News

Dealers can overcome ‘confusion’ to raise radio sales Quality Mobile Communications, a 24-year old sales and service shop based in Vancouver, WA, primarily services the wireless communication and information needs of business and industrial clients throughout the greater Portland, OR, and southwest Washington markets.

Quality’s sales efforts focus on UHF and 220MHz trunking products for those applications where private, wide-area coverage, voice and data fleet dispatch communication capabilities are needed and on conventional UHF/VHF products for on-site or in-plant communication applications. Quality also sells and services systems for SCADA, telemetry, vehicle location and wireless data.

Quality’s General Manager Nick Ruark cites “market confusion” as a factor limiting greater use of dispatch two-way radio.

“With all the advertising and publicity spewed forth by the cellular and PCS folks, along with a variety of other emerging wireless technologies to choose from, many business owners are totally confused about which is the “right” or best “tool” for their particular needs,” Ruark said.

“Most businesses don’t have the time, staff or expertise to sort through all the hype and marketing rhetoric; neither do they take the time to determine just what kind of communication tools they really need. Consequently, the first thing many buyers do is call a cellular provider. Obviously, the buyer isn’t going to hear very much about the benefits of dispatch two-way radio communications from the cellular folks. That’s unfortunate, because two-way radio is still the most cost-effective, one-to-many voice communication tool available for managing and coordinating mobile work groups,” Ruark said.

“It amazes me that businesses who use Nextel’s dispatch service are willing to pay three to five times more for that service than they would if they were using two-way radio dispatch. That’s impressive. I wonder if Nextel users actually get three to five times the value for the high per-unit monthly cost of the service? “I think many who use Nextel have been led to believe that it’s the only tool that provides them two-way radio service. This mistaken belief stems from the manner in which Nextel originally established its markets and how they sell the product. What has happened to integrity and ethics in this industry, anyway?

“If I were to treat my clients the way Nextel treated its customers during that time, I’d be out of business. Yes, I have an attitude about Nextel. I have no use for Nextel and I will not sell or recommend their product or service. That may be a business mistake, but my company has survived and prospered by placing customers’ needs first and by being honest with them. My company does not sell on hype nor will it falsely promote a product or service. Most clients respect my feelings after hearing the whole Nextel story.

“I believe dispatch two-way radio has its proper place in the wireless world, and Nextel has its place,” Ruark concluded.

Quality competes with seven other two-way radio shops in the Portland area, including at least two Motorola shops, several other independent dealers, Nextel, and two cellular and three PCS networks. Ruark noted that several clients also have reported receiving offers of two-way radio equipment via the Internet at lowball prices.

Kenwood is Quality’s primary land-mobile radio product line, with Vertex and Radius filling in the gaps. Ruark estimated that his company sells a few hundred radios per year, with hand-helds becoming increasingly popular with his clients. Many clients are also looking closely at vehicle location and fleet management systems.

Quality’s products and services are promoted primarily by word-of-mouth referrals, through yellow page directory advertising and with a Web site, www.qualitymobile.com, that Ruark created as another way to reach potential customers within his market area.

“We believe the Web site will help us introduce new wireless communication and information products and services to our market in a more cost-effective, timely, and professional manner” Ruark said.

Transcrypt settles, approved by court A federal court has granted Transcrypt International, Lincoln, NE, preliminary approval of a settlement of pending stockholder class action suits against the company and against some current and former officers. Under the settlement, Transcrypt will distribute to class members and their lawyers 4,460,000 shares of Transcrypt common stock and an amount between $3.85 million and $8.85 million, to be paid by Transcrypt’s insurance carriers (depending on the outcome of an arbitration between plaintiffs and one of the insurance carriers).

Transcrypt would also pay $2 million to the stockholders if there is a purchase of a majority of Transcrypt by acquisition or merger before Jan. 1, 2001. The settlement is subject to a number of contingencies, including final court approval of the settlement.

“We are pleased that we have reached another milestone in finalizing the company’s class action lawsuits,’ said Michael Jalbert, Transcrypt’s chairman. Comsearch opens new western office

Comsearch, Reston, VA, has opened an office in Denver to meet increased demand for microwave design and frequency coordination services

Heading the office is Douglas Erbeck, formally with Western TeleCommunications.

“Doug has been involved in the design, coordination and licensing of microwave and satellite systems for the past 28 years,” said Chris Hardy, vice presiden t of Engineering Services at Comsearch. “He brings invaluable industry experience to Comsearch, and more importantly, to customers located in our Western region.’

