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rwehapi2003 & mathew633... thanks!
Apologizes for not responding to the mail you were both kind enough to send. My bad.
Rarely check for the stuff, so am exceptionally tardy with a reply (sadly, not a dues paying member here).
But, building now on the Aeros/Sanswire connection that might (ok, admittedly a stretch) exist based on the HapsChile sites, would like to add this to the previous conspiracy theory comments you've read:
Back in 2006, when Sanswire was working out of hangar 704 at Plant 42 in Palmdale (now these were the days of the S-1 and
the Airworm/skyDragon), occupying the adjacent hangar 703 and much larger facility unit was.........Worldwide Aeros.
At the time, Aeros was working out the bugs on their SKYDRAGON, a manned surveillance blimp.
Personally viewed a flight test (you can read about it here but forgive the miss-reference to Edwards. At the time i falsely believed Plant 42 was an extension of EAFB) of the craft.
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=5711174
Aeros subsequently, closed up shop at 704, and believe moved into (if memory is not too tattered at this point) the Lockheed hangar in a gov't partnership called WALRUS.
The convoluted point of all of this is that.....Worldwide Aeros and Sanswire were roomies struggling with fairly similar projects, and now (strangely enough) find themselves loosely connected by-way of a revolving HAPSChile.cl project, half a world away.
Anyway, just wanted to share this with someone.
Thanks again for the notes Matt & Rob.
pete
a correction..........
When it was stated in the past post that they, [Aeros], "currently offer no HAPs style vehicle",
what was meant to be expressed is that... Aeros, in the recent past, has shown nothing in the way of a HAPs style vehicle.
Yes, their site does list a link to one, but withholds giving any documentation or evidence of even basic original design or work with that link).
Again, just wanted to clarify. Yes, could be completey wrong and Aeros has been working on the sly all by themselves....
But will know better once actual images of their craft are shown....
rwehapi2003 & serious1 on HapsChile..
This is pure speculation on this end, but......
Having followed Worldwide Aeros for some time (their blue AEROS logo appears above Raytheon's on the partnership page at HAPSCHILE) it's quite interesting to see they are now the High Altitude Platform provider for the company -Haps Chile Limitada.
Interesting because, they currently offer no HAPs style vehicle (HIGH Altitude Platforms that are unmanned, autonomous, and likely solar-powered) and outside of dabbling with such back some years ago, have chosen to focus on their core products: tethered aerostats and single pilot -low altitude- airships (read blimp).
Aeros' R&D is currently absorbed with a Heavy lifter concept (think jumbo airliner rather than truck), going by the odd name Aeroscraft. Good luck to them here.
What Worldwide Aeros could offer a HAPS-centric operation is not R&D, but production abilities.
They can build airships, without a doubt.
Far above Stuttgart U.'s abilities.......where it would involve on-site fabrication of say a rigid style airship of sufficient size -like the Stratellite S-2A seen floating across the sky in the primary image above each page of HapsChile.
Stuttgart may well handle the Airchain production -outsourced prefab work that gets boxed and shipped, with little on-site construction.
So, best guess, Aeros is partnered in some way, to take all of Stuttgart/Sanswire know-how/efforts on HAPS (which, imho, is substantial based on all the GERMAN efforts [both scientific and hands-on] and Sanswires pocketbook to get prototypical work done with S-1/S-2A) and build the suckers for Chile and perhaps....
the world.
REG. SHO grows TEETH for Nkd Shorts
This is Pontiyak's turf, but this post is a personal way of showing that his work is having an effect. Swami got the spark from him as others am sure of also!
GTEM, am of strong opinion, is still under the shackle of Naked shorts. This latest bit of news is good for us....albeit, another long wait for the SEC to grow it's teeth...
thanks Pontiyak!
SEC Tackles Short-Sale Abuses
Mar 4 2008 3:19PM EST
U.S. securities regulators voted 3-0 on Tuesday to propose a new rule intended to crack down on lingering abuses involving so-called "naked" short sales and failures to deliver shares that have been used in such sales.
The proposal is part of a continuing attack by the Securities and Exchange Commission on short-sales abuses, an effort begun four years ago with the adoption of rules known as Regulation SHO.
Short selling involves sales of borrowed shares, producing profits when prices decline, allowing the short seller to replace borrowed shares at a lower price. In contrast, "naked" short sellers do not borrow shares before engaging in short selling, and may have no intention of borrowing them.
Regulation SHO sought to curb such practices by requiring short sellers to locate shares for borrowing before engaging in short sales, but didn't include any new mechanism to enforce the requirement.
Under the new proposal, the Securities and Exchange Commission would create a new anti-fraud rule targeting those who knowingly deceive brokers about having located securities before engaging in short sales, and who fail to deliver the securities by the delivery date.
SEC Chairman Christopher Cox said the proposal would bring needed teeth to Regulation SHO and address concerns about short-selling abuses, particularly in the market for small-cap stocks.
"Reg SHO can't be effective without enforcement," said Cox.
Even with the regulation in place, the SEC received hundreds of complaints last year about alleged abuses involving short sales. While most trades settle within three days, as required, the SEC estimates about 1 percent of shares that change hands daily, or about $1 billion, are subject to delivery failures. The SEC's move last year to close off a controversial "grandfather" exception to Regulation SHO, has done little to reduce long-standing delivery failures, according to preliminary data analyzed by SEC staff. The SEC has yet to announce its plans for a separate pending proposal to scale back or eliminate an exemption for options market-makers.
Brokers who engage in short selling for customers would not face any new obligations under the proposed anti-fraud rule, and the SEC said it would not apply to market makers engaging in market-making activities.
Final adoption of both proposals requires a second vote by the commission, which Cox estimated might occur within six months.
Copyright 2008 The Ass
Goerner's more "Catcher" than "pitcher"..
Gut says Turley's grand vision of moving PTSC into acquisition of hot tech didn't pan out. Otherwise.....he'd still be here.
Change in philosophy by PTSC or maybe it's just hard to see your way through a gold coin, huh.
So, Goerner's brought in by the board, but to do what? Quick glance says he knows how to merge better than acquire so....
maybe PTSC takes the money and runs?
17 licenses since settlement (and close to 500 more to go) says someone sure should want us.
Now who needs vision when we got a guy who can pimp-us-out?
The bigger question is....does PTSC remain un-touched til earnings are announced.
siriuslyricher.....pg. 54 for you!
