WFI Selected to Provide Network Services for City of Tucson Wireless Mesh Public Safety Network
SAN DIEGO, Nov 15, 2005 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- Wireless Facilities, Inc. (WFI) (Nasdaq: WFII), a global leader in the design, deployment, and management of wireless communication networks, technology networks and security systems, announced today that it has been selected to provide network design and deployment services for the City of Tucson, Arizona's proposed wireless mesh network. The network project, called Emergency Room Link (ER-LINK), is initially planned to provide video and patient telemetry services between ambulances and the University Medical Trauma Center, with options to expand the network to include other area hospitals and advanced life support (ALS) paramedic vehicles. In collaboration with two other technology partners, WFI will design and deploy the network in phases throughout the Tucson area. The project is expected to begin in early 2006 and is anticipated to be completed by the second quarter of 2006.
"Today's announcement with the City of Tucson is an example of an innovative public safety solution which relies on wireless networks we deploy," said Eric DeMarco, President and CEO of WFI. "The opportunities for public safety applications in the U.S. are tremendous, and WFI is well-positioned to provide the critical network infrastructure and technical services to deliver valuable solutions for First Responders."
The ER-Link project announced today is the culmination of a lengthy process that began five years ago with a congressional grant awarded to the City of Tucson to develop a mobile communication system to transmit video, voice, and data from moving vehicles to a fixed location. The mobile system being designed must be adaptable to a variety of applications, but the initial use is intended to provide state-of-the-art video and patient telemetry services between ambulances dispatched in the field and the University Medical Trauma Center Emergency Room. The result essentially provides a 'virtual doctor' at the scene of an incident.
In addition to the network design and deployment service provided by WFI to support the City of Tucson's ER-Link project, other enabling technology is being provided by two additional companies. For the project, WFI will be implementing a metro-scale Wi-Fi mesh network architecture by Sunnyvale, CA-based Tropos Networks and using a patient telemetry system from New Jersey-based General Devices. The combined solution will result in a high-bandwidth, live video delivery of patient data and images such as electrocardiogram (EKG) information, basic vital statistics such as blood pressure readings, and other critical care information. Additionally, the network being developed must also be adaptable for other transportation control and safety systems within the City.
Traditional wireless communication systems use cellular-phone-style radio links which rely on a point-to-point or point-to-multi-point transmission. In contrast, wireless mesh networks rely on 'multihop' systems in which devices assist each other in transmitting packets of data through the network. The self-healing nature of a mesh network is especially advantageous in adverse conditions, and the network can be extended to thousands of devices which can span an entire metropolitan area. Although a wireless signal starts out at some base station (called an access point) attached to the wired network, a wireless mesh network extends the transmission distance by relaying the signal from one active device to another. In the case of the City of Tucson, the patient data can be reliably transmitted throughout the city via a network relay as an ambulance travels. This type of network was originally developed by the military in the late 1970's, and its application is rapidly gaining traction in the commercial sectors.
"We are pleased to join with WFI, an experienced wireless network provider, on this important initiative," commented Jim Glock, Director of Transportation for the City of Tucson. "This ER-Link project is the first of its kind and it's very exciting to bring this application to life and to provide such a valuable service to our City. We are excited that our Transportation Department can be a part of enabling valuable services such as a 'virtual doctor' on the scene of an incident by connecting real-time video and data between the Advance Life Support paramedics and the Trauma Center. With such capable technology partners supporting this effort, we hope to extend the use of this network to other valuable applications that not only assist our emergency services, but also help with our traffic signal operations and intersection monitoring for safe and efficient transportation in our great City."
As noted in previous announcements, the move to provide network infrastructure services for municipalities is an emerging and strategic area of focus for WFI. The Company recently announced it joined with Google in a bid to provide Wi-Fi services in the City of San Francisco, and the Company is actively involved with several other municipal Wi-Fi projects, including Madison, Wisconsin and Temecula, California. In addition, network solutions focused on public safety is another promising area for WFI. In September the Company announced it had hired Greg Meacham, a former Nextel Communications employee who ran that company's federal and homeland security program and also worked in various capacities with the FBI. Meacham's role with WFI is to oversee business development efforts focusing specifically on leveraging WFI's capabilities in radio frequency (RF), Internet protocol (IP) network engineering, Land Mobile Radio (LMR) engineering, and communication network design and deployment related to public safety opportunities.
"WFI's network solutions and technical services are perfectly adaptable to the many opportunities emerging in public safety, and we believe this market is ripe for companies such as WFI with hands-on experience with traditional cellular systems, land-mobile radio systems, and 802.11 systems," DeMarco concluded.
About WFI
Headquartered in San Diego, CA, WFI is an independent provider of systems engineering, network services and technical outsourcing for the world's largest wireless carriers, enterprise customers and for government agencies. The company provides the design, deployment, integration, and the overall management of wired and wireless networks which deliver voice and data communication, and which support advanced security systems. WFI has performed work in over 100 countries since its founding in 1994. News and information are available at www.wfinet.com. (code: WFI-mb)
Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains certain forward-looking statements including, without limitation, expressed or implied statements concerning the Company's expectations regarding future financial performance and market developments that involve risks and uncertainties. Such statements are only predictions, and the Company's actual results may differ materially. Factors that may cause the Company's results to differ include, but are not limited to: changes in the scope or timing of the Company's projects; slowdowns in telecommunications infrastructure spending in the United States and globally, which could delay network deployment and reduce demand for the Company's services; the timing, rescheduling or cancellation of significant customer contracts and agreements, or consolidation by or the loss of key customers; the adoption rate of new wireless data services; financial constraints on our customers that could cause us to write off accounts receivable or terminate contracts; failure to successfully consummate acquisitions or integrate acquired operations; changes in the Company's effective income tax rate; the rate of adoption of telecom outsourcing by network carriers and equipment suppliers; the rate of growth of adoption of WLAN and wireless security systems by enterprises; and competition in the marketplace which could reduce revenues and profit margins. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements. These and other risk factors are more fully discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on March 31, 2005 and in other filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Media Contact: Michael Baehr VP of Communications Wireless Facilities, Inc. 858.228.2799 Direct michael.baehr@wfinet.com Investor Contact: Rochelle Bold Senior VP of Corporate Development & Investor Relations Wireless Facilities, Inc. 858.228.2649 Direct rochelle.bold@wfinet.com
SOURCE Wireless Facilities, Inc.
Media, Michael Baehr, VP of Communications, +1-858-228-2799, michael.baehr@wfinet.com, or Investors, Rochelle Bold, Senior VP of Corporate Development & Investor Relations, +1-858-228-2649, rochelle.bold@wfinet.com, both of Wireless Facilities, Inc.
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