Verizon Wireless today introduced a new service to help small and medium
businesses (SMBs) in the construction, delivery, security, transportation
and utilities industries.
Called Fleet Administration, the offering consists of a wireless device in the vehicle and a software application installed on the office computer. It can track vehicles’ locations, stops and mileage, as well as create reports that managers can use to make business decisions.
It The cost is $49.99 per month, and devices cost between
$549.99 and $599.99, including installation and support.
The service should make SMBs “more efficient and effective by reducing
employee downtime, achieving fuel savings, improving route planning and
increasing customer responsiveness and satisfaction,” Bill Stone, Verizon
Wireless vice president of marketing, said in a statement.
Brenda Raney, a Verizon Wireless spokeswoman, told internetnews.com
that Fleet Administration is consistent with the company’s previous efforts
to serve business customers of all sizes.
“Many of these customers were voice customers who are rapidly deploying
wireless solutions that may include deployment of field teams with laptops
and air cards or a telemetry solution where data is transmitted wirelessly,”
Raney said.
Verizon Wireless, which has 43.8 million customers (second only to
Cingular), will market Fleet Administration through its business sales team,
Raney said.
The technology was developed by New Zealand’s Navman Wireless, which is a
subsidiary of global positioning satellite
Limited.
It’s the latest move by wireless firms to move beyond traditional voice
service. At last month’s CTIA Wireless trade show, industry executives discussed said they want to be the link connecting IP-based networked phones,
computers, audio and video entertainment systems and appliances.
