Europe : CASIO and Sierra Wireless have agreed a marketing agreement that brings 3G wireless connectivity to CASIO mobile data collecting terminals in Europe.

Left shows the new Casio DT-X11 mobile data collecting terminal.

Under the terms of the agreement, CASIO's rugged IT-3000, DT-X10, and the new DT-X11 mobile data collecting terminals will support Sierra Wireless's AirCard(R) 850 wireless wide area network (WWAN) card for HSDPA UMTS networks. With the AirCard 850 card, CASIO's mobile data collecting terminals can transfer data wirelessly at high speed, via UMTS, HSDPA, EDGE, GSM, and GPRS networks worldwide.

CASIO's terminals are ruggedized (IP54, drop resistant 1.2 m) mobile devices for use in transportation, logistic, retail or other dynamic markets, where fast and secure information flow is vital.

For several years now CASIO has been using Windows(R) CE(R) based operating systems to assure programmability and expandability. Data capturing is realised with 2D and 1D scanners, even RFID is possible. In addition to IrDA, Bluetooth(R) and USB interfaces, the integrated PCMCIA slot enables the use of network cards like Sierra Wireless's AirCard(R) 850.

The AirCard 850 WWAN card operates on the 2100 MHz UMTS/HSDPA frequency band commonly used across Europe and Asia, and connects to EDGE/GPRS/GSM networks on all four frequency bands used worldwide (850, 900, 1800 and 1900 MHz), when UMTS is not available. With average data transmission rates of 500 to 800 kbps and peak rates up to 1.8 Mbps, working wirelessly for field-based employees is now reliable, fast and efficient. The AirCard 850 is the only 3G WWAN card offering support for Windows CE devices.

High-speed remote data transfer is especially important in the transportation and logistics market, where real-time data transfer is vital for delivering jobs on time and enhancing customer service. In the shipping industry, for both new collections and proof of delivery, the combination of the CASIO terminals and the Sierra Wireless AirCard 850 allows seamless track-and-tracing. In the field of mobile sales, the CASIO IT-3000 with the AirCard 850 enables sales people to transfer order information in real time from customer locations, resulting in faster order processing and improved efficiency. In mobile ticketing, timetable changes and staff messages can be sent directly to the terminal, improving customer service and the level of information the conductors can offer.

Thomas Uppenkamp, Sales Manager for CASIO's Mobile Industrial Solutions Division in Europe, also sees opportunities in warehousing: "If the cost of network flat rates keeps declining as it is currently, it will soon be more cost-effective to carry out data collection with the AirCard 850 instead of investing in expensive and high-maintenance Wi-Fi networks."

"CASIO's mobile data collection products and Sierra Wireless high-speed data cards are a natural match for vertical markets that need to collect data in real time to operate at maximum efficiency," said Jim Lahey, Vice President, EMEA for Sierra Wireless. "The addition of the AirCard 850 to the CASIO line-up provides customers with a reliable, timely way to stay on top of the information they need to keep their operations more competitive."

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