City of Fremont Police Department First to Migrate Seamlessly To GPRS From CDPD With Padcom's TotalRoam.

Business Editors

BETHLEHEM, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 6, 2003

TotalRoam(R) Delivers Seamless Transition for Police Agencies Dealing With The Phase Out Of CDPD Networks

Padcom, Inc., a leading provider of mobile virtual network (MVN) solutions for enterprises, today announced that the City of Fremont Police Department has used its TotalRoam(R) software to establish a seamless migration path from their Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) network to a new General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network. The police department is using Padcom's TotalRoam(R) solution to manage the phase out of their CDPD network and to equip mobile officers with access to the new GPRS network. The software upgrade provides the department with the static IP addressing needed to meet public safety application requirements while maintaining the ability to seamlessly roam between dissimilar networks. The software integrates easily with systems and applications already in use.

At present the City of Fremont Police Department uses TotalRoam(R) to create a mobile virtual network that allows mobile units to roam seamlessly between their current wide-area networks (GPRS and CDPD) and 802.11b WLAN "hotspots" deployed across the city, facilitating information sharing, providing access to critical applications and enabling high-speed data transfers. The Fremont PD decided to implement the new network in advance of the actual end of support for the CDPD network to take advantage of the improved speed offered through the GPRS network, and to prepare their mobile fleet for the absence of CDPD. A standard upgrade to the TotalRoam(R) Gateway server allowed the Fremont PD IT administrators to equip the first cruiser on June 11, 2003. The first phase of cruiser deployments is now complete and by the end of August 2003 they plan to equip an additional 80 cruisers with the technology, integrating their databases and current applications with the new GPRS network.

"Due to discontinued support of our CDPD network by the carriers, the department needed a fast and easy solution to transition to a GPRS network," said Pam Lutzinger, Information Systems Manager, City of Fremont Police Department. "Padcom's technology made the switch to GPRS very easy and we look forward to migrating the rest of the fleet to the GPRS network. TotalRoam(R) already addresses critical department requirements such as encryption regulations and the need for seamless roaming between networks. The fact that the static IP addressing was integrated into the TotalRoam(R) solution made the migration process simple and seamless."

A number of police agencies and mobile workers across the U.S. are currently dealing with changes in wireless communications, specifically the phase out of CDPD networks. In addition to the City of Fremont, four more Padcom customers are currently using TotalRoam(R) to manage similar CDPD to GPRS migrations, as users and IT administrators look for easy-to-use MVN solutions that can adapt to the changing communications landscape.

The City of Fremont Police Department has worked with Padcom since June of 2002 using Padcom's TotalRoam(R) Mobile Connectivity Suite (MCS), to create a mobile virtual network. TotalRoam(R) MCS is a software platform that manages all aspects of wireless data communication from security to the integration of multiple infrastructures to the control over individual applications. TotalRoam(R) specifically enables roaming by creating a mobile virtual network capable of supporting any combination of RF; iDEN, initially developed by Motorola, Inc., CDPD; and GRPS networks as well as CDMA 1xRTT and 802.11 hotspots. The benefit for agencies is that it helps officers in cruisers to stay connected to the department's server and database while roaming between dissimilar networks. The MVN created by TotalRoam(R) MCS enables clients to improve coverage and capacity for enterprises, enabling mobile workers to focus on their job rather than worrying about when and how they should be connected.

"The City of Fremont Police Department has proved itself a leader in public safety by stepping forward to address the needs of their officers and the modifications their networks will require," said Mark Ferguson, director of marketing at Padcom Inc. "TotalRoam(R) allows agencies to implement next-generation networks with their existing applications by providing a static IP addressing solution without requiring changes to existing applications or network configurations. Additionally it gives IT administrators the ability to take wireless roaming into their own hands to remotely manage mobile fleets regardless of which carrier, application or device enterprises employ for their mobile workforce.

About Padcom

Padcom is a leading Mobile Virtual Network (MVN) provider for enterprises enabling wireless applications to work seamlessly across multiple networks. Padcom's MVN enables a variety of functionality including roaming between dissimilar networks, non-IP as well as IP, providing static IP addressing for dynamic IP addressing networks and providing administrative control over mobile devices and applications. TotalRoam MCS software helps clients overcome the shortcomings of wireless data communication by bridging the gap between wireline and wireless data communication, simplifying information flow and providing greater control for IT departments. For more information, visit Padcom's web site at www.totalroam.com.

Padcom and TotalRoam are registered trademarks of Padcom, Inc