Comsearch clients may continue to use their present account representative, or call Erbeck for local support. Call 303-400-4056; or fax 303-400-4576; email [email protected].

News Notes Sierra Wireless, Vancouver, British Columbia, will supply digital CDMA PC cards to Sprint PCS, Kansas City, MO. The cards will fit into a standard Type II slot on a laptop or other hand-held computing device. “Since launching the Sprint PCS Clear Wireless Workplace in June 1999, we continue to harness opportunities that add clear value to our voice and data portfolio,” said Jay Highley, vice president, Business Customer Unit for Sprint PCS. . Berkeley Varitronics Systems, Metuchen, NJ, has received an order from Nextel Communications, Dallas, for Gator Class A transmitters. The units will be customized for IDEN channelization. Berkeley has also received orders for the ISM Gator Class A transmitter and the ISM Fox hand-held strength meter from the Georgia Institute of Technology to allow students to research propagation of RF signals. . Transport Logistics, Manchester, CT, has purchased Fleet Advisor, Clemmons, NC-based Eaton’s transportation logistics system. “We’re confident in this system and in what it will do to reduce our operating costs,” Mike Bonsignore, vice president of Transport Logistics, said. . EFJohnson, Waseca, MN, has received an add-on order totaling $554,000 from Maui County, HI, to expand the public safety system currently being installed. This order will bring the total value of the system to $2.7 million. The 800MHz Multinet trunked radio system provides seamless wide-area communications to all Maui County departments across Maui, Lanai and Molokai islands. EFJohnson also won an order from Clay County, FL, for a $1.3 million order for a microwave system to be used with the public safety radio system being installed. . Nortel Networks, Brampton, Ontario, and Harris, Melbourne, FL, will use EDX Engineering’s Signalpro, together with its Network Design Module for design and planning of broadband systems. . Decibel Products, Dallas, will provide PCS antennas and wireless equipment to Sprint PCS for its Phase II build-out now in progress. . SEA, Mountlake Terrace, WA, has shipped 17 channels of base station equipment as the first portion of a planned network to be installed throughout Georgia, Alabama and Florida, using spectrum in the 220MHz service. The network is the result of joint efforts of the SMR Advisory Group, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, and GEMC 220, a group of electric companies. The network will also include Smartlink network switches. Bob Wise, regional sales manager for Smartlink, said, “This joint effort is an important step in fully developing the potential of the 220MHz service and its ability to provide a simpler but substantially less expensive alternative to Nextel.” . @Road, Fremont, CA, has signed a contract with Mission Linen, Santa Barbara, for the Internet-based Fleetasap fleet management service. “This system will give us more knowledge about where our trucks are and better control over routing,” said Dan Gallagher, vice president of sales and marketing for Mission Linen. . Connectel, North Carolina, and Becker Avionics, Miami, are incorporating Fylde Microsystems’ MPT 1327 trunking infrastructure into Becker’s portfolio of systems products. . The state of Connecticut has activated its new $47 million Motorola 800MHz digital Astro Smartzone voice and Private Datatac 19.2 RD-LAP wireless data communications systems. The state has also completed the first phase of the system’s installation that will provide communications support for the Connecticut State Police Troops G, A and I in the southwestern portion of the state. “Connecticut has led the way in developing public safety communications through the use of high technology-initially in the 1940s as the first state to install a statewide communications system,” said Gov. John G. Rowland. . Clermont County, OH, held groundbreaking ceremonies in November 1999 for the county’s new Motorola $16 million wireless communications system. The system includes an 800MHz Astro Smartzone trunked two-way radio system, a Private Datatac wireless data system and an alphanumeric paging system. “The wireless mobile data system will enable officers for the first time to access databases, receive reports and create and file incident reports from terminals mounted in their vehicles,” said County Commissioner Richard Martin. . Dataradio, Atlanta, has installed a dedicated mobile data network for the Baton Rouge Police Department, providing the department with in-vehicle computing capabilities and automatic vehicle location. . BearCom Group, Dallas, has acquired Electromatic, Portland, OR, as part of a strategy to provide a worldwide network of local sales and support. Electromatic is a Motorola dealer and MSS. It will operate under the name of BearCom and will be managed by Howard Stuttman of BearCom and Todd Gydesen of Electromatic. . Andrew, Orland Park, IL, has acquired Conifer, Burlington, IA, a privately owned company that designs and manufactures multichannel, multipoint distribution service subscriber products, wireless LAN equipment and direct broadcast satellite accessories. . Arch Communications Group, Westborough, MA, and Paging Network, Dallas, have agreed to a merger to combine PageNet’s wireless network and products with Arch’s nationwide accounts and sales presence. . FP-WJ Acquisition, Foster City, CA, will acquire Watkins-Johnson, Palo Alto, CA, in a recapitalization merger transaction. FP-WJ is a new company formed by certain investment funds managed by Fox Paine & Company. . Gamber-Johnson, Stevens Point, WI, has become a limited liability corporation. Gamber-Johnson has operated as a division of Larsen Electronics, Vancouver, WA, for the past 17 years. Larsen was recently purchased by Radiall, Paris. However, Gamber-Johnson was retained by the original investment group.

