May 1, 2003 12:00 PM

Modernized Inventory Tracking

Modernized inventory tracking

Sprint North Supply's new mobile logistics capabilities allow wireless carriers to track equipment inventory throughout their supply chain or network. The system is designed to bring supply chain visibility and control to the truck or technician level by providing detailed information on BTSs, switch facilities and other network equipment. Network assets are barcoded, scanned and entered into a database so materials can be tracked to their specific physical locations. The system works down to the individual card level, providing tracking capabilities within remote site cabinets or even individual racks. Sprint North Supply equips the carrier's technical staff with Intermec pocket PCs, which collect and transmit equipment data. The company is currently helping Alamosa PCS implement the system.
www.sprintnorthsupply.com

Testing CDMA waters

Might as well JUMP

Tira Wireless' new JUMP (Java Universal Mobile Porting) platform brings long sought-after device compatibility to the J2ME market. With JUMP, a developer can create a single version of an application, submit it to Tira for processing and be assured that the application will work on an array of different handsets. The application is then used as the reference for new customized versions, which are automatically created for other Java-based mobile phones. Tira Wireless has tested J2ME applications on Motorola, Sharp and Samsung handsets, with more to come as carriers demand.
www.tirawireless.com

Next-gen intelligence

Tekelec's next generation telephony platform, GenuOne, supports multiple applications and can scale from 100,000 to more than 9 million busy-hour call attempts. GenuOne supports softswitch and Web-based applications as well as traditional intelligent network solutions. It delivers call control, signaling, applications, media processing and operations management for TDM, ATM and IP-based networks. It also supports H.323 and SIP. The modular design of GenuOne — which is made up of a signaling gateway, softswitch, media gateway, application server and element management system — allows carriers to deploy it as a single element or in a distributed fashion. GenuOne will be available this month, and all Tekelec applications will be available on the platform.
www.tekelec.com

Perfecting Wi-Fi design

Trapeze Networks, which has been operating in stealth mode for about a year, revealed its first product: the WLAN Mobility System. The company said the system allows enterprises (and the carriers providing Wi-Fi service in the enterprise) to more effectively design their networks. The system consists of the Mobility Exchange (a central management router/switch), Mobility Points (antennas), software and the RingMaster tool suite. RingMaster enables users to create networks on-screen before deployment, allowing importation of architectural drawings and taking into account usage factors. Designers also can create multiple zones, allowing users to roam only to certain areas. The software, which manages the entire system, administrates the airwaves in a similar fashion to managing a wired system and, in fact, can be integrated with wired computers.
www.trapezenetworks.com

Multimedia delivered

The LightSurf 5 multimedia messaging platform from LightSurf Technologies enables operators to deploy a rash of new MMS apps that go well beyond mobile picture snapping and sending. Among the potential applications: push- and pull-based themed media alerts, media and message album storage, a multimedia file download gallery, third-party content, optimized media delivery and enhanced e-commerce capabilities. LightSurf's software suite, which most recently went live with O2 in Europe and Sprint PCS in the U.S., can be integrated with MMSCs from Nokia, Ericsson, LogicaCMG and Motorola. In Europe, the company anticipates carriers rolling out services that come much closer to peer-to-peer applications, in part because of the success short messaging services have had.
www.lightsurf.com