MEDIA RELEASE PR36171
Outpost Central and Sierra Wireless Announce New Smart Metering Gateways
AUCKLAND and VANCOUVER, Sept. 17 /CNW-AsiaNet/ --
Outpost Central and Sierra Wireless (NASDAQ: SWIR - TSX: SW) today announced the
introduction of a series of wireless communication solutions for smart utility
metering. Smart metering solutions enable utility companies to collect data on energy
and water consumption, and consumers to make smart choices about their energy use.
Based on the Fastrack Supreme Wireless CPU(R) from Sierra Wireless, a
programmable application hosting platform with cellular modem capabilities,
Outpost Central has developed a range of intelligent GPRS/EDGE metering
gateways, designed to provide customers with the real time information they
need to efficiently manage their water and energy resources.
The Fastrack Supreme is a rugged, industrial Wireless CPU(R),
programmable via any combination of AT commands, ANSI C/C++ and Lua. It comes
with an open-standard interface which allows developers to add supplementary
I/O connectivity and functionalities in the form of expansion cards. By
designing custom expansion cards for the Fastrack Supreme, Outpost Central has
created three compact smart metering solutions, each with different physical
hardware interfaces to meters and sensors.
The Outpost Aura-MG Industrial Meter Logger is a 3-channel GPRS/EDGE data
logger, with one channel each for a pulse-output meter, a 0-20mA sensor and an
NTC temperature probe.
Also based on Fastrack Supreme, the Outpost Aura-AG Industrial RS-485/232
Module is an industrial intelligent web-connected data logger with terminal
blocks. It contains a Modbus logger for logging registers on Modbus slave
devices connected via RS232 or RS485, and sends logged data periodically to
the web server for analysis.
Finally, the Outpost Aura-CG(TM) Wavenis GSM/GPRS Gateway connects
Coronis Wavenis meters and sensors directly to servers over the Internet via
the GPRS/EDGE communication capabilities of the Fastrack Supreme.
In all of these gateways, intelligent firmware ensures persistent WAN
(Wide Area Network) connectivity under adverse geographical and weather
conditions, and allows for different modes of operation. For maximum
simplicity, customers can read meters and sensors and configure the gateway
using simple text based instructions sent via GPRS or SMS. For access to more
sophisticated functions, Outpost Central proposes a Managed Service Mode in
which meter and sensor data are displayed in web-served graphs and reports
according to user-selected application templates, or forwarded to third party
databases, and the gateway is managed directly from a password-protected web
console.
"Our mission is to connect the world's meters and sensors to the web, in
order to provide our customers with relevant real time information," said Jedd
Forbes, Director at Outpost Central. "The versatility and ease of use of the
Fastrack Supreme made it the perfect platform for our GSM/GPRS/EDGE metering
gateways, and allowed us to save money and time to market by concentrating on
our own value add: the interfaces with meters and sensors and our powerful web
tools.
Jin Pak, Vice President Asia Pacific Sales at Sierra Wireless, added: "We
are very pleased that Outpost Central selected the Fastrack Supreme for their
metering gateways. Efficient energy use is a political priority all over the
world, and Outpost Central's products are providing utility companies and
consumers with the information they need to achieve this goal. At Sierra
Wireless, we are delighted that our wireless expertise can contribute to
protecting the environment."
About Outpost Central
Outpost Central products connect meters and sensors to the web to enable
our customers to manage their water and energy resources. OutpostCentral.com
is a powerful web based tool for water and energy data analysis and interfaces
to meters and sensors through our range of web connected hardware. Outpost
Central is a winner in the 2008 Deloitte Fast 500 Asia Pacific index of the
fastest growing technology companies.
About Sierra Wireless
Sierra Wireless (NASDAQ: SWIR - TSX: SW) products connect people and
machines to wireless networks around the world. We offer an advanced,
comprehensive product line, addressing consumer, enterprise, original
equipment manufacturer, and specialized vertical industry markets. We also
offer a wide range of professional and operated services. Our solutions are
used for mobile computing, transportation, industrial M2M
(machine-to-machine), enterprise, residential and consumer communications
applications. For more information about Sierra Wireless, visit
"Wireless CPU" is a registered trademark of Sierra Wireless. Other
product or service names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their
respective owners.
Sierra Wireless Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks
and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements relate to, among other
things, plans and timing for the introduction or enhancement of our services
and products, statements about future market conditions, supply conditions,
channel and end customer demand conditions, revenues, gross margins, operating
expenses, profits, and other expectations, intentions, and plans contained in
this press release that are not historical fact. Our expectations regarding
future revenues and earnings depend in part upon our ability to successfully
develop, manufacture, and supply products that we do not produce today and
that meet defined specifications. When used in this press release, the words
"plan", "expect", "believe", and similar expressions generally identify
forward-looking statements. These statements reflect our current expectations.
They are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, but not
limited to, changes in technology and changes in the wireless data
communications market. In light of the many risks and uncertainties
surrounding the wireless data communications market, you should understand
that we cannot assure you that the forward-looking statements contained in
this press release will be realized.
SOURCE: Sierra Wireless, Inc.
CONTACT: Mette Hautemanière,
Sierra Wireless,
Paris, France,
Phone: +33 1 46 29 94 17,
Email: mhautemaniere(at)sierrawireless.com;
James Riddell,
Outpost Central,
Auckland, New Zealand,
Phone: +64 (9) 579-8404,
Email: james.riddell(at)outpostcentral.com
(SW. SWIR)
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