Precisa to embed Sarantel GPS antenna in new GSM/GPS combination mobile phone
Sarantel, a leading innovator in the design and manufacture of miniature antennas for portable and mobile wireless devices, has been chosen by Precisa to supply its global positioning system (GPS) antenna. Precisa, a leading Swiss company specialising in wireless technologies and measuring instruments, has integrated Sarantel’s GeoHelix GPS antenna into the Secufone, a mobile phone with a personal alarm and service button. The Secufone is aimed at a cross-section of the community including care associations, nursing homes, the elderly and the infirm. In addition, the Secufone offers a number of solutions for security applications. This innovative new GPS/GSM device will enable care organisations to provide people with an easy-to-use mobile phone that has a simple to use and operable alarm system. The Secufone will also be targeted at rescue organisations and security firms who rely on the superior GPS quality that Sarantel antennas offer.
With its GPS/GSM functionality and personal alarm system, the Secufone is an easy-to-use tri-band mobile phone. By pressing the red alarm button, users of the Secufone are connected to an associated call-centre. A hands-free speech connection is then available so the user can explain their situation; the call-centre can take the appropriate action to arrange assistance. The Sarantel antenna enables the call centre to pinpoint the user to within 5 metres of their location.
The Secufone has an interactive full colour screen, which can be easily operated with the very light touch of a finger, plus it only uses four large buttons. Produced in Switzerland, the Secufone will be available for sale in Europe and the US from August 2004 in leading telecoms shops.
Secufone opted for the Sarantel antenna because of its unparalleled performance and accurate positioning. Precisa’s CEO Rudolf Huber said: “The GPS functionality of the Secufone, is a key feature of the mobile phone. The Sarantel antenna offers excellent GPS reception in difficult and harsh environments and is the only GPS antenna on the market we found that integrated with a GSM mobile phone without loss of performance.”
David Wither, Chief Executive at Sarantel said: “There is huge potential for GPS in GSM mobile products and this is why we are seeing extraordinarily high demand for our products at the moment. By choosing to embed our GeoHelix antenna to work in a multiple antenna system, Precisa has created a versatile mobile phone with guaranteed GPS/GSM functionality that inexperienced users will be able to use easily.”
Sarantel’s success with Precisa was supported by Secos, a distributor for telecommunications modules and devices for industrial application and the M2M market and a key partner of Sarantel’s in Switzerland.