Trimble launched on Sept. 24 a GPRS service in the U.S. and Canada for its Telvisant Mobile Resource Management (MRM) System. With GPRS’ ‘always-on’ and high capacity service, Trimble says their Telvisant system provides large and small businesses affordable, real-time asset tracking and monitoring. According to the company, Trimble's Telvisant GPRS service features service plans ranging from $19.95 to $49.95 a month, up-to-the-minute position updates versus 15 minute update delays on similar competitive plans, 365 day historical data availability versus only 14 days offered by competitors, vehicle path playback with 60 position updates per hour versus 4 position updates per hour on similar competitive plans, and optional messaging capability for $9.95 a month versus $14.99 on similar competitive plans. “Our strategy is to provide new mobile devices and services for next generation wireless communications standards. With the introduction of Telvisant GPRS service, Trimble brings a new level of functionality to the market," said Michael Lesyna, vice president and general manager of Trimble’s Mobile Solutions Division. "Competitors offering service on the older analog networks can’t approach our up-to-the-minute position updates at the same price points. In the past, monthly service fees have been a barrier to entry for many dispatch-oriented businesses that require real-time position reporting. Telvisant GPRS service breaks the barrier and provides cost-effective, real-time mobile resource management." Telvisant uses Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to locate a vehicle or mobile worker, wireless technology to transmit the information to Trimble’s data center and the Internet to provide complete mobile resource management from a user’s PC. Trimble also offers a range of vehicle mounted sensors to record mission critical business events. By gaining in-depth, real-time data – including location, speed, time-of-arrival, time of departure, duration of stay, event reporting and many other types of information – customers can gain significant improvements in efficiencies and profitability from their mobile assets. The system offers a variety of hosted applications including mapping, location and event reporting, messaging, reporting and work order management. Trimble also offers the Telvisant Software Developer’s Kit (SDK) for integrating custom vertical applications or enterprise systems. In addition, the service can provide wireless carriers, telematics providers, and vehicle manufacturers, with branded Internet applications for their subscribers. In addition, Telvisant provides text-messaging capability with Trimble’s EchoLDX mobile message terminal in the vehicle, or any smart mobile device such as a PDA or wireless phone for workers in the field, that supports the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) and Short Messaging Service (SMS). Telvisant GPRS service is available now through Trimble's Mobile Solutions Division distribution network. For more information about Trimble's Telvisant system, visit: www.telvisant.com.