Try this link [instead of the previous one given] for the whole Kroplin paper, "Mechanical Aspects of Standard Flight in the Lower Stratosphere":
http://books.google.com/books?id=k9ifqUt5CvIC&pg=PA45&lpg=PA45&dq=%22mechanical+aspects+of+flight+in+the+lower+stratosphere%22&source=web&ots=O6MCTzBVAe&sig=FPW43km1IVD19xpHP0TaBaVKQOw
After reading it through several times, got to say, the guy presents a very convincing arguement for the Airworm
as stratospheric flier.
Even a schlub like myself can understand B. Kroplin's basic points, albiet without necessarily grasping the deeper math stuff..... of course. lol!
Nirlemerlin, you produce in a week what would take swami a year to match. Rock on, man.
pete
Montanar & Sinful............
Yes, it's all hugely interesting and Kroplin & team have a lot more to show.
Montanar, am sure you saw the short video on Best site, but for any that have not, it's definitely a treat.
http://www.invest-in-the-best.com/in_projects.html
Click on Kurzfilm link below Airworm illustration.
The movements of the craft summarize nicely what most of us have seen elsewhere:
-----------------------------------------------------------
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7254597002053098385
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-936676656763437167
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Getting back to the issue of multiple versions. This info came from a book, Shell Structures: Theory and Applications
By Wojciech Pietraszkiewicz, Czeslaw Szymczak.
It represents a collection of papers on common subject.
Fortunately for us all, a portion of the work can be sampled, and [what are the odds]......that portion goes into great detail on Kroplin's Airworm.
http://books.google.com/books?id=k9ifqUt5CvIC&pg=PA52&lpg=PA52&dq=airworm+airship&source=web&ots=O6MCSCwUE8&sig=OIEYm24hP0h-eXX5l9Kv3RusjmE#PPA55,M1
There is so much here (pg. 52-55) that will resist the urge to summarize. Simply, every investor should review this material and come to a very simply conclusion
[if they have not already, of course]: That there is a tremendous amount of fruitful effort going on behind the scenes which, at some point, is to be revealed.
And that is why we are here.......$$
Thank you Bernd!
Siriuslyricher & Sami1327
Am gald to see you guys continuing to share the leads here.
Yes, took a break from posting till we get more info on the Tao T. acquisition. Got to say the latest PR sure was sweet to read.. more untethered testing, and on a Stratospheric version....cool.
Sami1327, great job on bringing all that stuff together.
Like the video on airworm-esque water vapor contrails. But is that plausible for long-term stratospheric propulsion? [It's pretty cold/dry up there, so gathering a continually expended fuel source like water would be hard? maybe?]
Sirius, personal belief is that the strato-vehicle being tested in not S2A or a Lotte-on-steriods.
It's one from the family Airworm/SkyDragon/Airdragons that already exist.
It must be remembered that Kroplin [designer] clearly had high altitude ambitions for these crafts. The Invest-in-the- Best site illustrates the Airworm as an HAA.
Now, some might consider the standard Airworm as perhaps size-deficient when it comes to solar collection or payload. And they would be right.
That is, the Standard version in all of it's 23m X 2.3m of
glory. But, there are 9 other versions (if you include towing v.), and yes, the largest is designed to operate in the +60,000 ft region.
7 of the 10 have already been finished, with another 2 work-in-progress. The last and largest still in design (this info is as of 2004-5).
The Lotte is an appetizer. The main course is about to be served.
nite.
Kelly Jones........
Got invested in the company when you poured over 1/2 million of your own into the effort, worked to change corporate direction, and kept us investors better informed than i can recall any CEO doing.
You did a man's job. Didn't want to see you step down, but then, didn't want to get bought, either. Tough call.
Thanks for the input. Am back in VTSI, so appreciate the insight.
pete
ooh, i like that!
Expand/Contract. See, that's why am never going to do
this riddle think again. Other people are just plain smarter then we like to admit...
Bob, not sure photosynthesis (sunlit converted to energy for plants) is a process sponges use, but if they do it would certainly qualify as a correct answer to the puzzle posed the board and totally unanticipated by myself. congrats.
Actually, what was getting at is pretty cool and am going to guarantee will pique the board's interest (even if personally wrong it definitely is weird), once we square away this Tao deal.
nite and thanks.
Eqbeck, we share the same perspective
Love where you are coming from.
Have chosen to hold off sharing any info in this area until
AFTER the completion of our Tao acquisition (50%).
Just afraid of jinxing the deal. Too much at stake here for GTEM and too many enemies, judged simply by the likes of some who haunt this and other sites.
Thanks to all who share!
pete
Riddle: Name a thing a lowly Sponge or lofty Airchain/Skysat will have in common?
nite
Eqbeck.....Bingo!
Gotta to go myself. Am done for the day. All the best to everyone in GTEM.
pete
Xerography...thanks Nerd86
I never did understand how dry photocopying worked. Just read a bunch of articles, and the concept is pure genius.
On the subject of Genius, do a search on:
B. H. Kroplin
B. Kroplin
Kroplin with the line above the "O"
and add to it the word "Symposium", "conference",
or "speaker".
Man, the guy is all over the map, both geographically and in subject matter. Love it.
Thanks again,
pete
one quick note on the material
This stuff that can be attached as a strip on the side of an airship/tail assmebly to make it (non-rigid) -wiggle like a worm for propulsion, can be as thin as mylar, and expand (with force) and retract, up to three times it's length. Amazing stuff.
Am hoping Kroplin's changes involve this material, but again, we have seen nothing specific on this from him, only from neighboring Berlin U.
Nerd...are we on the same page?
Yes,just read about Tribo-charge. Thanks for the subject. Am not familar with the name but of the concept. That is: the ability of a material, or in this case a coating to hold a charge?
Have read in the past of polmers which conduct...but not necessarily REACT to electical current. If i understand what you are referring/suggesting, it is the contaiment process of helium by way of a tribo-charge material that would repel a similarily charged helium atom.
If am correct, that this is your point, would appreciate your acknowledgment, because i have no engineering background.
And yes, believe that this is ONE, of the multiple coatings that the Airship will receive. It's just that Eqbeck seemed to be referring to something entirely different....that is the MOVEMENT of materials by-way-of electrical current.
Specifically the tail assembly, which one of the links shows actual reactive materials attached to, in a previous post.
This is electro-reactive in nature and not simply holding on to the charge as say......Tribo. Is this accurate?
pete
Eqbeck here is link to e-polymer gas cell
Yes, reactive polymers are HUGE and Kroeplin has some great cards to play here. Just wondering how much of this stuff makes it into the first model Airchain/AirDragon/SkySat.
BTW. pesonal belief is that the Skysat is more Airchain than conventional airship....we'll see. pete
www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread209851/pg1+reactive+polymers+airship&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us&ie=UTF-8
posted on 30-5-2006 @ 10:54 PM
Something I've been working on
Not all blimps look like "blimps".
