March/April 2005

Telematics and wireless computing specialist Wire3 Technologies has become a reseller and service-provider for the Anoto digital pen range, which it is branding e-pen. The master distributor for the UK is Destiny Wireless.

Wire3 director Andrew Pearce told us the company sees major attractions for users, especially in operations where there is a need to gather data from field staff electronically, but not necessarily to "push" it out to them.

One of the company's first implementations of the system is for Intrepid Security Solutions, a specialist in closed-circuit television and retail security. Intrepid is issuing the pens to its field engineers and sales staff, who will use the special Anoto paper to fill in job sheets on site and report job completing back to base in real time. This aspect is handled by Bluetooth-linked mobile phones.

Intrepid is also introducing Wire3's Sat3 vehicle tracking system. Although the company has links to Wire 3, Pearce told us: "We're not giving them a special rate. They're buying our product because it's what they want."

Wire 3 is expanding rapidly in the wireless technology field. Recent users include Coach House Antiques, which has taken 20 units, transport operator Carey Group, which is taking at least 25, and Prosper de Mulder group, which has taken over 50.

The company is building links with best-of-breed suppliers in related fields, including Optrak for routing and scheduling and Talecom for wireless solutions such as electronic proof of delivery. Its latest products include a Working Time Directive compliance system linked to its tracking products, and a facility for managers to view tracked vehicle positions on PDAs when out and about, using mapping delivered by Multimap.

"We're building up our presence in the logistics market, but also expanding into other vertical fields such as financial services," Pearce says, "especially with the digital pen technology."