file reports and access information from the field. “This will allow our officers to spend more time in the field and less time in the office filing reports,” Captain John Kissinger of the city of Nogales said.
Racal Instruments, Irvine, CA has been awarded the 1999 Supplier Continuous Quality Improvement award from Intel. The award is part of Intel’s process to encourage its suppliers to strive for excellence and continuous improvement. The question now is whose mantle will the award sit on.
The days of “Honey, maybe you should ask someone for directions” might be behind us thanks to Graphic Data Technology’s plan to offer its nationwide street and address database through ESRI’s new Geography Network. GDT maintains a collection of digital and paper map resources that the company uses as sources for the creation of its street network products. And to make their maps all the more easy to read, GDT is pursuing an opportunity to integrate its product line with the products of high-resolution imagery provider Orbimage.
The International Wireless Telecommunications Association (IWTA) released its list of the Top 25 commercial trunked radio operators worldwide. The list can be found at IWTA’s Web site, www.iwta.org/PressReleases/Top25Release.html. Those who didn’t make the list said they were just happy to be nominated.
The Scranton Service Group (SSC) of Omaha, NE, has agreed to integrate Dynamic Mobile Data’s Mobiledispatch software into its Legacy AS4000 system. The upgrade was part of a field service enhancement project involving 130 field technicians.
Ferrari will equip its Grand Prix Formula One cars with Harris’ Aurora 5800 digital microwave radios. According to Harris microwave communications division president Sam Wyman, “Ferrari’s racing machines are synonymous with superior quality and proven performance, and we are very excited about this opportunity.” Sure Sam, we know you just want to ride in the cars.
DIllon Transport has purchased the Fleetadvisor transportation logistics and fleet management system from Eaton for its entire fleet.