This is a design I've been toying with since the USAF wrecked the last project I worked on. I call it "ALPHA".
">" />" target="_blank">http://www.msnusers.com/n00lvpd72c8akigvnihc726a85/Documents/ALPHA%20Stealth%20JPG1.jpg>[/img]
The Lift cells employ the same material NASA uses for its Long Duration Balloons. The bouyency controls are all computerized, employing electro-reactive "artificial muscle-like" polymer fibers which expand/contract in response to electric currents applied to them. Contraction would squeeze the lift cell, increasing internal pressure on the lift gas, making it denser and thus less bouyant; release would allow the gas to expand, becoming less dense and generating more lift. This would allow the craft to drop/gain altitude and correct for pitch and roll.
The perimeter and payload support frames are pre-stressed carbon fiber tubes. Employing sort of an isometric "stress/counter-stress" principle, the frame works like opposing elliptical "leaf" or cart springs to provide strength and rigidity with minimum material weight.
Motive power is provided by idependently fully pivoting electric ducted-fan motors, utilizing quiet, low-speed props optimized for extreme high-altitude performance and based on a design employed by NASA's Helios project.
ALPHA is an LTA/UAV, capable of automonous opertion and multi-function, multi-mission configuration, although recon/long duration surveillence is its primary design goal.
[edit on 30-5-2006 by Bhadhidar]
[edit on 30-5-2006 by Bhadhidar]
[edit on 30-5-2006 by Bhadhidar]
Eqbeck, yes follow the polymer rabbit!
Am glad to see others putting it together.
Prof. Bernd Kroeplin is HUGE for us at GTEM.
The nano material you are refer to is more accurately
electro-reactive polymers. Kroplin is an expert here. An expert in materials, in airships, and mechanics.
Why the retrofit of the S-2A? Just as you say Eqbeck, cutting edge technology.
We only get hints at it on Tao's end of it. Berlin U. seems to reveal more...
Kroplins background is one. That the Airchain (as he refers to his creation and our Air Dragon....5 segmented airbags in a harness) dating back to 1999 is now called the "New Airchain", is another piece of the puzzle. And this:
A Bionics Symposium at Stuttgart back in May, where Prof. K. revealed the New Beast (Look up Bionics).
Oh, and here is a better description of what is taking place specifically with electro-reactive polymers....as applied to airships!
Where this all goes am not sure, but it is something!
---------------------------------------------------------------
June 2007
http://www.empa.ch/plugin/template/empa/1086/60861/---/l=2
In future, EAP technology should enable blimps to «swim» through the air like a trout without any propeller. This will be achieved by fusing EAPs with the hull of the blimp, thereby allowing it to move. Experiments by Empa scientists have shown that the «bending rotation stroke», which moves the blimp forward in imitation of the tail movement of the trout, is possible as a result of this. The electrical energy required could come from solar cells on the top of the blimp’s hull. The great advantages of such a bionic drive system would be quietness and economy. «We are hoping these characteristics will open up opportunities for a niche product which could be used, for example, to observe animals or to provide surveillance at concerts or football matches», says Silvain Michel, looking ahead to the future. In order for this to become reality, as the next step, the Empa researchers will have to increase the life of the EAP actuators and improve their reliability.
BTW...Kroplin specialty is actuators....
Swimming Blimp!
http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/Science-Fiction-News.asp?NewsNum=979
--------------------------------------------------------
Now check out this: Kroplin at Bionics symposium at Stuttgart in May
About the Symposium:
During the week of the EUROAVIA Symposium on Bionics in Stuttgart you will learn about the newest research and development results in the field of bionics.
You will see the technical applications in the aerospace and automotive industry and you will have the possibility to get some hands-on experience
http://www.euroavia.de/symposium/index.php?value=schedule
--------------------------------------
Polymer posts
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=23192721
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Livermore post
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/pu.asp?h=250&w=300&c=186&nomargin=1&title=ADVFN...
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Hope this helps,
pete
Rattlewatch glad to help, like your board.eom
Why the Wells Notice now?
Following a successful formal investigation (Wonder how often they aren't successful)the Wells Notice serves to give
notice of official findings. Specific civil or criminal matters now can addressed point by point by the offending company to the SEC staff prior to the SEC board receiving the case.
Thus, it's no surprise that GTEM received such a notice "this late" (or some who are even shocked GTEM received one) as some posters keep referencing. It was going to happen at the conclusion of a successful formal investigation.
From personal perspective, this simply represents nearterm closure of the SEC's past formal investigation.
As for the comments regarding the SEC staff considering recommending the board begin the process to delist GTEM, believe that to stem from the SEC listed violation given in the 8K -13a/b failer to deliver reports (10k/Q), as Nando has pointed out in an earlier post (yesterday), and obviously why the company (in the face of such findings) continues to work towards restatements and late reports to bring GTEM current.
Examples of Wells Notice following formal investigations are:
---------------------------------------------------
Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. (TTWO.O)
Aug. 15, 2007 "..said on Wednesday it received a Wells notice from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission indicating that the agency may file charges against the company following an investigation of its past stock options practices...
In the filing, Take-Two said it expects "to resolve this investigation by means of a settlement rather than a contested litigation of charges ... the 'Wells' call represents a significant step forward towards that resolution."
-------------------------------------------------------
LGOV.ob
"On March 20, 2007, Largo Vista Group, Ltd. (the “Company”), received a Wells Notice letter from the staff of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC” or “Commission”) flowing from a formal investigation conducted by the SEC. The Company disclosed on August 22, 2005 that the SEC commenced a non-public, formal investigation against the Company."
--------------------------------------------------------
Anyway, this is how am personally perceiving current events at this time. The problem am having is not with the Wells Notice itself but why GTEM IR did not release a News Release in timely fashion (prior to or simultaneously with the terse 8k).
Believe this would have avoided some of the obvious confusion the singular 8K release generated with investors. The timing of the actual NR release very late in the day seemed weird....
pete
Siriuslyricher here's IPG's 8-k Well's N.
Am posting the 8-k Well's Notice (IPG) to show the difference between them and GTEM.
From the reading, GTEM's wording is definitely stronger. IPG was invited to settlement.
Form 8-K for INTERPUBLIC GROUP OF COMPANIES, INC.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14-Jun-2007
Other Events
Item 8.01. Other Events.
The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. (the "Company") announced a development in the investigation being conducted by the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission into the Company's restatements announced in 2002 and 2005. As the Company has previously disclosed, it has been cooperating fully with the investigation since its inception.
