News
Issue #2002 - 36 (September 2002)
(Updated Sep. 25, 2002)

ACQUISITIONS, MERGERS & AGREEMENTS

Mobilaris Joins Cambridge Positioning Systems To Accelerate Location Services In Europe

Sweden and UK--Mobilaris, the Swedish developers of information service middleware and location-based services for 2, 2.5 and 3G networks, have entered into a co-operative marketing agreement with Cambridge Positioning Systems Limited (CPS) to accelerate the rollout of high-accuracy location-based services throughout Europe.

"With both fixed and mobile network operators in Europe mandated to make caller location information available to emergency authorities from next year, demand for high performance emergency applications and positioning technology is expected to surge," says Mobilaris' CEO Björn Westerholm.

"By combining our middleware expertise with CPS' competence in positioning, we will be able to market the benefits of high precision positioning to network operators. Together, we can show them a different breadth of mass market, feature rich location applications that can be achieved by E-OTD positioning technology."

E-OTD technology has already been accepted as the standard location solution by GSM operators in the US, where it is pivotal in the rollout of location-enabled cellular phones to meet the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) E-911 mandate.

In Europe, operators will be legally required to make caller information available to authorities handling emergencies for all calls to the single European emergency call number 112, or E-112, with effect from mid-2003.

"As well as raising the public's awareness of the benefits of location, the new European E-112 legislation will ensure that operators have the necessary building blocks in place to deliver location enhanced services," said CPS CEO Chris Wade.

"It will also focus attention on ways in which operators can commercialise the equipment they need to install to meet the EU directive."

As part of the co-operative marketing agreement - believed to be the first of its type in Europe - Mobilaris' Pacific Ocean* middleware platform will be integrated with CPS' reference network.

"This will allow us to demonstrate physically how the business case of location-based services can be improved with underlying enhancements to the positioning technology," added Chris Wade.

"Together we can make high quality location based services a reality in Europe."

About Mobilaris
Based in Stockholm and Luleå, Sweden, Mobilaris' mission is to focus on fast time-to-market and return-on-investment for operators. Mobilaris combines the expertise of the very real mobile operator business environment with mobile Internet technology and R&D. 

Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean is a service-enabling mediation middleware functioning as a layer between end-user services and subservient operator systems. The solution enables fast development of mobile services due to open interfaces allowing application providers to access functionality such as positioning, billing, statistics and similar systems.

About Cambridge Positioning Systems
Cambridge Positioning Systems Limited (CPS) develops and licenses its Cursorä E-OTD (Enhanced Observed Time Difference) system to handset manufacturers and network equipment vendors. 

MobileInfo Comments and Advisory:  Thi is a good teaming effort that will help CPS. E-OTD is gaining ground for E-911and LBS (location-based services) applications.

Note: This news release may contain forward-looking statements. Readers should take appropriate caution in developing plans utilizing these products, services and technology architectures.  All trademarks used in this summary are the property of their respective owners.