Trucking Technology Report - Jan. 29
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Today's Technology Headlines:
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Wireless License Auction Pulls in $16.86 Billion
The FCC's auction of wireless licenses raised $16.86 billion, the highest amount ever generated by a spectrum auction held in the United States. Many of the winning bidders were backed by leading telecom companies, including AT&T Wireless and Verizon Communications.
According to original guidelines, the auction was to be restricted to small companies, but the FCC later changed its position and allowed larger companies to bid for some of the licenses. Alaska Native Wireless, which is backed by AT&T Wireless, and Salmon PCS, which is backed by Cingular, were the second- and third-leading bidders in the auction.
The majority of licenses offered were originally made availableduring an FCC auction held in 1996. NextWave Telecom, which had acquired many of the licenses during the original auction, is mounting a legal challenge to the FCC's right to reclaim the licenses. If its suit is successful, companies that acquired
icenses in the latest auction would have to relinquish them. However, courts are expected to rule in favor of the FCC. Wall Street Journal (01/29/01) P. B4; Carroll, Jill
Web Applications Alter Manufacturing
Web-based applications are moving into the manufacturing process, allowing companies to reduce time-to-market, more efficiently organize manufacturing data, and facilitate future product development.Airbus, for example, has moved its systems to the Web in order to link its European partners. Medical equipment maker Intuitive Surgical has saved substantial resources preveiously needed to
anage the stack of paper documentation accompanying each new product.
"The saddest thing about the whole thing is that you can collect all the information and hopefully file it away, but all the information you've gathered is not very useful for anything. It's extremely difficult to get any real information out of it to use to improve your product," says Intuitive's document control manager Don Chamberlain. Intuitive is currently implementing the Web-based Advantage manufacturing solution from Datasweep.
Chamberlain believes this will allow field service engineers to collect critical information for management and product development teams. This application, combined with new bar code technology to track parts in the system, promises to reduce data entry errors and speed cycle times.
Another use of Web-based manufacturing systems is
utchinson Technology's design data management solution, which allows the company and strategic partners to quickly find parts meeting certain specifications. Previously, technicians would
ave to muddle through spreadsheets in order to determine whether a particular part existed or not. Many times, says Hutchinson PDM manager Barb Tessmer, it was simpler just to create a new part from scratch.
Tessmer says that, as PDM is integrated across the enterprise, Hutchinson will be able to cut lead times in half and significantly increase production. Supply Chain Technology News (01/01) Vol. 3, No. 1, P. 43; Kuhel, Jennifer S.
Wholesaler Associated Grocers Updates Distribution Systems
Louisiana-based wholesaler Associated Grocers is giving its distribution operations a number of technology improvements, including an upgraded warehouse radio frequency scanning backbone foundation, new slotting software, and an upgrade to its Eaton FleetAdvisor fleet-management system.The new RF scanning backbone foundation will operate at 2.4 gigahertz, replacing the company's current 900 megahertz system, which should speed up response time and increase the size of its coverage area. The first quarter will also see the installation of OMI International's warehouse slotting software, the Cairo Warehouse Optimization System.
Associated already uses OMI's Triceps Real-Time Warehouse Management System, which it upgraded in November. Finally, the upgrades to the FleetAdvisor system will enable Associated's retailers to track truck locations in real time.Supermarket News (01/22/01) Vol. 49, No. 4, P. 19; Alaimo,Dan
Handheld Market Reaching Outside Office
Makers of handheld computers are benefiting from workers seeking to handle business outside the office. Handheld computer sales reached $1.03 billion last year, more than double the $436.5 million posted in 1999, a study says.The study also indicates that unit sales of handheld computers surged to 3.5 million last year, an increase of 150 percent over figures for 1999. While Microsoft has sought to take a share of the market by introducing its PocketPC operating system, Palm and Handspring continue to dominate the market.
Analysts say the market could face even more competition this year. The industry trend to offer wireless connections, music downloads, and add-on cell phone devices indicate that handheld makers are experimenting to find the features most appealing to consumers.CNS News (01/26/01); Applegate, Keith C.
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