The staff has informed the Company that it intends to seek approval from the Commission to enter into settlement discussions with the Company and, failing a settlement, to commence an action charging the Company with various violations of the federal securities laws. In that connection, the staff has sent to the Company a "Wells notice," which invites the Company to make a responsive submission before the staff makes a final determination concerning its recommendation to the Commission. The Company understands that, under recently revised settlement procedures, the Commission's authorization to settle includes authorization to litigate if settlement fails, so the issuance of a Wells notice is now a prerequisite to settlement negotiations with the Commission staff.
The Company expects to discuss settlement with the staff once the Commission authorizes the staff to engage in such discussions and believes that the issuance of the notice represents a step towards concluding this matter. The Company cannot at this time predict what the Commission will authorize or the outcome of any settlement negotiations.
* * * * *
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cautionary Statement
This current report on Form 8-K contains forward-looking statements. Statements in this report that are not historical facts, including statements about management's beliefs and expectations, constitute forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current plans, estimates and projections, and are subject to change based on a number of factors, including those outlined in our 2006 Annual Report on Form 10-K under Item 1A, Risk Factors, and other SEC filings. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update publicly any of them in light of new information or future events.
Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the following:
• risks arising from material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, including material weaknesses in our control environment;
• our ability to attract new clients and retain existing clients;
• our ability to retain and attract key employees;
• risks associated with assumptions we make in connection with our critical accounting estimates;
• potential adverse effects if we are required to recognize impairment charges or other adverse accounting-related developments;
• potential adverse developments in connection with the ongoing SEC investigation;
• potential downgrades in the credit ratings of our securities;
• risks associated with the effects of global, national and regional economic and political conditions, including fluctuations in economic growth rates, interest rates and currency exchange rates; and
• developments from changes in the regulatory and legal environment for advertising and marketing and communications services companies around the world.
Investors should carefully consider these factors and the additional risk factors outlined in more detail in our 2006 Annual Report on Form 10-K under Item 1A, Risk Factors
Wells-last stage of investigation?-Article
Please note: This post is not a recommendation to buy, hold, or sell this security but represents an honest attempt (although i will be the first to say at times ignorant attempt) to share information regarding events surrounding this company. Whether it's internet info on TAO T. or even the Well's, if it's on the 'Net and relevant, many of us share it here. Am no different.
Here is a look at another company (NYSE) IPG, who recently faced a Well's Notice -one that grew out of a formal investigation leading to restatements.
On 6-14-07 IPG received the Wells. The company's comment on the Notice in the Press Release (see below) reads:
"Under recently revised settlement procedures, such a notice is now a prerequisite to settlement negotiations with the Commission staff."
---------------------------------------------------------------
IPG News Release 6-14-2007
The Interpublic Group (IPG) Receives 'Wells Notice' From SEC
06-14-2007 08:33:32 AM
The Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG) announced a development in the investigation being conducted by the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) into the Company's restatements announced in 2002 and 2005.
The company has received a "Wells notice," which invites the company to make a responsive submission before the staff makes a final determination concerning its recommendation to the Commission. Under recently revised settlement procedures, such a notice is now a prerequisite to settlement negotiations with the Commission staff.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Article on Well's Notice faced by IPG
http://www.cfo.com/article.cfm/9349685/c_9337702?f=TodayInFinance_Inside
Today in Finance for June 14, 2007
Interpublic Slapped with Wells Notice
The advertising giant says that new SEC procedures may mean a settlement is close at hand.
Stephen Taub, CFO.com
June 14, 2007
Officials at advertising and marketing giant The Interpublic Group said the company received a "Wells Notice" from the Securities and Exchange Commission related to corporate restatements announced in 2002 and 2005. The Wells Notice invites the company to respond to SEC's charges before the regulator’s staff makes its final recommendation to commissioners regarding whether to take action against the company.
Interpublic officials noted that under recently revised settlement procedures, such a notice is now a prerequisite to settlement negotiations with the commission staff. "Given our understanding of new procedures at the SEC, this development is not unanticipated and we believe that it moves us a step closer to resolution in this matter," said Interpublic Chairman and CEO Michael I. Roth, in a statement. He emphasized that the company has been cooperating with the commission since the outset of its investigation in 2002.
In 2002, Interpublic announced a restatement, and two amended restatements, within a four-month period related to financial reports released between 1996 through June 2002. When the dust settled, the total restated amount rose to $181.3 million, roughly triple its initial estimate. The adjustments were related to an investigation into the billing practices at its McCann-Erickson unit.
By January 2003, the SEC launched a formal probe into the matter. Then, in March 2005, Interpublic announced that it would miss the filing deadlinefor its 2004 annual report, noting at the time that it might have to restate its results, yet again. The company attributed the filing delay to material weaknesses in internal controls, including the documentation and control of the financial-results reporting process, and the extra time needed to complete management's report as required by Section 404 of Sarbanes-Oxley.
The company disclosed in a regulatory filing that the most significant matters concerned acquisitions completed between 1996 and 2001, for which the company may have improperly consolidated the results of acquired companies. At the time, Interpublic noted that while it was at the early stages of the review, its preliminary assessment had concluded that about $145 million in revenue and $25 million of net income may have been improperly recognized during the six year span.
Further, officials warned that several other matters might also require the restatement of prior results. As it turned out, Interpublic announced in September 2005, that it would restate its financial results for the years 2000 through 2004 after discovering accounting errors as well as evidence of "possible employee misconduct."
"In all cases, culpable employees have been terminated or are in the process of being terminated or are otherwise no longer with the company," it stated in a regulatory filing. Company officials also conceded in the filing that the company did not have adequate procedures in place for the review of customer contracts by its finance groups around the world. In addition, the company lacked adequate procedures related to the treatment of various types of vendor credits, discounts, differences between vendor prices and client cost estimates, and duplicate customer payments.
"Without adequate procedures the operating practice and the accounting in some of our agencies, predominately outside the United States, relied on local customs and practices," reported a regulatory filing. "As a result, in some instances, we were inconsistent with the underlying contractual requirements, which necessitated an accounting adjustment. In other instances, the timing of revenue recognition did not consistently follow the customer contract." The company added that the restatement also affected periods prior to 2000.
In its announcement on Thursday, the company reiterated that no current senior manager within the operating units, or in the corporate group, acted inappropriately with respect to the 2005 restatement. The company also said that that it has reserved against media and vendor credits that were connected to the 2005 restatement, and is currently working to resolve those matters directly with its clients.
It added that the shortcomings in the company's control environment that led to the 2002 restatement to address imbalances in intercompany accounts did not involve the misuse of client funds.
