Ottawa Wireless Cluster Interview with Ottawa Citizen Business TV - Janet Eastman Interviewing Herb Woods, OWC

January 7, 2003

What is Telematics?

Telematics is the combination of wireless with GPS location and in-vehicle computing technologies. It has morphed from early fleet mobile data systems to consumer and commercial applications offering safety, security and productivity solutions. Frost and Sullivan recently forecast the North American commercial fleet Telematics market to be $598 Million in 2003.

How does Telematics relate to Wireless?

Wireless is the backbone of Telematics. The key benefits of safety, security, work optimization, and concierge services are based on real-time communication with the vehicle over wireless networks. The widespread coverage of first-generation analogue networks spurred initial Telematics successes with more advanced services being introduced as coverage expands on 2.5G GPRS and 1XRTT networks.

What is the role of Telematics in Ottawa?

Telematics is an emerging industry in Ottawa with long-time players such as Vistar and Mobile Knowledge and new players like those on our panel. Our strengths in cellular and satellite communications when combined with enterprise software developments has produced leading companies offering in-vehicle and MIS products and services.

How can OWC promote Telematics in Ottawa?

First, hosting Thursday night’s panel increases awareness of the industry and our local companies within the wireless community. Also, OWC along with other groups like OCRI, can help influence federal, provincial and municipal governments, wireless carriers and industries to offer early product assistance and purchase goods and services to help these entrepreneurial companies succeed.

OWC Telematics Panel Session on January 9, 2003

The panel comprises people from the Telematics industry in Ottawa. Companies were chosen to present both product and service delivery perspectives.

The goals of the panel are to introduce Telematics and several of the local players to the wireless community in Ottawa. Each company will present its position in the industry and discuss issues that they are facing today in advancing their business and also future challenges and opportunities.

The panelists are:

Fadi Swayty – President, Solitech Solutions, who will share his service provider experiences through the rapid growth stages at Air-IQ.

John Roberts – President, Simmic.Net who is launching a new generation of telematics hardware and services.

Laura Dierker - President, WaveCell, who is taking a small company with established products to the next level.

Peter Rossiter – Executive Vice President Advanced Systems, Skywave, who will look at their strategies to obtain growth in providing services and equipment in a well established company.