Altamont Commuter Express and PointShot Wireless To Launch First-Ever Wi-Fi Train Access in the United States; ACE and PointShot bring wireless Internet to mobile commuters.Business Editors/High-Tech Writers STOCKTON, Calif. and OTTAWA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 25, 2003 PointShot Wireless, a developer of wireless solutions for mobile environments including trains, buses and vehicles, announced today it has signed an agreement with California rail operator Altamont Commuter Express The Altamont Commuter Express (also known as ACE, pronounced "ace") is a regional rail service in California connecting Stockton with San Jose. It is named for the Altamont Pass, through which it travels. (ACE) to implement the first-ever U.S. trial of a Wi-Fi enabled train. The three-month trial is scheduled to begin in mid-September and will provide free Internet access See how to access the Internet. to ACE passengers, allowing them first-time access to email, the Internet, corporate intranets, instant messaging Exchanging text messages in real time between two or more people logged into a particular instant messaging (IM) service. Instant messaging is more interactive than e-mail because messages are sent immediately, whereas e-mail messages can be queued up in a mail server for seconds or and digital entertainment while in transit. ACE has installed PointShot Wireless' RailPoint(TM) Wi-Fi solution on its trains to serve a community of business travelers, commuting daily from Stockton to San Jose, California San Jose (IPA: /ˌsænhoʊˈzeɪ/) is the third-largest city in California, and the tenth-largest in the United States. It is the county seat of Santa Clara County. . The service is free-of-charge during the trial, and ACE passengers only need a Wi-Fi-enabled laptop computer or PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) A handheld computer for managing contacts, appointments and tasks. It typically includes a name and address database, calendar, to-do list and note taker, which are the functions in a personal information manager (see PIM). to access the broadband wireless See wireless broadband. service. "Onboard Internet access is the logical next step for a passenger-focused service like ACE," said Chris Juelch, ACE's project manager for the PointShot endeavor. "Most ACE riders are business commuters, so the PointShot Wireless system will help them dramatically increase their onboard productivity. We're excited to add this new level of service to the ACE commuting experience." PointShot Wireless' RailPoint(TM) is a mobile wireless solution that lets rail operators such as ACE better attract loyal travelers, increase yield and generate new revenue streams by offering differentiated onboard connectivity, communication and content services to passengers. In addition, RailPoint enables new business applications for operators, including onboard communication, real-time ticketing and advanced security features. ACE expects 25-to-30 percent of its passengers will immediately utilize the service to stay connected and be more productive while commuting. In fact, a recent survey conducted at ACE found that nearly one-third of passengers surveyed would utilize such a service to take online courses or obtain a college degree while aboard ACE trains. PointShot Wireless enables the Wi-Fi service with a satellite-delivered broadband downlink and cellular uplink to an onboard Wi-Fi access point. ACE is the second rail operator in North America North America, third largest continent (1990 est. pop. 365,000,000), c.9,400,000 sq mi (24,346,000 sq km), the northern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. to use Wi-Fi as a competitive differentiator. Intel Canada, Bell Canada Bell Canada Enterprises (TSX: BCE, NYSE: BCE), legally BCE Inc., is a major Canadian telecommunications company. Through its subsidiaries including Bell Canada, Bell Aliant, Northwestel, Télébec, and NorthernTel, it is the incumbent local exchange carrier for and PointShot Wireless successfully implemented a trial for Canadian travelers last month on VIA Rail Canada passenger trains. Similar deployments are planned in the United States and Europe later this year. "Our Wi-Fi trial with ACE advances the company's strategy to build and deliver comprehensive and transparent wireless services to mobile users," said Shawn Griffin, president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of PointShot Wireless. "With our SolutionPoint platform, we are allowing rail operators and other mobile markets to deliver new wireless solutions to their customers, generate new revenues and open new market segments." About ACE The Altamont Commuter Express is a passenger rail service headquartered in Stockton, California. Offering a public transit alternative to a congested con·gest·ed adj. Affected with or characterized by congestion. congested ENT adjective Referring to a boggy blood-filled tissue. See Nasal congestion. freeway system, ACE makes a total of six train trips across the Altamont pass every Monday through Friday: three westbound in the morning and three eastbound in the evening. A work-late bus runs after the last eastbound train in the evening, and midday bus provides yet another scheduling option. ACE averaged 3,010 passengers per day in 2002. For more information, visit www.acerail.com. About PointShot Wireless Working closely with wireless Internet service providers Internet service provider (ISP) Company that provides Internet connections and services to individuals and organizations. For a monthly fee, ISPs provide computer users with a connection to their site (see data transmission), as well as a log-in name and password. , PointShot Wireless provides mobile wireless solutions creating environments that enable people to work, communicate and be entertained - no matter where they are located or how they travel. The company's family of products, based on the SolutionPoint platform, represents a unique architecture that bridges 802.11 networks to next-generation wireless, cellular and satellite networks, delivering a host of business and user applications. The company is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada. For more information visit: www.pointshotwireless.com. |
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