Rckhnd about muni-fi. +note to Matthew
Rcknnd, yes some cities are unhappy with the whole municipal model, but truthfully it goes well beyond maintenance costs for dishing out free wi-fi.
Some really fundemental problems related to these areas below have hurt the process, before even getting to the point of network upkeep :
Business Plan
Local government control/contract
poor construction
interference
Local gov't control key elements of the prospective network:
prime antenna locations [e.g. on top city poles/lights] and
power availability are expamples.
Town just might leverage that position and in exchange for free wi-fi to city workers (police fire) and the others (maybe general pop. or the low income) they put up for bid city-wide wi-fi.
That's where the problem starts. Will the city own the network?
If it does, and the bidder, bids low....guess who may build an underpowered network that will later need to be upgraded, enlarged at city expense!
If the city does not own the network and the lowest bidder prevails and builds, citizens better hope that the company makes money, cuz the owner just might walk, and leave the unprofitable network. Gosh, and we haven't even got to interfence yet.
Muni-fi has major shortcomings that Globetel's business plan seeks to avoid (this being one of the reasons am invested). Not saying GTEM is a success (obviously we as investors don't know jack about what is going on with No Mas Cables buildout or subsciber rate) just pointing out that a private network that focuses (not exclusively) on residential (versus commerical with hotspot or muni-fi) use of a wireless network and with minimal gov't control is probably the way to go....
---------------------------------------------
Rckhnd, like your personal perspective in health care. Here's mine with the world's largest retailer:
February 15, 2007
Hopes Pinned on Walmart's RFID Rollout Recede
By Glenn Fleishman
RFID tags were supposed to be cheap and easy to use by now for logistics: But even with Walmart requiring top suppliers to use the radio tags, and equipping several warehouses for scanning, the effort is still nascent. Suppliers don’t want to criticize Walmart, but it’s clear that there’s no return on investment due to a lack of full integration of RFID into existing software systems for handling inventory, shipping, and tracking, and to the continued high per-tag cost. RFID tags used in this fashion are disposable.
As with Bluetooth, the hype preceded the utility. With a bazillion Bluetooth devices on the market, automotive integration, and audio use, you can’t find anyone now declaring Bluetooth dead, as was the case even a year or two ago. (Bluetooth still needs to evolve, of course.) Likewise, it’s not that RFID has failed, but rather that Walmart’s efforts have outstripped the pieces necessary to provide a real return on investment for either the retail giant or its suppliers.
Posted by Glennf at February 15, 2007 12:55 PM
---------------------------------------------------
Note to Matthew who pm'ed me:
Last contact i had with the folks at Plant 42 was that they (Sanswire) was in the process of packing things up.....
Sorry for not responding sooner. I rarely check for personal messages because........i rarely get any. lol. Thanks, you made my day!
Wi-Fi and RFID
From meters, to grocery tags, RFID or Radio Frequency Identification Tags are the hot item in retail. Now the technology is merged with Wi-Fi and seems to make another killer app. for a large scale wireless networking.
Who knows what's going on in Mexico for Globetel/VPN but at least the technology they seek to deploy gains more utility in the marketplace. -pete
--------------------------------------------------------
When RFID merges with Wi-Fi
The combination leads to paperless, all-digital hospital
October 05, 2007 (Computerworld) -- RFID is a familiar application in business today, to the point that its acronym is part of the vocabulary not only of the IT but also of business management and the general public.
But while it's a wireless technology, it has never really been mobile outside of a very few, limited environments. Its main limitation has been its requirement for specialized, single-purpose readers. As a result, while general-purpose Wi-Fi networks have become increasingly common, RFID has been limited for the most part to one-off applications.
This is now changing with the latest advance in commercially available RFID technology: powered, attachable tags that can be read directly by commercial Wi-Fi APs. This approach, pioneered by Aeroscout Inc., changes RFID from a special-purpose infrastructure to another application on the Wi-Fi network, focusing the cost side of the implementation decision on the cost of tags alone.
This -- combined with Aeroscout's accompanying MobileView software -- opens RFID for use throughout manufacturing plants, warehouses, logistics and any large facility with Wi-Fi networks and a need to track the movement of people or assets. MobileView triangulates signals from tags to multiple APs, to compute their locations. It provides interactive, searchable maps; reporting; event-based alerts and integration with other applications on the network.
One institution where this technology has a prominent place and a major potential impact is the General Hospital in Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco, Mexico. The 70-bed, all-digital institution provides outpatient surgery, and is the first paperless hospital in Mexico (and one of the first worldwide) and the model for a formal national program to convert Mexico's health infrastructure to paperless operations.
Going all-digital
"We made the commitment to become totally digital in May of last year," says Mauricio Derbez del Pinto, health IT coordinator at the IMSS (Instituto Mexicano Del Seguro Social). "On the 29th of November, we held the launch of the digital hospital," he says. This covered all internal operations, although of necessity the General Hospital still accepts paper medical records from other institutions and clinics. It runs over a Cisco wireless network and combines technologies from Hewlett-Packard, Intel and Philips. Its advanced technologies include an electronic patient record, telemedicine supporting medical diagnosis collaboration, and digital 3-D medical image processing.
Paperless operations provide numerous advantages that go beyond mere efficiencies to improving the level of health care. Medical errors, including doctor errors in prescribing and prescription confusion leading to nurses giving the wrong prescription to a patient, are a major cause of medical errors in hospitals, for example.
When doctors enter prescriptions into electronic medical records rather than paper, the computer can intercept errors. And in an electronic environment, nurses record prescription administration by scanning their ID, the patient's ID and the prescription's ID printed on the container. This both records the exact time that each drug is administered to the patient and allows the computer to confirm that the medicine is being given to the correct patient before it's administered.
PAGE 2
Finding doctors, ambulatory patients and mobile medical devices is another set of hospital issues, and the General Hospital included Aeroscout's RFID system in its wireless architecture to solve them. Unlike nurses, who are usually associated with a specific nursing station, doctors wander through a hospital, visiting patients, consulting with colleagues and spending part of their day in their private clinics or offices. Finding a doctor to confirm a prescription or discuss a change in a patient's symptoms can become a lengthy search.
Similarly, today most patient-attached medical monitors, infusion pumps and other devices are wireless and highly mobile. This provides great advantages in flexibility, allowing medical staff to equip every bed with the exact set of medical devices the patient occupying it needs. The trade-off is that devices wander. A device may be "borrowed" from one floor to another. A malfunctioning device may be shoved into a corner or closet and forgotten by a nurse or med tech intent on the patient, instead of being returned for repair. The result is that too often nurses spend large amounts of time searching through the hospital for the device a patient requires.
