Motorola and Racotek Plan Strategic Agreement to Bring Wireless Metropolitan Area Network Service for Mobile Data/Voice Communications
SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Jan. 21 — January 21, 1992 — In a move designed to enhance mobile data services to the nation's largest installed base of trunked radio users, Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT), today announced plans to jointly develop and market with Racotek, Inc., a wireless metropolitan area network (MAN) service for mobile data/voice communications.
This service, which will utilize Racotek, Inc's existing RacoNet- mobile data communications service, is targeted to meet the growing demand to link workers outside of fixed offices — mobile workers — into the corporate data and voice network.
"LANs, WANs and MANs serve to provide data links for local and remote corporate facilities. Now, by adding mobile data capability to voice radio, the concept of the metropolitan area network will be extended to include another type of mobile worker. Motorola has essentially filled in a major communications gap in the corporate information infrastructure," said Morton L. Topfer, president of Motorola's Land Mobile Products Sector.
"Offering the RacoNet network capability for mobile data/voice communications within a metropolitan area represents a major strategic move for Motorola trunked radio," Topfer continued, "It will complement our participation in the Ardis data communication network and our national CoveragePLUS network by enabling us to offer our customer the best possible choice of data communications services for their business," Topfer added.
RacoNet communications services provide both data and voice transmission over Motorola's trunked Specialized Mobile Radio systems (SMRs) without interfering with existing voice users. Thousands of existing users of Motorola's trunked radio voice service will now be able to avail themselves of the new enhanced data/voice capabilities.
Racotek, Inc., based in Minneapolis, which developed the RacoNet mobile data network, also provides hardware and software for use on the network. Motorola plans to develop and manufacture two-way radio system products specifically designed to operate on the RacoNet network for use over its trunked radio systems.
RacoNet communications services are compatible with the over 900 trunked channel pairs at 800 MHz and 900 MHz in over 1,100 locations allocated by the FCC. Through the combination of Motorola's offering with the existing RacoNet compatible locations, the service will be available in more locations and on more channels than any other mobile data network.
Built on computer industry standards, RacoNet software features an application programming interface (API) and offers full interoperability with a broad variety of DOS-based mobile terminals such as laptops and hand held computers. Its open architecture is built on the Open System Interconnect (OSI) model facilitating the flow of data from applications to mobile users over different host protocols for transparent interoperability and ease of development.
In discussing the RacoNet service, Richard A. Cortese, Racotek president and CEO expanded on its features, "RacoNet provides a cost effective and reliable means of integrating mobile workforce operations on a continuous, real-time basis with corporate data systems and applications."
Under terms of the proposed agreement, Racotek and Motorola have the exclusive distribution rights to Motorola products compatible with the RacoNet data communications service. The service is expected to go into field trials in 1992.
Mobile data is a wireless communication and computer technology. Corporations can extend their data management capabilities to mobile workers throughout their entire field of operation — from vehicle to regional base to corporate headquarters. Applications include messaging and dispatch, workorder management, order entry, automatic vehicle location, package tracking and shipping, taxi and livery, electronic data interchange (EDI), customer service programs, and document transmission, among others.
RacoNet wireless data communication service for mobile users is available nationwide. The RacoNet service features a full range of hardware, software and communications components that enable companies to fully integrate mobile operations into their corporate data architecture. The service features an open architecture design for interoperability across multiple technology platforms.
Motorola, Inc., headquartered in Schaumburg, Ill., is one of the world's leading manufacturers of electronic equipment, systems and components for worldwide markets. Motorola products include two-way radios, mobile and portable data terminals and communications systems, cellular telephones and systems, pagers, integrated circuits and discrete semiconductors, defense and aerospace electronics, automotive and industrial electronic equipment, and information processing and handling equipment.
CONTACT:
Bob Walz of Motorola, 708-576-6609