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Technology Demonstration at APCO 2014 Conference & Expo on August 3-6 in New Orleans
ANNAPOLIS, Md., and NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TCS) (NASDAQ: TSYS), today announced that it is teaming with NextNav, LLC to demonstrate the use of Metropolitan Beacon System (MBS) technology as one solution to complement primary 9-1-1 technology for the purpose of providing indoor location information to public safety answering points in emergency situations. Demonstrations will take place at the APCO International Annual Conference, TCS booth #551, New Orleans Convention Center, August 3-6.
Using NextNav's MBS network for positioning, the companies are demonstrating provision of an indoor caller's location information to 9-1-1 call takers. When an appropriately configured cell phone or other device places a 9-1-1 call from a community with a deployed MBS network, the caller's longitude, latitude and altitude are displayed to the 9-1-1 call-taker. This information is valuable for calls made from indoor locations, where other location techniques, such as GPS, are unavailable or less accurate.
News Facts:
According to information collected by the FCC, about 70% of the approximately 500,000 daily 9-1-1 calls nationally are placed from cell phones.
According to the Center for Disease Control, more than 40% of households no longer have a landline, and over 60% of renters do not have a landline, making accurate indoor location for cellular calls to 9-1-1 increasingly important.
Various location techniques, including GPS, are helpful in providing location for the caller; however, when the caller is indoors, those techniques often cannot obtain a location fix, particularly in complex urban environments. If the caller is unable to verbally specify his or her location, first responders lose valuable time locating the caller.
MBS technology is a valuable addition to emergency response because it is built on metropolitan or wide-area principles, similar to cellular networks, and provides consistent and reliable service to every structure within its service footprint.
MBS provides altitude, which is as important as horizontal location in the types of large multi-story structures in urban areas.
NextNav President and Co-Founder Ganesh Pattabiraman stated: "NextNav has developed and is currently deploying the world's first Metropolitan Beacon System network, bringing GPS-like accuracy and reliability, in all three dimensions, to indoor environments. 9-1-1 is among the most challenging scenarios for location because an emergency could come from any building, on any floor, at any time. GPS was the perfect solution outdoors, but new approaches are required for indoor positioning. We are proud to be the first to bring GPS-like positioning capabilities indoors, and to be able to serve entire metropolitan areas. We are very pleased to be collaborating with TCS, a recognized pioneer in wireless E9-1-1 and leader in next generation 9-1-1 solutions."
TCS Safety & Security Group Vice President Kent Hellebuststated: "NextNav and TCS share a commitment to supporting the Public Safety community. TCS is a long-standing leader in developing new Public Safety technology and NextNav is a recognized innovator in indoor location accuracy. Together, we offer this technical approach as one solution to the challenge of improved indoor location information in emergency situations."
Since deploying the first U.S. wireless E9-1-1 solution in 1998, TCS has been leading public safety solutions for wireless Enhanced 9-1-1 (E9-1-1), NG9-1-1 and E1-1-2. TCS supports half of all U.S. wireless E9-1-1 calls, serving more than 140 million wireless and IP-enabled devices. TCS is leading the enablement of text-to 9-1-1, and TCS also leads the nation in Emergency Services IP network (ESInet) deployments. TCS is the only non-carrier TL 9000-certified company that supports E9-1-1 services. Its E9-1-1 and NG9-1-1 solutions ensure that a subscriber's emergency call is routed to the appropriate PSAP and automatically pinpoints the caller's location information.
About NextNav NextNav is deploying a revolutionary positioning technology to allow mobile phones and other devices to reliably determine their location in indoor and urban environments where GPS signals can't be received. NextNav's technology combines accurate horizontal positioning with floor-level height precision. Delivered over a managed network with carrier-grade dependability and metropolitan-wide coverage, NextNav's positioning services are designed for E9-1-1, public safety and emergency response as well as the multitude of consumer and commercial applications that require precise indoor location accuracy. Based in Sunnyvale, CA and McLean, VA, NextNav is working with the Public Safety community and major technology partners to embed its capability into new GPS chipsets and mobile phones. More information is available at http://www.nextnav.com
About TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TCS) (NASDAQ: TSYS) is a world leader in highly reliable and secure mobile communication technology. TCS infrastructure forms the foundation for market leading solutions in E9-1-1, text messaging, commercial location and deployable wireless communications. TCS is at the forefront of new mobile cloud computing services providing wireless applications for navigation, hyper-local search, asset tracking, social applications and telematics. Millions of consumers around the world use TCS wireless apps as a fundamental part of their daily lives. Government agencies utilize TCS' cyber security expertise, professional services, and highly secure deployable satellite solutions for mission-critical communications. Headquartered in Annapolis, MD, TCS maintains technical, service and sales offices around the world. To learn more about emerging and innovative wireless technologies, visit www.telecomsys.com.
Except for the historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements as defined within Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and are based upon TCS' current expectations and assumptions that if incorrect would cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Risks include those detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including the report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013, and on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2014.
Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise the information in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances, or otherwise.
