Computerworld reports that ABF Freight Systems Inc., Airborne Express and Consolidated Freightways Corp. have all decided that they don’t really need the third-generation (3G) high-speed mobile data hyped by the cellular industry. The companies are deploying current-generation wireless systems to a total of almost 30,000 mobile workers.
These companies can’t afford to wait for cellular carriers to turn on their multibillion-dollar nationwide high-speed networks, said Marty Larson, senior vice president of sales at Vancouver, Wash.-based Consolidated.
Customers are used to obtaining real-time visibility of their shipments from United Parcel Service Inc. and FedEx Corp. and expect the same from their truckers, he added.
To meet that demand, Consolidated has started deploying 6,000 Web browser-equipped cell phones to its city pickup and delivery drivers running on the nationwide cellular network operated by Nextel Communications Inc. in Reston, Va.
Although the Nextel network operates at data rates far slower than those promised for 3G networks—20K to 40K bit/sec. vs. 144K bit/sec. for 3G—Larson said it’s more than sufficient to transmit the limited amount of data Consolidated needs to provide real-time tracking information. Nextel charges about $40 a month per phone for airtime but gives volume discounts to heavy users such as Consolidated.
Seattle-based Airborne Express, which competes head-on with Memphis-based FedEx and Atlanta-based UPS, knew it had to deploy a competitive wireless system. They’ll use a Motorola hand held operating on either the Nextel network or the Mobitex CDPD network operated by Cingular Wireless, which offers data speeds of just 8K bit/sec.
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