SnapTrack Announces Commercial Availability of SnapWARN Global Positioning Satellite Data Feed to Support gpsOne-based E911 Wireless Location Systems for Cell Phone Safety

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Wireless Developer Network - Daily News

SnapTrack Announces Commercial Availability of SnapWARN Global Positioning Satellite Data Feed to Support gpsOne-based E911 Wireless Location Systems for Cell Phone Safety

URL(s): www.snaptrack.com

CAMPBELL, Calif., Oct. 8, 2001-- SnapTrack Forms Strategic Relationship with TeleCommunication Systems to Operate and Manage the SnapWARN System

SnapTrack, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of QUALCOMM Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM), today announced the general commercial availability of its Wide Area Reference Network (SnapWARN(TM)) Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) system data feed in partnership with TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: TSYS). The SnapWARN system provides Position Determination Entities (PDE), such as SnapTrack's SnapSmart(TM) PDE software, with a continuous stream of GPS satellite reference information to be used in gpsOne(TM) location calculations. The SnapWARN system supports North American carriers using QUALCOMM's gpsOne-based cell phone location systems. Available through SnapTrack PDE distributors, the SnapWARN system helps carriers reduce costs and speed their deployment of gpsOne-based Enhanced 911 (E911) emergency cell phone location systems.

The jointly designed SnapWARN data system was built by TeleCommunication Systems (TCS), the pioneer in delivering Phase I wireless E911 location service. TCS will also host and maintain the service, providing carrier-grade, fully redundant, fault-tolerant data feeds via its Xypoint GPS Reference Network for carriers deploying the QUALCOMM gpsOne system.

"We're pleased to be working with TCS in a strategic relationship to support gpsOne deployments in North America," said Bret Sewell, president of SnapTrack. "By combining forces with TCS, we've been able to field the carrier-class SnapWARN service for North American carriers in a cost-effective, rapid way -- which translates to faster deployment times for carriers and reduced costs, both in terms of up-front capital and on-going costs."

"TCS' wireless E911 location expertise enables us to offer the SnapWARN GPS data feed to carriers with 99.995 percent reliability and accelerate carrier gpsOne deployment," said Gregg Blodgett, senior vice president of TCS. "The WARN system TCS developed and is hosting for SnapTrack provides a cost-effective means of getting the GPS satellite reference information needed for GPS position calculations for wireless E911 or value-added location-based services."

SnapTrack is currently working with a number of U.S. carriers that will utilize the SnapWARN GPS data feed to support their deployment of gpsOne cell phone location systems for E911 as well as value-added location-based services.

The SnapWARN GPS system continuously monitors the 24-satellite GPS constellation, and provides this reference information to the PDE via a 24/7 high-availability backbone developed and maintained by TCS. The SnapWARN system provides coverage for North America, including Canada and Mexico, as well as Hawaii and Puerto Rico. The system can also be deployed to support service providers in other markets utilizing SnapTrack's location software products. PDEs in carrier facilities or application environments can be located anywhere within SnapWARN coverage and receive a data feed to support the location determination of mobile devices.

The SnapWARN system consists of an interconnected network of GPS reference receivers and fully redundant communications links connected to data gateways and from there to location servers operating SnapSmart PDE software. Each SnapWARN service connection receives the combined input from the networked GPS reference receivers optimized to a single narrow-band filtered data feed with full data-integrity checking performed in real time. gpsOne and Wireless Assisted GPS positioning accuracy is further enhanced when SnapWARN input is used in the differential GPS computations performed by SnapSmart software to refine and improve the position fixes and tracking of mobile devices. A SnapWARN data feed can be structured for any wireless market and is specific to a particular geographic region. The SnapWARN system will work with the SnapTrack PDE and Qualcomm gpsOne handsets (currently shipping with the MSM3300(TM) chipset and shortly with the MSM5100(TM) chipset) to provide industry leading accuracy, speed and availability.

TCS is evolving wireless technology. As the key architect of wireless messaging and location technology, TCS is delivering essential software, services and solutions to carriers that enable people to better manage their mobile lifestyle. TCS occupies a privileged position within the core of the wireless carrier network, enabling it to develop technology that ensures the security, reliability and privacy of wireless messages.

TCS provides Phase I wireless location services to 20 wireless carriers, including Verizon Wireless, U.S. Cellular and Cricket Communications. With more than seven million wireless subscribers nationwide, the company's Xypoint Location Platform is the only software and network services platform to combine presence, location and privacy centers in one unit. For further information on TCS and its Xypoint location platform, visit www.telecomsys.com.

Headquartered in Campbell, California, SnapTrack is focused on integrating GPS and two-way wireless technologies. SnapTrack's patented architecture offers anytime, anywhere, accurate, high-speed location of a wireless caller, even inside buildings where conventional GPS does not operate. SnapTrack pioneered Wireless Assisted GPS(TM) and owns patents that are fundamental to the cost-effective deployment of Wireless Assisted GPS-based location systems. The Company's Wireless Assisted GPS products include the SnapSmart location server software system, the SnapCore(TM) multi-mode GPS solution and the SnapWARN GPS reference service. SnapTrack has commercial agreements with major wireless chipset vendors that provide most of the wireless modem chipsets to the industry. In addition, many major carriers have chosen to deploy products and services incorporating SnapTrack technology. SnapTrack is a wholly owned subsidiary of QUALCOMM Incorporated. For more information, please visit http://www.snaptrack.com.

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