4 November 2001

Satcoms

Andrew Completes Philcomsat Broadband Internet VSAT Network
Andrew Corporation has completed the supply, installation, and commissioning of the FreedomIP Broadband VSAT network for Philcomsat (Philippine Communications Satellite Corporation).

The US$ 3 million project was completed on July 19, 2001 and provides direct Internet access to Philippine's Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and corporate clients. Current clients on the new network include: the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, Angelnet, Cybernet, the Far Eastern University, and the University of the East.

The FreedomIP system enables advanced and economical broadband services for corporate intranet/Internet services, virtual private networks (VPNs), two-way broadband Internet access, and two-way transactional services such as distance learning, E-commerce, telemedicine, and remote sensing and control.

Philcomsat now provides Philippines-based ISPs and corporate clients with the bandwidth needed for advanced multimedia applications and brings Filipinos increased and improved Internet access. The flexibility of the new system means that Philcomsat can give ISPs the ability to configure inbound and outbound links independently, adding bandwidth as traffic requirements dictate.

Philcomsat's FreedomIP broadband VSAT network comprises an Andrew 7.3-meter earth station central hub node at Pinugay, with a Network Management System near Manila, and 120 broadband VSAT earth stations located throughout the Philippines. Andrew has provided full turnkey services including the earth stations, RF electronics, and program management. The network uses the standard DVB protocol for all outward transmissions (central to remote points of presence) and utilises the FreedomIP TDMA solution for the return channel transmissions.

Chinese Newspaper Selects Norsat's Broadband DVB Data Hub
An affiliate organisation of the People's Daily, which is China's largest daily newspaper, has selected Norsat International Inc's broadband Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) data hub to manage the movement of newspaper and sizeable video files across its corporate network.

The agreement includes the delivery of Norsat's satellite receiver products and follows a phased implementation approach with the number of receivers projected to increase as the solution unfolds. Norsat has successfully completed the installation and commissioning of the initial DVB data hub at the customer site.

First Delivery of Paradise Datacom's P300i Internet Satellite Modem
Paradise Datacom has delivered the first of their new P300i modems, the Internet enabled version of their popular P300 Satellite modem. The modems ordered will be deployed by telecommunications provider Northwestel at their headquarters in Whitehorse, Yukon and at remote locations in the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Northern British Columbia.

The P300i modem includes a Mentat SkyX Gateway based TCP/IP protocol accelerator, IP router and a direct auto-switching 10/100 Base-T Ethernet port. The SkyX Gateway protocol accelerator replaces TCP (which was designed for short low latency hops over fibre or cable) over the satellite channel with a protocol optimised for the long latency and errors inherent in a satellite link.

Without the protocol accelerator, typical workstation TCP transmissions are limited by operating system window sizes to only 128 kb/s per connection regardless of the available satellite bandwidth. The protocol accelerator removes this limitation, making virtually the full bandwidth of a satellite channel accessible to any connection without operating system changes. This equates to a 300% speed improvement for a typical web-browsing session, and the ability to execute file transfer at the full satellite channel bandwidth. The associated IP router and Ethernet interface allow the modem to be integrated into a Local Area Network or Wide Area Network without any server or workstation reconfiguration.

In addition to the SkyX Gateway TCP/IP accelerator, router and Ethernet interface, the P300 Turbo provides the full P300 feature set, providing any combination of BPSK, QPSK, OQPSK and 8PSK/TCM operation, with IBS/SMS, IDR, Closed Network or Closed Net plus ESC services. It may be fitted simultaneously with Viterbi, Sequential, Trellis (TCM) and Turbo FEC and may also operate uncoded. A variable code rate Intelsat compliant Reed-Solomon outer codec is also available.

Globecomm Systems Wins US$ 9.0M IP Contract
Globecomm Systems Inc has been awarded a US$ 9.0 million contract with Shoreline Communications Ltd, to deliver voice, video, data, Internet, entertainment, and wireless services throughout the Kingdom of Tonga in the South Pacific.

The contract includes satellite infrastructure, an entertainment distribution system, a GSM cellular system, a fixed wireless system, voice capabilities, and Internet access throughout the Kingdom of Tonga. Shoreline Communications is the second carrier in Tonga and is launching a complete suite of services to be implemented over the next 12 months.

