After years of slowly gathering the needed partnerships with cellular operators across the country,
Cellemetry L.L.C. today can offer its cellular control channel transmission technology across more than 90 percent of
the country.
In mid-December, the company signed with Houston Cellular, adding much of Texas to its coverage
area. Cellemetry then roped in MobileTel Inc., Virginia Cellular Inc. and XIT Cellular to expand into rural but highly
industrial areas of the South, where the oil and gas businesses are prevalent.
As the company’s focus has changed
from building its footprint to marketing its services, it also quietly changed management. Jack Reis left the company,
replaced by Chairman Gordon Ray, who was drawn out of what he called “active retirement” to take a shot
at leading Cellemetry through its next phase. Cellemetry is owned 60 percent by NumereX Corp. and 40 percent by
BellSouth Corp. Reis was NumereX’s president and chief executive officer.
The result is a company poised to
promote existing applications to end users, as well as develop new ones.
Cellemetry offers two-way wireless data
over the control channels of cellular networks. Applications using the technology are marketed to homes, businesses,
governments, agriculture, transportation, municipalities and various types of facilities to report alarms, monitor
equipment, broadcast location and control operations remotely.
Its most recent applications include an alarm service
designed for AutoSoft Inc. AutoSoft’s Water Sentinel system uses Cellemetry service to monitor water levels,
equipment failure, permit compliance, flow and contaminants in municipal water and wastewater facilities.
Also
new is the OmniMetrix system designed for emergency generator monitoring, UPS status reporting, power converter
and environmental monitoring at emergency facilities.
As the wireless data industry continues its push for
popularity, Cellemetry stresses it has been offering wireless data applications for years, while others in the field have
been building networks. Irene Moore, Cellemetry corporate communications officer, believes Cellemetry’s proven
applications show the wireless data business is viable. Those working to convince potential customers of wireless data’s
benefits can use Cellemetry’s actions over the past two years as an example, she said.
While Cellemetry’s service
only is available for Advanced Mobile Phone System cellular networks today, Gordon said the company hopes to
extend the technology to the control channels of other cellular technologies in the future.
