Trucking Technology Report - Nov. 15
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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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FMCSA Expands Web Services
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has introduced several new online services to its Web site, which already features online registration for commercial bus and truck operators as well as online payment for fines from the agency.
Motor carriers can now have financial applications file information on insurance over the Internet. The FMCSA Web site will accept certificates of insurance, surety bonds, and several other types of proof. The site replaces an electronic database that accepted such proof via software from both insurance providers and financial institutions. The database handles 300,000 of carriers' policies each year; another 130,000 policies are processed on paper. The FMCSA is also involved in a pilot program to gather trade data from border crossings electronically. Federal Computer Week Online (11/09/00); Trimble, Paula Shaki
ClearCross Merging With Hazmat Handler Atrion
Global e-commerce will likely come closer to realizing supply-chain efficiencies following ongoing consolidation and alliances in the field. ClearCross - a company that provides data needed to complete cross-border transportation following electronic transactions - is merging with Atrion International, a hazardous-materials management and handling company; the merged company will be called ClearCross.The steel-industry online marketplaces CoreMarkets and FerrousExchange have each entered into agreements with other companies: CoreMarkets with the online collaboration host Capstan Systems, and FerrousExchange with the electronic document imaging company bolero.net.
Meanwhile, a new company called Borderfree was launched this month with a goal of providing global end-to-end logistics services for business-to-consumer transactions. Based in Toronto, Borderfree has reached Canadian deals with Excite and Canada Post and is looking for more partnerships with online marketplaces and merchants. Traffic World (11/13/00) Vol. 264, No. 7, P. 25; Cottrill, Ken
Ex-U S West CEO to Head Wireless Firm
Solomon D. Trujillo, former chairman and CEO of U S West, has been appointed as president and CEO of Graviton, a developer of wireless technology for communications between machines. The technology, which is still under development, could be used for such applications as informing a home owner when a device is malfunctioning or allowing doctors to monitor a patient's condition without being in the room. The technology uses a system of wireless sensors.Sun Microsystems (SUNW), Qualcomm (QCOM), and Siemens are among the firms providing financial support to Graviton. In addition, the firm is backed by In-Q-Tel, the newly created venture-capital firm of the CIA.
Trujillo, who spent 26 years at U S West, left his CEO position this summer over conflicts related to the firm's merger with Qwest Communications (Q). Wall Street Journal (11/15/00) P. B9
Nokia Contract Goes to Endwave
Endwave signed a multi-million dollar contract with Nokia to incorporate its transceivers into some Nokia devices over the next two years.Nokia plans to put the transceivers in its FlexiHopper microwave radio. FlexiHopper is designed to be used in Nokia's wireless broadband networks to expand the number of transactions the network can handle and increase the efficiency of its data features.
Financial details of the deal were not released. The agreement is a extension of an earlier contract Nokia signed with Milliwave, a unit of TRW. Wall Street Journal (11/15/00) P. B9
Testing the Wireless LAN Waters
Wireless LANs are becoming more popular as the U.S. workforce expands. Eric Feldman, network sales executive at Computer Network Solutions, points to the reliability and ease of use of wireless LANs as favorable features. In addition, wireless LANs can be installed in a variety of facilities, such as schools and convention centers, adds Feldman.Philip Belanger, Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance chairman, says wireless LANs are also likely to become even more common in public places. Mobile Star Network and Wayport have made the technology available at various airports and hotels already.
Wireless LANs can send signals at distances up to 1,000 feet, and are able to penetrate non-metal obstacles. The system can be connected to laptop computers by hooking up a modem to the Ethernet port or by inserting a PC Card; desktop computers and servers can also be connected to a wireless LAN via plug-cards. The IEEE. 802.11 standards group also expects data transmission rates for the 2.4GHz spectrum to increase from 11 Mbps to 22 Mbps.
Meanwhile, wireless LANs using the 5GHz radio spectrum will be able to offer data transmission rates of 54 Mbps, according to Belanger. But the high transmission rates also limit the range of the system because 5GHz requires more elaborate coding.
While no firm has begun offering a 5GHz wireless LAN, Lucent Technologies (LU) and Symbian Technologies are likely to be among the companies offering 54 Mbps systems next year, according to Craig Mathias of Farpoint. Some companies are also developing technology to improve the efficiency and security of wireless LANs using the 802.11e standard. Mathias predicts that these systems will be introduced within a year. CRN (11/06/00) No. 919, P. 55; Green, Stephanie
Bluetooth Slow to Get Into Hands of the Public
While Bluetooth has been widely predicted to reshape the future of interconnectivity between wireless devices, computers, and even appliances, the new technology has yet to become available to consumers.The development and licensing of Bluetooth products is being handled by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), which was created by Ericsson, Intel (INTC), Nokia, IBM (IBM), and Toshiba. The SIG does not currently charge royalty fees for licensing the technology because it is seeking wide-scale adoption of Bluetooth throughout the industry. The organization currently has granted close to 2,000 companies licensing rights.
The technology uses the 2.4 GHz band and has a range of 30 feet. Palm's (PALM) vice president of marketing, Byron Connell, says how much of an impact the technology will have will depend on its capability to offer outstanding compatibility and connectivity. However, Palm has decided to pass on using the technology for now. Connell says that cost and size issues were the reasons behind the decision.
And so far only two Bluetooth products are set to be launched - a Bluetooth headset by Ericsson, which is scheduled to be released before the end of this year, and an IBM ThinkPad with a Bluetooth slot. Smart Business (11/00) Vol. 13, No. 11, P. 74; Vanscoy, Kayte
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