HNS Europe and The Store Channel to Deliver Tailored Advertising to UK Consumers
Hughes Network Systems Europe has announced a contract with UK-based The Store Channel to deliver 'Jewson & Graham TV' to 550 stores across the UK by December 2001.

Its satellite hub and network management centre in Milton Keynes, UK will be used to broadcast The Store Channel's tailored content to consumers and employees throughout the stores.

Qualcomm Proposes Globalstar Airline Security Solution
Qualcomm Inc has announced developed an airborne communications system that can be used to improve existing aviation safety services.

Qualcomm's system would use the Globalstar's satellite constellation to provide two-way communications between aircraft and a ground network. Qualcomm is a minority shareholder in Globalstar which has been facing severe financing problems almost since it began operation. Globalstar has found it impossible to attract enough subscribers to support its debt and costs.

Qualcomm's aircraft communications system would provide real time video and audio monitoring of a airliner's cockpit and cabin allowing ground staff to be quickly alerted to problems on-board. The system would also operate as a back up transponder sending location, altitude and speed information to air traffic controllers. It would even be possible for ground controllers to download cockpit voice recorders and flight data.

Qualcomm Cuts OmniTRACS Price
Qualcomm Incorporated has announced that it will drop the price of its OmniTRACS satellite mobile communications system equipment to US$ 1,990 per unit starting October 29, 2001. This offer, based on new orders only, will remain in effect for units purchased and delivered through September 27, 2002.

The OmniTRACS system provides two-way data messaging, automatic satellite vehicle tracking, and complete integration capabilities to dispatch and back-office systems. The price reduction in the OmniTRACS system precludes use of any other promotions or discounts and applies to a standard OmniTRACS system configuration with standard display unit.

Earth Observation

NIMA to Renew Ikonos Imaging Contract
The US National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) is, as expected, reported to be in negotiations with Space Imaging Inc to renew its contract for exclusive rights to commercial imagery of Afghanistan and its surroundings from its Ikonos satellite.

The initial 30 day contract, reported to be valued at US$ 1.91 million, commenced on October 7 as the US began its bombing campaign. This contract will expire on November 5, but can be renewed on a monthly basis with seven days notice.

Although the official line is that the imagery is being used to assist the military action in Afghanistan including the planning of air strikes, In reality the resolution of the images is not good enough. In the past military users of imagery have said that the resolution of images must be at least 0.5 m. Ikonos only provides 1 m resolution. The real benefit to the military is that the exclusive contract denies access to imagery to potential foes and other interested parties, particularly the media.

US Dept of Agriculture Extends LANDSAT 7 Contract with RSI
Radarsat International (RSI) announced today that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has extended its contract with RSI for the supply of Landsat 7 Earth-observation data over the United States, to September 30, 2002. The data is used by the USDA to estimate crop production, investigate crop vigour/health, and to assess the extent of crop damage from adverse weather conditions.

The one-year extension represents a minimum commitment of US$ 730,000 for the purchase of Landsat 7 data during 2002. An option exists in the contract for the USDA to continue working with RSI for an additional three years (2003, 2004, 2005).

Military Space

USAF Awards Harris Corporation US$ 24M Operational Space Services and Support Contract
Harris Corporation has been awarded a one-year, US$ 24.3 million contract option to provide operations, maintenance and support services to the US Air Force Satellite Control Network (AFSCN) and Global Positioning System (GPS) ground network. The latest Operational Space Services and Support (OSSS) award brings the total current contract value to date for Harris to over US$ 50 million, with options for five additional years that could increase the overall value to US$ 202 million.

The OSSS contract calls for Harris and its team-mates to operate and perform organisational level maintenance at all ground stations assigned to the AFSCN and GPS. The ground stations are in such diverse locations as Thule, Greenland; Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory; New Boston, New Hampshire; and other geographically separated locations. The initial contract focuses on the remote locations, providing antenna operations and maintenance, GPS site software and hardware support, training, security, and management services. Beginning in the third year of the contract, satellite orbital analysis and technical assistance support at Schriever AFB, Colorado, will be added to the contract. Harris Technical Services Corporation (HTSC) will execute the contract on behalf of Harris Corporation.

Science

NASA's IMP 8 Completes 28 Year Mission
The Interplanetary Monitoring Platform (IMP 8) spacecraft has retired after 28 years on duty being buffeted by the solar wind and zapped by cosmic rays.