BT contracts IFR Systems for services IFR Systems, Wichita, KS, has won a three-year contract from British Telecommunications (BT) valued at $8.1 million to supply calibration and maintenance services for BT’s electronic test equipment used in field and laboratory applications throughout the United Kingdom.

“This new contract represents a substantial expansion of our long-standing relationship with BT,” said Michael McCreary, director of operations for IFR in the UK. “As BT’s primary service vendor, IFR will be responsible for calibration and maintenance of telecommunications test equipment manufactured by IFR as well as third parties.”

Datamarine radio backlog grows Datamarine International, Mountlake Terrace, WA, announced on Feb. 1 that it has a backlog of $1.2 million in orders for 3,000 units of its model SEA-604 220MHz mobile radio. The company is developing software for the radio that will allow its use for wide-area networking using LTR-Net signaling.

“We are very encouraged by this growing awareness of the advantages of the 220MHz service, both economically, as well as from a radio performance standpoint,’ said company president David Thompson.

Maxon America sales goes independent Maxon America’s sales and marketing division is under new ownership. The new company, named Topaz3, will have the exclusive license for Maxon branded commercial two-way radio communications equipment.

Operating as an independent entity, Topaz3 will continue to grow the Maxon brand through expanded channels of distribution. The new company also will have a more proactive role in product line expansion and will retain tech support and inventory controls.

“This is an exciting time for both companies as we enter this new era,” said Dan Devling, Topaz3 president. “Topaz3 is able to bring the Maxon brand to markets where we previously had limited or no distribution.”

Memphis PD chooses Vision software The Memphis, TN, Police Department has signed a $3.5 million contract to install new records management system (RMS) software. The software will be provided by Vision Software, Castle Hayne, NC, as part of its integrated Public Safety Suite of products. The new system operates on a Microsoft WindowsNT platform.

Memphis implemented Vision Software’s wireless information system, Visionmobile, in April 1999. This system will fully integrate with Visionrms. Installed on laptop computers, Visionmobile enables officers to run NCIC and Visionrms queries, reducing reliance on telecommunications and increasing the speed in which data can be processed and accessed. The department plans to operate and maintain a multi-jurisdictional database for law enforcement agencies in Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi.

Vision Software will install RMS on more than 1,000 workstations. With two facilities slated to open in the next three years, more workstations may be added to accommodate the growing department.

Scala changes name to Kathrein, Scala division Scala Electronic, Eugene, OR, has changed its name to Kathrein, Scala Division. In announcing the change, company President Manfred Meunzel, said, “We joined the Kathrein group of companies in 1988. At that time, we felt that the original Scala name had valuable equity. [We didn’t] change the name until we had effectively established our connection with Kathrein. We are confident that we are at that point, and are ready for the name transition.”

Kathrein-Werke, KG, based in Germany, develops and markets telecommunications equipment, including a complete line of telephones and an array of antennas for broadcast and mobile communications. Kathrein, Scala Division will continue to specialize in design and application engineering, the manufacturing of its line of antenna systems and follow-up service and support. The headquarters for the division will remain in Medford, OR.

UTC launches critical communications coalition The United Telecom Council (UTC), Washington, announced the formation of the Critical Infrastructure Communications Coalition (CICC), on Feb. 4.

The CICC, which held its first meeting in early February at the UTC headquarters, will serve as a forum to address telecommunications and information technology issues affecting organizations involved in the provision of energy, natural gas, water, transportation or other essential public services.

