Trucking Technology Report - Aug. 25
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Both the online report and e-mail are sponsored by @Track Communications, a supplier of wireless communications and dispatch services.
Today's Technology Headlines:
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FedEx Uses IBM Scanners and Servers to Boost Tracking Information
The latest development in FedEx Ground's information management and infrastructure improvement initiative, code-named Genesis, features IBM RS/6000 S-80 high-end servers that are used to process package tracking information from wearable scanners all over the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
ays Mike Hmel, senior vice president of information technology at FedEx Ground, the nation's largest small package ground carrier.
FedEx employees scan the bar codes found on packages with the wrist-worn units, which transmit the information over radio waves to a wide-area network and then to the IBM servers. Journal of Commerce (08/21/00); Atkinson, Helen
Motorola Sees GPRS Phones on Sale in Fourth Quarter
Motorola product manager for wireless applications, Jessica Frithiof, said today the company anticipates having its first phone entry into the market of third-generation GPRS mobile phones by the fourth quarter of this year. GPRS technology gives Web access to wireless device users. Frithiof, whose management responsibilities cover the company's operations in the Nordic/Baltic region, revealed the news following Motorola's completed deal with Melody Interactive Solutions. The deal covers development of the market for mobile e-mail.
Motorola is the second largest wireless handset manufacturer in the world. Reuters (08/25/00)
FCC Pulls Plug on Slow-Moving Broadband Satellite Operators
The FCC is regulating the satellite industry more strongly by retracting licenses from several key satellite operators who wanted to use satellite to provide broadband Internet access.Three licenses have been withdrawn from Ka-band satellite systems, the next-generation high-speed satellites set to begin running in 2002. Licenses were revoked in June from Morningside, NetSat 28, and PanAmSat after the companies did not comply with "milestone requirements." The companies plan to appeal the decision.
The FCC's requirement of milestones includes the compliance with three progress deadlines associated with the start and finish times of construction and the deployment of high-speed satellites. Financial Times (08/25/00) P. 5; Leffall, Jabulani
Third-Generation Wireless Systems Face Development and Deployment Testing Challenges
Wireless technologies that can provide Web content and information services at anytime to any location are expected to spur the demand for third generation services.While the global standards for 3G have not yet been finalized, the development of 3G networks has reached the stage of advanced testing. One of the essential elements to be tested is the radio access network (RAN), which is designed for such 3G functions as roaming and QoS management for data and Web connections.
The major kinds of RAN standards are UMTS W-CDMA, and IS-2000. UMTS W-CDMA is backed by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), while IS-2000 is supported by the 3GPP2. Telecom analysts say 3G technology will become more IP oriented as the demand for carrying diverse traffic over packet networks increases. Roughly 70% of current users of 2G systems are anticipated to become subscribers to UMTS W-CDMA networks.
Because there are many companies involved in 3G technology developments, any testing must comprehensively address a variety of issues, including quality insurance, conformance, and interoperability. Tests of components are conducted in five stages: transport layer verification, protocol verification, basic connection testing, advanced connection testing, and load generation, which tests operations in realistic and extreme environments. The testing of transport layer could include evaluating new software and hardware design for the system. Protocol verification includes the evaluation of transmission, both being sent and received.
Basic connection testing evaluates the setup process for an individual voice and data channel. Advanced connection testing increases the number of functions being tested at the same time. And finally, load generation tests how many mobile users the network can support effectively. Telecommunications (08/20/00) Vol. 34, No. 8, P. 58; Salier, Robert
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