Tracking wandering patients
And finally patients, themselves, wander. A nurse making the rounds of patients and administering prescriptions may find an empty bed. The patient may be down the hall in the solarium or on the ground floor in the cafeteria, or, in the case of elderly, high-risk patients, may have wandered off absentmindedly to become lost and confused somewhere in the institution's corridors. The result is another search, taking more of the nurse's valuable time and distracting her from patient care.
Aeroscout's technology changes all that. Tags are attached to medical devices, to the clothing of ambulatory, at-risk patients and to the key rings of doctors, nurses, med techs and other hospital personnel. Now finding a person or device takes a few seconds at the nearest networked computer, physical searches are all but eliminated, and medical personnel can devote their attention to patient care without this source of major distraction.
And if a confused elderly patient wanders too far, MobileView can send an alarm to a nurse's pager, ensuring the patient's safe return. The software can also identify mobile medical equipment that has been left standing unused for a long period and may be in need of repair.
When the hospital was being planned, Derbez says, the planning committee searched for models -- institutions that had successfully moved to paperless operations. "We found a group of applications that were successfully working in ... a hospital in Birmingham [Ala.]." The Aeroscout application was among them. The committee already was discussing including an RFID solution, and Aeroscout's inclusion in the Birmingham installation, which became a model for the committee's design, made its inclusion in the General Hospital's infrastructure an easy decision.
"We have seen there are many benefits of going digital, completely digital," Derbez says. "What we are doing is keeping track of some process indicators -- key process indicators -- for the hospital to prove that this is really a cost/benefit, so we can export this kind of model to other hospitals. As a matter of fact we are beginning to plan the second hospital based on this model."
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9041043&pa...
municipal Wi-Fi in Mexico
Am sure this is not the first city in Mexico to go Wi-Fi, but it's (so far) the first have run across. Taking it as a positive sign, in that other wireless operators "have run the numbers" and believe that large network wi-fi is commercially viable.
It's understandable but still a shame muni-fi has not exploded. The community benefit is there. Oh well....see the next article for more advantages to this system....hint -RFID
----------------------------------------------------
Obregon Selects Tropos for Citywide Wi-Fi Network
5th October 2007
The government of Obregon city, in Mexico's Sonora state, has selected US wireless mesh solutions supplier Tropos Networks for the implementation of a Wi-Fi network covering 60km2, Tropos said in a statement.
The initiative forms part of the state and federal governments' efforts to create a knowledge-based economy in the region and should be finished in December 2007.
"Because we are fostering digital inclusion among the city's 270,992 inhabitants, a citizen-centered model was employed in designing the project with the individual as the core user of IT-based services from the government, education, health and private sectors," Sonora institute of technology (ITSON) IT director, Jesus Gaxiola, said in the statement.
The network, owned and operated by ITSON, will cover two technology parks currently in construction, which will serve to attract international tech companies for outsourcing opportunities. Residential access will be free, while businesses are expected to pay a monthly access fee, the statement said.
To bring access to the community, the city is placing internet kiosks in universities, government offices and community centers. Schools and universities will be tied into the network and even police cars will be equipped with laptops to provide access to information from the field, according to the statement.
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/26503.php
Siriuslyricher....
Do not see any direct connection between Lawrence Livermore work and Tao's contribution to S2.
What would like to mention off-subject, is that Stuttgart University would not take Globetel paper for a portion of Tao Technology unless they well understood the value exchange taking place.
Cards all on the table here. Tao has been sitting for awhile with apparently little in the way of licensing (when have any of us seen a commerical segmented airship except Sanswire and Tao themselves, of course).
Either University is trading slop for slop -stale tech for
has-been company.
OR...Helium is about to get Hot -they have been made aware of the technological implications and instead of simply licensing went full-bore into ownership of Sanswire for a share of Tao.
My guess is the latter (based on No licensing), but hey, don't know a thing.
Sorry...hit the wrong button...post continued
"cut".
As long as the good doc continues his work/and or ip remains marketable, Tao T. is not going anywhere.
Further, Germany's ZSW is another company GTEM is partnered with that also has ties to Stuttgurt and Berine.
But getting back to the good doctor, he has a few technologies Sanswire may be capitalizing on.
1) Obviously the LTA (Lighter than Air) work, which is expansive and resulted in the development of the segmented airship we call the Sky Dragon.
2) Bernie is not a one science wonder. He has expert knowledge in other areas....in particular nano-technology. Sanswire will be using his propietary carbon covering epoxy (guessing here bucky-balls carbon 60) to help retain helium within outer covering. (vern did not lie when he was saying S2 leaked like a sieve...he just failed to mention this particular material had not been applied to the airship).
3). Autonomous program for unmanned flight. The development of operation software has run concurrently with craft, which as we know work dates back to early 90's. The guy is the real deal.
4). Electronic propulsion. Not sure how much Kroeplin was directly involved but he is part of ZSW which is also affliated with Stuttgart U. We have never received and update on progress
from Nov. 2005 partnering.
hope this helps and sorry for the chopped posted.
pete
What is Tao T. & why Bernie?
First, Tao Technologies is a company set-up by Prof. Bernd Kroeplin and the University of Stuttgart to market/license market intellectual properties developed by the Bernie and the school. The guy does his R&D there on campus, so this company was to make sure the two (or more) parties get their respective
"c
Siriuslyricher...thanks for all you share
Truth be told, it was both yours and nirlemerlin's comments and posts by other very generous folks that raised (in my mind) the question about the whole sharing DD thing.
Am obviously not talking here about the poster who deceives, laments, or seeks to express any/all of their full emotional range to the board.
But those who put hard effort into finding/relaying honest and reasonably factual information to us the reader, they strike a certain chord of heart-felt conviction -a sacrifice.
To share or not.
Anyway, as for the partnering with Proton with a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRDA)....
It simply blew me away when it turned out it is impossible for two public companies to form an arrangement like that without a third party. And specifically, that party must be a National Laboratory.
Another factor that seemed weird for such a highly desirable asset (which roped-in the DOE ), was that no single US department seemed willing to fully fund airship development.
Just look at Lockheed, they are still fishing for funds...
So, a piece meal approach was undertaken. Place each piece (e.g. propulsion) then solve the puzzle of stratospheric platform.
In the project goal page of the LLNL airship report (not shown or posted), Livermore rep said that it was going to take an order of magnitude enhancement beyond what was done with Helios (solar airship project) to make this all work. Guess they got that.
One last thing for you Siriuslyricher, and not related to past posts today, but perhaps revealing of "other things" Sanswire is/was involved in but we as investors never "got"....