Launched on October 25, 1973, IMP 8 was built and operated at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland., and provided important space physics data as part of NASA's Sun-Earth Connection research program. Last commands were sent to the spacecraft on October 28.

IMP 8 has deepened understanding of the space environment near Earth in many ways. Observations from IMP 8 provided insight into plasma physics, the Earth's magnetic field, the structure of the solar wind, and the nature of cosmic rays.

Consistent coverage for such a long time recently enabled IMP 8 to uncover a curious long-term pattern in the solar wind, which in turn led to new insights on the magnetic dynamo churning within the Sun. Although one would expect that, over time, the solar wind should blow at the same average speed from any place on the Sun, IMP 8 discovered that this is not so. The average solar wind speed varies from place to place on the Sun, from as much as 460 km/s around 70° longitude to as little as 425 km/s around 135° longitude. The average strength of the magnetic field carried by the solar wind depends on solar location as well.

This pattern served as a clue for researchers analysing the solar surface and interior with other observatories on the ground and in space. They discovered that helical, twisting motions of plasma flows and magnetic fields deep inside the Sun contribute to the generation of the solar magnetic field.

Over the past 28 years, more than 1,000 scientific papers have been published in the refereed scientific literature in which IMP 8 data were the sole data used or were important adjuncts to data from other missions.

IMP 8 is in a nearly circular orbit about the Earth, at a distance a little more than halfway to the moon. In this orbit, IMP is in the solar wind about seven days per orbit and is within the Earth's magnetosphere/magnetosheath system about five days per orbit. Currently, six of the original 12 instruments on board IMP 8 are operational.

IMP 8 was the last of the series of IMP spacecraft, which included eight IMPs intended for (and achieving) geocentric orbit and two "anchored IMPs" intended for lunar orbit. These 10 spacecraft were launched by NASA from 1963 to 1973. The IMP spacecraft series was a subset of the highly successful and productive Explorer spacecraft series. IMP 1 was Explorer 18 and IMP 8 was Explorer 50.

Manned Space

Weightless in Bed for Three Months in Toulouse
The European Space Agency (ESA), in association with CNES and NASDA, the French and Japanese space agencies, is now calling for candidates interested in taking part in the second three-month phase of the study at the MEDES Space Clinic in Toulouse starting in March 2002, for which 14 new volunteers will be needed.

In the first phase of this study, 14 volunteers (selected in June) began the 3-month bed rest in August and will continue until completion in December.

Volunteers for the second phase will have to be available for 4 months altogether. They will have to be: a citizen of the European Union; male; aged between 25 and 45; between 165 and 185 cm in height; not overweight; a non-smoker; in good health; under no medical treatment; covered by health insurance and highly motivated.

The volunteers for this experiment will be exposed to a large number of different scientific and medical examinations, performed by an international team of scientists.

The examinations will be in the areas of:

• muscle performance and capacity,
• change in bone tissue,
• cardiovascular control systems (heart and circulation),
• sleep,
• changes in blood and urine composition.

The main objective of the campaign is to study the effects of immobilisation and/or activity on bone and muscle tissue. In this particular campaign, certain techniques to counteract deterioration in muscle and bone tissue will be studied.

In addition, the results of the study are expected to help improve the treatment and recovery of hospitalised or bedridden patients, especially with regard to muscle and bone status.

For further information about the criteria and details of how to apply, call +33 62 19 28 97 for answers in English and +33 5 62 19 28 96 for answers in French. If you meet the criteria, you can apply directly on the bedrest website: http://www.medes.fr; online applications will be treated more rapidly.

Technology

Scramjet Test Does Not Succeed
The University of Queensland's HyShot scramjet test failed to live up to expectations when the Terrier Orion rocket used to launch the scramjet for the test wandered way off course.

HyShot is an experimental scramjet, a hypersonic air-breathing ramjet theoretically capable of travelling at up to Mach 7.6. For conventional flight scramjets will be able to fly at much higher speeds than normal jet engines, dramatically shortening flight times. Potentially big savings are also on offer for the launch of spacecraft. A conventional rocket has to carry a heavy burden of both fuel and oxidiser as well as a very strong (and heavy) structure to launch a spacecraft into orbit - typically the spacecraft only weights one thousandth of the lift off mass of the whole vehicle. A scramjet powered craft would not need to carry oxidiser, taking the oxygen it needs for the combustion of its fuel from the atmosphere. A scramjet based launcher therefore can be much lighter, not having to lift oxidiser nor the extra weight of fuel needed to lift the oxidiser nor the extra structure needed to support the oxidiser and additional fuel.