“The goal of the CICC is to create a favorable regulatory environment that promotes the telecommunications and information technology capabilities necessary to protect and maintain the nation’s critical infrastructure,” said UTC President Bill Moroney.

“The CICC will strive to enhance the awareness of government agencies of the unique communications needs of CICC members,” Moroney said. “The coalition will also coordinate efforts to further equitable access to spectrum for the internal communications of coalition members.”

Membership in the CICC will be limited to industry trade associations. The companies that attended the initial meeting of the CICC were the American Gas Association, the American Petroleum Institute, the American Public Power Association, the American Water Works Association, the Association of American Railroads, the Association of Oil Pipe Lines, the Edison Electric Institute, the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America, the National Association of Water Companies and the United Telecom Council. UTC will serve as the CICC administrator.

Richard Rohn retires from Rohn Industries After 37 years with the company founded by his father, Richard L. Rohn has retired from Rohn Industries, Peoria, IL. Rohn was president of the company’s Shelter Division.

Brian B. Pemberton, the company president, said, “Richard has played an important role in building Rohn’s shelter division. On behalf of the board of directors and entire management team, I would like to personally thank him for 37 years of hard work and dedication to the company that his father founded.”

Horace Ward, plant manager for the Shelter Division, will assume operational responsibility for the division.

Fluke buys WWG’s non-core businesses Wavetek Wandel Goltermann (WWG) has sold its Precision Measurement Division in Norwich, UK, and its Test Tools product line, based in San Diego, to Fluke of Everett, WA. According to WWG, the sale is part of its effort to streamline business and expand core competencies in communication test equipment.

“Because our company’s focus and resources are 90% in communications test, we felt that our precision measurement test and tools products were not in the right environment for optimal growth,” said Peter Wagner, WWG president. “Both businesses will complement Fluke’s test-equipment portfolio.”

Fluke has purchased the entirety of the Precision Measurement Division and will maintain the facility in Norwich, UK. All employees are transferring with the sale. Colin Ross, current general manager, will retain his role. The division will become part of Fluke’s Calibration Business Unit in its Industrial Group Division.

Trident licenses NTS protocol to Motorola Motorola, Schaumburg, IL, has received a license for Trident Micro Systems’ Passport protocol for use in it’s two-way products. This initiative will expand Motorola’s UHF trunking portfolio to include products serving wide-area dispatch needs for small networks. Motorola’s Passport product offering will include UHF band (403MHz-512MHz) portable and mobile two-way radios.

Passport is a trunking protocol developed by Arden, NC-based Trident that provides wide-area coverage and offers users and system owners several enhanced features, including:

*seamless roaming with automatic registration and de-registration between sites.

*piracy and cloning protection through electronic serial numbers.

*system migration path-Passport operates on Trident’s network trunking system infrastructure (NTS), which also is compatible with radios and systems operating on the LTR protocol. The NTS infrastructure has been designed to support migration to future digital technologies.

In the test equipment market, Motorola’s Commercial, Government and Industrial Solutions Sector has agreed to license its Smartnet and Smartzone trunking protocol to IFR Systems, Wichita, KS. The agreement enables IFR to provide test equipment for this wide range of systems. IFR will be able to support the analog systems that are a part of the backward compatibility requirement established in the user needs for the Project 25 standards. It will also develop and implement the Smartnet and Smartzone trunking protocols into its next-generation test products for digital systems.

Transcrypt sells Waseca facility Transcrypt International, Lincoln, has announced the sale and leaseback of its Waseca, MN, facility for about $2.75 million. The lease is for a period of five years, and EFJohnson will occupy 132,000 square feet of the 252,000 square foot facility. Other tenants currently occupy the balance of the space.

Mike Jalbert, chairman of Transcrypt, said, “Our company continues to be focused on profitability and growth and did not see any benefit in owning real estate and acting a landlord. Our best use of cash if for the growth of our business.”

NHRA chooses Racing Communications, Vertex Racing Communications, Marrietta, GA, has been named the Official Radio Communications Company of the National Hot Rod Association, its six owned-and-operated drag racing facilities and the NHRA Safety Safari. In a joint announcement, the Vertex Standard was named the Official Radio of the NHRA.

In the multimillion-dollar, five-year agreement, Racing Communications will supply hand-held radios, headsets, mobile units, ancillary products, base radios, antennas, on-site setup and support for the 23 NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series national events, the Winston Showdown and the 43 NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series events through the 2004 season.