Back in Nov. 2005, when Globetel flew for gov't officials the
"sky dragon", there was this line in the next days PR:
"The airships flown today have been designated "Sky Dragon."
First, DESIGNATED, as a purely private sector, B2B/consumer market term, would be a misnomer. We don't use the term.
Unless it's for gov't application. Why? Because DESIGNATE is a military term for a relatively rigid procedure for assignation of a name. M-16, ABM, M1A1, are examples.
But more importantly than that, it is a budget term, which makes it an accounting term. So, you see it all boils down to.......money. lol
Without a Designation, a specific name, no project black or white....get's funding. Hey, you got to write the check to somebody! lol
Anyway goodnight.
pete
Sanswire partners with DOE #86679
Please,
If you are just logging on today, refer briefly to post 86679 to get your bearings.....thanks
More's the Better
Or:
How a front door agreement with Proton Energy Group lead Sanswire into a backdoor partnership with the US Department of Energy.
It begins as a question. Why the connection with Sanswire's airships and Elisra, or Trident 2008, or a repeat at CWID in 2008? We tentatively partner with Raytheon and march our airship know-how(?) to major defense conferences in the US, yet even now our stock and company appear in the toilet.
Little information comes to our aid, but the very survival of a typical pink sheet stock demands it to scream PR's almost daily. We seem to either the locked jeweled box or simply ground beef for market efficiencies.
Maybe this would had clarity.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Abbreviated chronology GTEM 2005
April 2005 Sanswire One was exhibited in San Bernardino. Announced 90-120 days to FAA approval
June 2005 Sanswire One was moved to Plant 42 in preparation for testing at adjacent Edwards AFB
June 2005 Sanswire purchased two lithium batteries from a source
July 2005 (approx. 90 days after exhibit) Sanswire signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRDA) with Proton Energy Systems. Under the agreement, Proton was to provide prototype regenerative fuel cell systems and technical support and Sanswire the airship platform for testing and engineering inputs to tailor the RFC (Regenerative Fuel Cell) solution.
[Note: prior to 2005 and continuing beyond, Proton Energy had been involved with DOE and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in their fuel cell work, with special emphasis in HAA]
June 2006 Proton received gov't funding for more airship fuel cell work.
February 2007 Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory released Persistent Monitoring Platforms:
Final Report.
---------------------------------------------------------------
So we see the partnership between Sanswire and Proton, but how does the DOE figure into this?
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRDA)
---------------------------------------------------------
What is that?
"The CRADA is a partnering tool that allows federal laboratories to work with US industries, academia and other organizations on cooperative R&D projects. The CRADA provides flexibility in structuring project contributions, intellectual property rights, and in protecting proprietary information and CRADA research results."
Lawrence Livermore Laboratory is the DOE's baby.
So, at this point, it appears that Sanswire was part of some LLNL project (along with Proton). But which one and more importantly, what came of the R&D partnership.
-------------------------------------------------
PERSISTENT MONITORING PLATFORMS:
Final Report Feb. 2007
http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:6GJytee_eHwJ:www.osti.gov/bridge/servlets/purl/902249-1QSCI8/+%2...
[Note: this project existed well before Sanswire entered the picture]
--------------------------------------------
What were the goals of said project?
--------------------------------------------------------
"We will develop and validate the physics models to prove the principles involved in a solar thermal-powered aircraft, in preparation for constructing a prototype scale-model to demonstrate station-keeping capability at sea level.
Successful demonstration of his technology would set the stage for construction of a stratospheric
altitude prototype capable of circumnavigating the globe.
We will also develop physics models for thermal transport, materials interactions, loss mechanisms, and engine performance in the stratosphere's environment."
------------------------------------------------------
And what happened?
It appears success. As the report states, they realized early on the heavier-than-air crafts could not cut it in the Stratosphere, so the focus went to airships. Judging by these quotes, would have to say research, development, and demonstrations must have gone well:
---------------------------------------------------------------
"The primary technical challenge is to be able to store sufficient energy accumulated during the day that overnight flight is enabled. It is this challenge that was addressed and met in the course of the work of this project."
"As a direct result of the research and development work pursued in the course of this project, several pending patents have been produced. These include those listed in the following table:"
"While these patents are pending, enabling details will not be published, and are not included here. Several companies have expressed a great deal of interest in the technology represented by the above portfolio, and licensing negotiations are currently underway."
--------------------------------------------------------------
Personal observations:
The DOE's goal in all this stuff (and who knows above them), was to solve component issues with a
sea-level prototype airship. Could S-1 just have stayed in the hangar during this work? Maybe.
These are two huge hang-ups (fuel cell and propulsion) that have thwarted all comers to date, when it comes to persistent platforms (would think gas management also) at or near the stratosphere. DOE work, words, and patent apps. says they've got it licked....wow.
Assuming that Sanswire would/could share in the outcome of this work (patents) am wondering at this point if this could help them secure a partner who otherwise would not have access to such technology.
Personally, just wished we would have been clearly informed, way back when, of the full nature of this partnering agreement.
Anyway, this is my take on these events. Hope this helps.
pete
ps. Wrote to Rob for a response on the above info. Nothing in the past two months, but know that he is busy guy.....
Serious1 Thank you, much appreciated!
I almost gave up posting because of some who just spit on tangible due diligence. Either they seek to nit pick us to death with convoluted logic, or are just plain verbally abusive.
But it's posts like yours and others, who made me feel some guilt for not sharing what is known.
Am glad to see you fight this stuff also. And thanks again for your sorely needed info.
Will be posting more tonight, so do check in later.
pete
Perfect Stranger..good question
No, security was genuinely shocked when told that the Sanswire lease from 2006-7 was up. Asked if he knew anything about an extension. Response: They will be back Tuesday in the a.m. like usual.
Also, will have more info on DOE/Globetel partnership later this evening. Got to take a break from the net....
pete
From Plant 42
Don't think this counts as an NR, but .....
Sanswire is still in the hangar and no one from the company was there (hangar 704) today. Was told by security to expect them early next week....
Vern, what's your take on this news development? I was there. You? Would think that for such an.....Historic movement, you would not have missed it. Maybe get your piece of S2A like the Hindenberg?
Will be there Tuesday after work....
Something Old Something New
It's a bit old, but hey, maybe it could help in understanding why Elisra's looking to market (with us) an airship.
The Department of Energy
(yeah, weird, but it does make sense..give it a sec.)
formed a backdoor partnership with Globetel, through a conduit company, Proton Energy (remember those guys back in 2005), for R&D work on propulsion and fuel cell systems with emphasis on high altitude airships.....