The test, which would have been the world's first flight test of supersonic combustion, was launched at Woomera, 500 km north of Adelaide in Australia. Unfortunately the Terrier Orion rocket launching the experiment had flight anomalies before the scramjet was activated. The plan was to launch HyShot to an altitude of 300 km using the rocket and to activate the scram jet as the payload re-entered the earth's atmosphere at supersonic velocity at about 100 km altitude. This initial test was intended to see if hypersonic combustion actually took place in HyShot as predicted by theory.

The test did, however, have some positive outcomes. The researchers were able to gather some data from the flight which will be used in future test flights and the HyShot payload on the errant rocket survived the flight until impact indicating that the construction techniques used are adequate.

A second flight was planned for next week but this is now on hold until the reasons for the problems with the Terrier Orion rocket are known.

Launch Services

Brazil OKs US Launches from Alcantara
The Brazilian foreign affairs committee has approved a controversial treaty that would allow the US to launch satellites from Brazil's near equatorial launch site at Alcantara.

The treaty was only approved after two contentious clauses were removed. The first clause would have given US authorities exclusive access to areas where US equipment would be stored and used. The second clause would have prevented the Brazilian's from using revenue from US launches to finance Brazil's national rocket program.

The Brazilian government will now have to renegotiate the treaty with the United States which was signed in April last year.

ILS to Launch Superbird-6
International Launch Services (ILS) and Space Communications Corp. (SCC) have signed a contract for launch of the Superbird-6 satellite in October 2003. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The contract calls for a launch on an Atlas IIAS rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Superbird-6 is a Boeing 601 model, which will deliver business communications services from its orbital location of 158° E. This is the second Superbird satellite to be launched by ILS; the previous, Superbird-C, was also a 601 model flown on Atlas IIAS in 1997.

With Superbird-6, ILS has announced contracts this year for 12 launches on the full range of its Atlas and Proton vehicle families. ILS has conducted six flights thus far in 2001, and all were successful.

The Atlas launch vehicle family, built by Lockheed Martin Corp.'s Space Systems Company, has a 100 percent success record since 1993, with 58 perfect launches.

Business

ARCOMS May Sell Boatracs
Advanced Remote Communication Solutions Inc (ARCOMS) has entered into a letter of intent regarding the potential sale of the assets of its Boatracs business unit to Qualcomm Wireless Business Solutions, a division of Qualcomm Incorporated.

Boatracs is a leader in marine satellite communications and integrated hardware and software solutions for the maritime industry. Boatracs' primary focus is on workboats, riverboats, oil field supply boats and fishing boats.

Astrolink Hits Funding Problems
Two of Astrolink's partners, Lockheed Martin and TRW, have decided to withdraw their support for the broadband satellite venture.

Lockheed Martin decided not to provide further funding for the project and in response TRW has announced that it is to shut down its Astrolink operation which is manufacturing the satellite payloads .for the project. Without additional funding Astrolink International will not be able to pay to complete the manufacture or launch of its satellites.

Astrolink, a US$ 3.7 billion joint venture between TRW, Lockheed Martin, Liberty Media Corp and Telespazio, intended to construct and operate a global broadband satellite network. The three original partners in the venture each invested US$ 250 million to start the project in May 1999. Liberty Media joined in December 1999 investing US$ 425 million.

Echostar to Buy Hughes Electronics
General Motors Corp and EchoStar Communications Corporation have signed agreements to spin-off Hughes Electronics from GM and merger Hughes with EchoStar in a deal worth about US$ 26 billion in stock and cash.

The combined company would use the EchoStar name and adopt the DirecTV brand for its services and related products. The merger would create the USA's second-largest pay television platform with more than 16.7 million subscribers, of which 1.8 million subscribers are National Rural Telecommunications Co-operative (NRTC) and affiliates, and 14.9 million subscribers are owned-and-operated by the combined company.

Many industry observers believe the deal will face intensive scrutiny, and possible blocking, by regulators. If blocked, or if the deal fails for some other reason, Echostar will still buy PanAmSat from GM at a price of about US$ 5 billion.

