BUSINESS BRIEFS

Hark Systems Inc. has installed a wireless switch in South Dakota that uses specialized mobile radio frequencies to connect inbound and outbound calls. Hark’s Mega Switch provides one-number following, one-number calling and features call screening, call forwarding, voice mail and message notification characteristics. The switch is located at a remote location from the tower sites and is operating as a central switch connected to a telephone switch. Mega Switch has access to all forms of wired and wireless communications, according to Hark.

Ameritech has introduced an enhanced paging service in Chicago that the company says allows callers to prioritize messages. The new Smart Pager technology enables callers to label messages as urgent, leave a voice message, or wait on the line for the party to answer, according to Ameritech. Smart Pager has been rolled out in Chicago. It costs $8.95 per month.

PageMart Inc. has selected San Antonio, Texas, to house the company’s new customer service and expanded sales center. The city has a large labor pool of customer service telecommunications representatives that speak Spanish, and the city is experienced in cross-border business, the company said. PageMart has formed an alliance with conglomerate Grupo De Pulsar of Mexico in order to launch PageMart de Mexico. The Alamo City service center will be staffed to handle 7,000 calls daily and is scheduled to begin operating Nov. 21.

Qualcomm Inc. announced it has signed an agreement to purchase the assets of Integrated Transportation Software Inc., including personal computer and local area network-based software products. ITS currently provides software for Qualcomm’s OmniTracs fleet management system, which operates in markets worldwide. Qualcomm said the acquisition allows it to provide a total system solution for its international and domestic PC-based market. Qualcomm has sold about 90,000 OmniTracs units to date.

MobileMedia Communications Inc., one of the nation’s largest providers of alphanumeric paging services, announced an agreement with SmartRoute Systems. Under terms of the agreement, MobileMedia will provide up-to-the-minute SmarTraveler traffic information to alphanumeric paging subscribers in the Boston metropolitan area approximately 30 times a day. The coverage area extends 1,400 square miles, and includes 122 cities, Cape Cod and the nearby islands. MobileMedia Communications is a wholly-owned subsidiary of MobileMedia Corp.

Phoenix Wireless Group Inc. has been formed through a management buyout of the telecom delivery unit of SHL Systemhouse Inc. and Columbia Capital Corp., an investment services firm in the wireless communications industry. Terms of the buyout included acquiring proprietary wireless communications platform technology that will serve as the foundation of the new company’s products and services. Phoenix plans to introduce advanced new software-based systems and services for wireless local loop, wireless private branch exchange and microcellular applications throughout international markets.

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