Pinpoint Communications Inc, Dallas and Tandem Computers Inc have entered a long-term agreement to offer a wireless vehicle-locating mobile data network on line. Pinpoint is using the Integrity NR servers from Tandem to function as the core computing system of the network control centres that will anchor Pinpoint’s Array Intelligent Mobile Data Network. The Array network provides simultaneous high-speed automatic vehicle location and mobile data communications services for mobile applications. Its first commercial deployment will be in Dallas and is expected to be fully functional by the end of next year. Pinpoint plans to roll out Array to 50 US cities within the next two years and have networks in more than 335 US metropolitan areas within seven years. The network provides vehicle monitoring and mobile data communications services that depend on highly reliable, uninterrupted, 24-hour availability of the network. An open systems approach is necessary for the network to interoperate with a customer’s other systems and for it to accommodate new technologies, such as mobile point-of-sale terminals. Tandem’s Integrity NR Unix servers divide single processing tasks between multiple processors.
