Airbiquity And Altea Announce Joint Development Of European Telematics Solution
MUNICH, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Airbiquity (www.airbiquity.com), a global leader in wireless communication solutions, has entered into a joint development agreement with Milan-based telematics service provider Altea (www.altea.net) to provide end-to-end connected telematics services to the European automotive marketplace.
Today's announcement marks Airbiquity's first agreement with a full-service European Telematics Service Provider (TSP). By using Airbiquity's patented aqLink in-band modem in aftermarket automotive telematics boxes, Altea's platform is able to deliver a variety of telematics applications, ranging from fleet management, pay-as-you-drive insurance programs (PAYD, PPU), traffic management or pollution control, remote diagnostics and roadside assistance.
Airbiquity's aqLink in-band modem, which works over cellular networks, will facilitate connections between vehicles and Altea's call centers via an embedded wireless module. This unique approach to data transfer translates into a broader coverage than packet data or SMS solutions enable today and doesn't require a costly data plan.
"I'm extremely excited about this partnership that combines the reliability and quality of Airbiquity's aqLink modem with Altea's reputation for delivering secure and convenient services to automakers and their customers. The joint solution presents a very attractive model for automakers in Europe to expand their telematics offerings to meet increasing consumer demand for innovative and sophisticated services," said Kamyar Moinzadeh, president and CEO of Airbiquity.
Altea is a recognized telematics pioneer in Europe. The company's Open Telematics Platform (OTP) is one of the few products on the telematics market able to work with more than 30 different protocols. The openness and flexibility of Altea's solution reaches the end customer in the form of a multilingual interface supported by 24/7 assistance from a secure network of proprietary operating centers.
The solution is a perfect match for Altea's trademarked eCall+, a program that enhances the Pan-European eCall initiative to provide safety and security services to passengers by enabling profitable business models for OEM automobile manufacturers' telematics applications.
"The mission of new telematics should be to make life for end users simpler and safer," said Altea's CEO, Iacopo Bini Smaghi. "Therefore, safety services, like eCall, should always come for free, independently from the chosen service plan."
For a demonstration of Airbiquity's aqLink in-band modem technology at Telematics Update Munich, November 6-7, 2008, please request a showing by email at contact@airbiquity.com.
About Altea
Altea is a leading global Location-Based Service provider with a worldwide network of offices and proprietary multi-lingual Operating Centers. Combining global coverage with the latest technology, Altea develops high tech tailor made solutions for car, truck and heavy equipment manufacturers, insurance companies and fleet managers.
About Airbiquity
Airbiquity provides wireless communications solutions that enable product suppliers and service providers in the telematics, portable navigation device (PND) and machine-to-machine (M2M) industries to deliver wireless data reliably and ubiquitously. Used by some of the largest automotive manufacturers in their telematics service offerings, Airbiquity's patented aqLink technology provides data communications over digital wireless voice networks. VIAaq, Airbiquity's turnkey managed data service, provides seamless connectivity between service providers and a vehicle or PND device for a relatively low cost of entry. To learn more about Airbiquity, please visit their web site at http://www.airbiquity.com/.
Airbiquity, aqLink and VIAaq are trademarks of Airbiquity Inc.
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