The spin-off of Hughes from GM would result in current holders of Class H common stock receiving one share of new Hughes Class C common stock in exchange for each share of Class H stock held prior to the spin-off. The merger of Hughes and EchoStar would result in Hughes being the surviving entity and taking the name EchoStar Communications Corp. Holders of Class A EchoStar common stock prior to the merger would receive 1.3699 shares of the new EchoStar in exchange for each share of Class A EchoStar common stock held prior to the merger. Based on the closing price of EchoStar common stock of US$ 25.26 on Oct. 26, 2001, the transaction would provide a value of approximately US$ 18.44 per GMH share, representing a 20% premium. As of Oct. 26, 2001, the implied market capitalisation of Hughes was approximately US$ 21.3 billion and the market capitalisation of EchoStar was approximately US$ 12.1 billion.

The transaction is expected to require approximately US$ 5.5 billion of total financing, which EchoStar expects to fund in the capital markets prior to closing. Completion of this financing has been backstopped by a bridge commitment of approximately US$ 2.75 billion from Deutsche Bank, and a bridge commitment of approximately US$ 2.75 billion from General Motors, the latter of which the parties plan to replace with a commitment from one or more other leading financial institutions in the near future. The GM bridge commitment is secured by a pledge of US$ 2.75 billion of EchoStar stock held by a trust controlled by EchoStar Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Charles Ergen.

The transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including approval by a majority of each class of GM shareholders - GM $1-2/3 and GM Class H -- voting both separately as distinct classes, and also together as a single class. Approval of the majority of EchoStar's voting shares has already been given by written consent. The proposed transaction also is subject to regulatory clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act and approval by the Federal Communications Commission. The transaction is also contingent upon the receipt of a favourable ruling from the Internal Revenue Service that the separation of Hughes from GM will qualify as a tax-free spin-off for US Federal Income Tax purposes. The transaction is currently expected to close in the second half of 2002.

The new company, which would retain the EchoStar name but would use the DirecTV brand for consumer offerings, would be based in Littleton, Colorado, and would employ more than 14,000 people and serve more than approximately 14.9 million direct-broadcast satellite TV customers. EchoStar and Hughes have pledged that the merger would not cause disruption of service or additional expense to existing customers of either DirecTV or DISH Network service.

The new EchoStar would be led by Ergen as chairman and chief executive officer. The board of directors would consist of nine members, five of whom would be independent directors.

A competing bid from Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation was withdrawn last weekend after GM executives failed to reach a decision on whether to opt for the News Corporation bid after a year and a half of negotiations.

Saab Ericsson Space Terminates Negotiations on Purchase of Fokker Space
Saab Ericsson Space has decided not to complete the planned acquisition of Fokker Space BV of Leiden, The Netherlands. Saab Ericsson Space found it not been possible to reach a consensus between the seller and the buyers, Saab Ericsson Space and Dutch Stork, on satisfactory guarantees for certain earlier commitments. The negotiations have therefore been terminated.

Saab Ericsson Space is an international supplier of space equipment. Main products are computer systems, microwave electronics and antenna systems, guidance and separation systems and thermal hardware to be used onboard satellites and launchers. The headquarters is in Goteborg, Sweden; with production facilities at Saab in Linkoping, Sweden, and subsidiaries in Austria, Austrian Aerospace, and in USA, Saab Ericsson Space Inc. The number of employees is 660.

Saab Ericsson Space is jointly owned by Saab and Ericsson.

Spectrum Astro Opens Pasadena Office to Support JPL
Spectrum Astro has opened a new office in Pasadena, California. The office directly supports NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and is headed by Dave Smith, a 30-year veteran of JPL.

Located in the Pasadena Towers building, the office address is 800 East Colorado Blvd, 5th Floor, Suite 557, Pasadena, California 91101. The phone number is +1 626-817-6435.

Worldspace Acquires Radio Voyager
WorldSpace Corporation has acquired Radio Voyager, an English-language adult contemporary radio network previously owned by Finger Lakes Productions International Inc.

The acquisition of Radio Voyager expands the mix of diverse music channels found exclusively on the WorldSpace satellite radio system. It enables WorldSpace to earn corporate sponsorship and advertising revenue from Radio Voyager's extensive network of 46 terrestrial radio affiliates in more than 70 European and African markets. Additionally, WorldSpace will generate revenue from Radio Voyager's custom audio streaming services for large global businesses.

