GPS World

Tag: telecoms

  • China rolls out BeiDou-based short messaging service for emergencies

    China rolls out BeiDou-based short messaging service for emergencies

    China has launched a short messaging service leveraging BeiDou (BDS) to provide reliable communication during emergencies when ground-based mobile networks are unavailable, reports Xinhua.

    The service was introduced by China Space-Time Information Co. Ltd., the national operator of BeiDou services, in collaboration with major domestic telecom carriers.

    The service is be a supplement to terrestrial mobile networks, expected to enhance safety and communication reliability for users across scenarios such as hiking in remote mountains, working at sea, and disaster relief and emergency coordination.

    It marks a significant step toward bringing satellite communication technology to the public, integrating BeiDou’s capabilities into daily life and offering tangible technological protection.

    The service uses the short-message communication capability built into the BeiDou system, enabling users with compatible smartphones to send and receive text messages directly via BeiDou satellites in areas without cellular coverage.

    China’s three primary telecom operators — China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom — have all integrated the service. Subscribers can activate the service without changing their SIM cards or phone numbers, according to the company. Nearly 60 smartphone models from leading Chinese brands already support the functionality.

    China Space-Time Information specializes in satellite navigation and communications, big data services, artificial intelligence development, and geospatial remote sensing.

  • IQGeo software company acquires OSPInsight for fiber optics

    IQGeo software company acquires OSPInsight for fiber optics

    logoIQGeo, a developer of geospatial productivity and collaboration software for the telecoms and utility industries, has acquired OSPInsight International Inc., a U.S.-based leader in fiber-optic network management.

    Under the terms of the agreement, IQGeo will purchase OSPInsight for $8.75 million, which will be funded through a mix of cash and shares. The completion of the acquisition is subject to shareholder final approval.

    The OSPInsight fiber planning and design software for the telecoms market is highly complementary with IQGeo’s geospatial software that also supports telecoms network operations, according to a press release from IQGeo. While the current IQGeo offering targets larger enterprise network deployments (tier 1 and tier 2 operators), the OSPInsight software is ideally suited for the needs of smaller networks (tier 3 and tier 4 operators) with simple, fast deployments.

    The combination of the two product lines, as well as the telecoms industry and software technology expertise, will enable IQGeo to service an expanded target market in existing and new geographies.

    “The entire IQGeo team is very excited about the business and technology potential that will be created by the acquisition of OSPInsight,” said Richard Petti, CEO at IQGeo. “With more than 25 years of industry experience, they have developed an excellent product line and established an impressive list of customers, while building a very strong reputation in the telecoms industry. We see this as a fantastic opportunity that provides IQGeo with a proven software solution and sales channel for tier 3 and tier 4 network operators and it gives the OSPInsight team the global reach and financial resources needed to take their software to a wider audience.”

    “The real winner in this acquisition will be OSPInsight customers,” explained Wade Anderson, CEO at OSPInsight. “Our customers will continue to enjoy the same level of support they’ve always had and have a greatly expanded product line for additional network management solutions. Existing and future OSPInsight customers will quickly have access to IQGeo’s industry-leading mobile software that digitizes field operations to improve network data quality and currency. The two product lines dovetail very nicely. I’m excited for the shared vision of providing world-class software that helps our telecoms customers transform their network operations. We can’t wait to get started.”

    You can learn more about the acquisition by visiting the IQGeo Investor page to view a video interview with Richard Petti, IQGeo’s CEO and Haywood Chapman, IQGeo’s CFO.