The Nextel Juggernaut Continues, Nextel and Air-Trak Partner for Satellite Coverage

Nextel's coming merger with Sprint hasn't slowed Nextel's relentless pursuit of trucking customers.

This year alone, Nextel announced partnerships with solution provider Konaware and long-time trucking software provider, Prophesy. Nextel and tracking company Xora are trying to convince the federal government that drivers should be able to maintain automated logs on cellphones.
In its latest move to capture trucking customers, Nextel has partnered with Air-Trak Inc. of San Diego, Calif., to provide a dual-mode GPS tracking and communications service aimed squarely at long-haul and truckload markets.
The service combines satellite and cellular communications on Nextel's iDEN network and GPS, Java-enabled phones with Air-Trak's vehicle-mounted tracking unit, what Air-Trak calls the SatCom Upgrade.
The SatCom Upgrade is a module that consists of a satellite transceiver equipped with an omni-directional, roof-mounted antenna and onboard intelligence that automatically redirects communications to the satellite network when cellular service is unavailable.
Location data from GPS equipped Nextel phones is relayed to the Air-Trak antenna, which forwards the data to Air-Trak’s Cloudberry Data Center, using the most economical way, cellular or satellite. For Nextel phone users, that means their GPS phone will continue to report location data even when it is beyond the range of its ground-based iDEN digital network.
A Nextel phone does not retain all of its functionality outside of cellular service, but it is always visible for tracking. When it is in range, of course, a Nextel low-cost handset provides voice, messaging and walkie-talkie-style service across much of North America – and a good chunk of South America, too.
Customers can also use Air-Trak's Cloudberry desktop software or Web-based map display.
"With Air-Trak's dual-mode service on Nextel phones, our customers have both satellite and cellular coverage in one handset giving them the ability to economically and securely track and communicate with remote workers," said Henry Popplewell, vice president of transportation & distribution for Nextel. "Customers now have the flexibility of using the service on Nextel phones, Air-Trak's in-vehicle units, or a cost-effective hybrid of the two, depending on the needs of their business. This supports Nextel's commitment to providing customers with comprehensive location and tracking services."
For more information on Air-Trak, visit www.air-trak.com.
For more information on Nextel, visit www.nextel.com.