Racing Communications will also have a major presence at the NHRA Manufacturers Midway, providing on-site sales, rentals and service of scanners, headsets and communications needs for NHRA race teams and fans.

Global Dispatch adds public safety specialists Global Dispatch Technology, Oklahoma City, has hired three prominent members of the public safety industry to handle regional sales and special projects. The new team includes David E. Hanks, special projects coordinator; David B. McClaren, central region account manager; and Michael M. Woods, C.C.A., western region account manager.

“Global Dispatch believes in hiring individuals that understand the public safety industry rather than hire those that just understand sales,” said Doug Garber, chief operating officer of Global Dispatch. “We want law enforcement professional that know how to talk to law enforcement professionals.” Hanks graduated from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Police Academy in Virginia. His 30 years of experience in public safety include working for the Irving, TX, Police Department as captain of technical services, special operations, patrol and criminal investigation. He also served as a lieutenant and police officer at Irving PD.

McClaren has more than 15 years of private investigation experience and about seven years in law enforcement/public safety. He has served as a criminal investigator for the McLennan County Sheriff’s Department and as a parole officer for the Texas Board of Pardons and Parole.

Woods is a retired lieutenant of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, bringing about 30 years of law enforcement experience to the company.

Filling long-empty shoes A long-term vacancy in the Public Safety and Private Wireless Division of the Wireless Telecommunication Bureau was finally filled in December with the appointment of Jeanne Kowalski as deputy chief (public safety). Kowalski was formerly a senior regulations analyst with the U.S. Department of Transportation. Previously, she was a staff advisor and a congressional liaison at the Interstate Commerce Commission. Kowalski also has worked in the private sector as a legislative affairs representative for Southern Pacific Communications.

Another position filled at the same time was division deputy chief (legal). The new deputy chief, Ramona E. Melson, was chief legal counsel to the division chief as well as the branch chief of the Policy and Rules Branch in the Commercial Wireless Division. Melson has also served as a senior attorney in both the Legal Branch of the Commercial Wireless Division and the Policy and Rules Division of the Mass Media Bureau.

Public safety spectrum efficiency At a mid-January meeting of the Public Safety National Coordinating Committtee, WTB Chief Thomas Sugrue told attendees that “Spectrum efficiency, speed of deployment and cost” would be examined when the FCC evaluates the NCC preliminary recommendations, scheduled to be presented on Feb. 25.

“… (I)f the demand for public safety channels continues at the current rate … the entire 24MHz could be quickly swallowed up unless we adopt rules to ensure that it will be used efficiently and wisely,” Sugrue said.

The NCC was set up by the FCC to gather public safety community comments on regulation of the new 700MHz public safety band, with an emphasis on interoperability considerations. In addition to the FCC, the NCC is sponsored by NTIA, the DOJ, FEMA and the Treasury Department.

Sugrue cautioned against interpreting the initial standards that the NCC recommends as final standards. “… We think that doing so could send the signal that this is ‘as far as we go’-that the task of considering technical standards is over and will come to a full stop as soon as the initial recommendations are made. I think that would be unfortunate and unnecessary,” Sugrue said.

“On the other hand, I’ve heard concerns that if the initial recommendation is not characterized as a final one, we will have only an interim standard that could change substantially when final rules are put into place,” Sugrue said. “The argument goes that, if the NCC recommendation only results in interim rules, then the 700MHz spectrum will not be used. Public safety licensees would be reluctant to buy interim standard radios that could be made obsolete if the rules changed. Manufacturers would be unlikely to spend research and development money to build interim standard radios that would have to be redesigned in a few years.”

Dataradio petitions for quicker access In a related action, Dataradio, Atlanta, petitioned the FCC in January to waive 700MHz rules (Section 90.547) requiring that all narrowband public safety radios for that band be capable of operating on any nationwide narrowband interoperability channels. Dataradio’s petition said that interoperability channels account for only about 10% of the 700MHz channel allocation. The company said a waiver would prevent general use 700MHz channels from being held hostage while interoperability standards are debated.

It’s been a long, cold, lonely winter In mid-January the FCC lifted the freeze on licensing for multiple address systems (MAS) in the 900MHz bands. A Report and Order in Docket 97-81 outlines new licensing and auction rules. Three pools of 20, five and 15 paired channels were created for the 934MHz/941MHz MAS band. The first pool will be licensed via auctions. The other pools will be licensed site-by-site to government and public safety agencies and to “private internal” services, including utilities and pipelines.