A 24/7 audio service that converges Internet webcasting with traditional radio for global listener reach, Radio Voyager connects listeners around the world and provides a unique multimedia advertising vehicle for multi-national Fortune 500 corporations. Radio Voyager has been part of the WorldSpace broadcaster lineup since the company began service with its AfriStar satellite in 1999.

Products and Services

Atmel Introduces New 0.35 Micron CMOS Radiation Hard ASIC Library for Space Applications
Atmel Corporation has announced the release of the MH1RT series, a set of ASIC Sea of Gates 0.35 micron libraries which provide the Aerospace industry with a level of integration of up to 1.6 million usable gates, and a capability of radiation hardness up to 300 K Rads.

Developed during a three-year partnership program started late in 2000 between the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), the European Space Agency (ESA) and Atmel, the MH1RT libraries encompass all the specific digital functions and buffers necessary for space designs, such as LVDS(1) and PCI(2) buffers, SEU(3) immune DFFs(4), and cold sparing capability buffers. All ASICs can be designed with either 3.3 V, 3 V or 2.5 V libraries, and the buffers are capable of interfacing either with 3 V or 5 V logic.

Following its partnership strategy with leading customers, Atmel has successfully prototyped multiple radiation hard MH1RT ASICs, representative of the maximum gate count complexity, including multiple complex and compiled memory blocks. These new ASICs libraries are available under the QML V 5962-01B01 Standard Military Drawing, the highest complexity currently listed by Defense Supply Center Columbus (DSCC).

The available set of matrix and package combinations can address pin count complexity up to 472 pins, using a hermetic ceramic BGA type (the Ceramic Land Grid Array combined with a Solder Column Interposer).

Design kits are available for Cadence/Verilog, Mentor and Synopsys platforms. They include all the libraries for simulation and synthesis. Customer support is provided by dedicated design centres in Europe (London, Milan, Munich, Nantes and Paris) and the US (San Jose, California.).

The development of next generation of libraries, based on standard cells characterised on a 0.25 micron CMOS hardened technology, is ongoing and should be released by next year. It will allow ASIC designs with complexity above 5 million gates.

Dual Mode Radios For Remote Tracking And Monitoring
Quake Global Inc has partnered with VascoTrack Ltd, a UK-based tracking application service provider, to create two new products designed for the Orbcomm satellite network. VascoTrack and Quake Global have combined cellular and satellite technologies in one simple package integrating GSM and CDPD modems with an Orbcomm subscriber communicator.

The new products, designated the Q2210 (GSM) and Q2211 (CDPD), are integrated with the superior performing Q1500 Orbcomm communicator from Quake Global. The cellular modems have been fully integrated with the Q1500 to maximise user programmable messaging capability over Orbcomm, GSM or CDPD networks. A common configuration is to deliver the message via Orbcomm if the cellular coverage is not available in a given time period. Alternatively, the application can be configured to provide best value from the Orbcomm and cellular tariffs based on location, time of day and airtime rates for each network.

Both products are housed in a sealed container with approximate dimensions of 21 cm x 11 cm x 4 cm. The device uses a common power source, which can be in the range 8 to 36V DC and offers an optional battery pack. An onboard GPS receiver is fully integrated into the unit but is available as an option if required.

Limited product availability will commence in late Q4 2001 with full production capabilities during Q1 2002.

EMS and Bulldog Offer Satellite Security to Trucking Industry
EMS Technologies Inc and Bulldog Technologies Inc have announced the incorporation of EMS satellite packet data terminals, PDT-100, into Bulldog Technology's line of cargo security products.

The Bulldog Road B.O.S.S. consists of a security unit that affixes to the locking rod of the trailer. The unit triggers an alarm should anyone attempt to tamper with the doors of the trailer. In the event of an alarm, the unit alerts the driver via a pager with a range of 1.5 miles. Through the PDT-100 satellite terminal, the system also immediately alerts dispatch to the situation. Should the vehicle be stolen, dispatch could follow the location and heading of the vehicle via the PDT-100 on the truck.

The PDT-100 operates over the TMI Communications MSAT satellite network, which offers coverage over North and Central America, extending down to northern South America. The ubiquitous coverage offered by a satellite solution means cargo is always protected, even in areas not covered by traditional communications technologies.

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