A document summarizing this work came out in early 2007. Sanswire was obliquely mentioned, while the other company was not.
What also was mentioned was the DOE had the solution to two of the toughest problems facing a HAP; -yup, you guessed it:
Fuel cells and propulsion....
So much so, that the DOE filed patents, and certain interested parties are negotiating for there use.
So why the DOE? The US gov't realized some time ago that private industry (who they had been relying on for the most part to make this critical system [HAP] work) did not appear able to surmount major technological obstacles with out some......assistance.
JAXA, the Jap equivalent to NASA basically folded up the tent because of these very same obstacles facing HAPS.
Anyway, US govt, at some point, decided to focus on the individual problem elements rather than the whole stinking airship, thus DOE became the point man for this whole enchilada revolving energy conservation and use.
Well, i know at this point have not shown how this info was derived....and obviously some is conjecture/opinion. So, as soon as i get back from Plant 42, it will be released.
I want to see if the Strat is staying (will wish a Bon Voyage),
or as suspected, not going anywhere.
Will be back after the market closes.
pete
ps. nilremerlin, awesome job with the jewish connection....
Hey, don't they also control Entertainment Industry ;^)
pete
Hello.................
Having left the board some time ago (on my own accord and w/some nicely placed kicks in the rear good-bye...ouch), have remained a faithful reader. And am thus, continually touched by those that post truthful, meaningful information here (both positive and perhaps the not-so). Thank you for those efforts.
In payment of like kind, let me share this article and babelfish/homebrew translation (please do not rely on the translation below, it's only an attempt to explain the spanish...do your own) regarding the latest efforts by PERALTA/VPN to crack open the internet phone call biz.
And by way of this new product, perhaps we as investors may discern the reason for a very vague marketing effort to date for our NO MAS CABLES.
Because if these two products: VPN's flash-drivesque VOIP prepaid phone piece was directly bundled with the TRIAL use of LOCAL WI-FI (VPN's NO MAS CABLES), then a customer could both sample the internet and use prepurchased VOIP....right from an no-phone jack laptop or computer box.....look ma, no wires!
A Sweet tie-in which obviously would only be available where the HotZone Cloud resides.
This could also explain some of the issues regarding No Mas's in-house attempts at selling Wi-Fi. This is all they would be selling.....internet.
But this is the real marketing advantage of the HOTZONE system..
a stealth telecom network behind a Wi-Fi cloud. I have never seen the like of this...
Anyway, this is all personal opinion. Please read the article and form your own beliefs.
nite.
pete
http://www.mundocontact.com/enlinea_detalle.php?recordID=5444
Peralta redimensiona la telefonía a bajo precio
22/08/2007 08:09:00
VPN de México
Categorías:
• Telefonía IP / VoIP
IUSA incursiona en servicios de voz sobre IP a través de VPN de México
Carlos Peralta Quintero, presidente y director general de Grupo IUSA, aún no está convencido de dejar las telecomunicaciones. Luego de vender la firma celular Iusacell, el empresario mexiquense incursionó en servicios de voz sobre IP, a través de su empresa VPN de México, que ofrece servicios de Voz sobre el Protocolo de Internet (VoIP).
Sin embargo, ante resultados magros, hoy está redimensionando el negocio de la telefonía a bajo precio mediante la primera línea de teléfono portátil, que es un dispositivo USB que puede ser usado en cualquier computadora o laptop con acceso a una conexión de internet, no necesariamente de alta velocidad.
Enrique López-Negrete, director comercial de VPN de México, explicó que recientemente fue lanzado este nuevo dispositivo denominado VOX IP USB al mercado mexicano, el cual puede ser portado por el usuario como un llavero y ser operado desde cualquier computadora de escritorio o portátil que tenga acceso a internet, ya que éste incluye un soft-ware precargado para hacer y recibir llamadas de teléfono, un micrófono-audífono alámbrico, y una capacidad de 250 Mb de memoria.
Detalló que, a diferencia de otras compañías, con este dispositivo ya no se requiere necesariamente de una conexión permanente a internet de buena calidad ni tener una tarjeta de crédito, ya que es el primer servicio con tarjetas de prepago o recarga, pues éstas representaban barreras comerciales importantes para adquirir o contratar estos servicios. De hecho, destacó, este puede se conseguido en cualquier tienda Office Depot a un precio de 299 pesos, o ser enviado a domicilio con un cargo adicional de 99 pesos.
El directivo informó que el dispositivo VOX IP USB incluye 100 pesos de crédito, y cada llamada local o de larga distancia nacional tendrá un costo de un peso, mientras que para hablar a Estados Unidos, el precio será de un peso por minuto, lo que representa, a diferencia de la telefonía convencional, un ahorro de entre 40% y 70%
Detalló que este dispositivo se carga automáticamente al insertar el USB en la computadora, por lo que no se requiere de baterías. Además, el software que contiene permite visualizar un teléfono en la pantalla y seguir paso a paso las instrucciones para hacer y recibir llamadas. El “teléfono” cuenta con identificador de llamadas, llamadas en espera y se pueden redireccionar llamadas a números locales, además de que pueden guardarse archivos de MP3, fotografías y otros datos importantes.
Este tipo de ofertas como la de VoxIP de Grupo IUSA, en la que inicialmente invirtió 50 millones de pesos para conformar su filial VPN, le permitirá llegar a un mercado potencial de 22.7 millones de internautas mexicanos, cuyo número va en ascenso, aseguró.
Según reporte de la Asociación Mexicana de Internet, a finales de 2007 la mitad de estos usuarios utilizarán los nuevos servicios de la red, como el de comunidades en línea.
Fuente: El Universal, México
________________________________________________________________
IUSA incursion into services of voice on IP through VPN of Mexico
Carlos Peralta Quintero, president and director general of Group IUSA, is not yet convinced to leave telecommunications.
After selling the cellular company/signature Iusacell, the Mexican industralist entered IP markets , through its company VPN of Mexico, that offers Voice over IP (VoIP).
Nevertheless, early results were thin, today VPN is redefining the business of cheap telephony by means of forward edge of cellular telephone, a USB device that can be used in any computer or laptop with access to an Internet connection, not necessarily of high speed.
Enrique Lopez-Negrete, commercial director of VPN of Mexico, explained that recently this new denominated device VOX IP USB was sent to the Mexican market, which can be carried by the user like a key ring and being operated from any portable desktop computer or that has access to Internet, since this one includes a preloaded software to make and to receive telephone calls, a wire microphone-headset, and a 250 capacity of Mb of memory. He detailed that, unlike other companies, with this device no longer requires a permanent connection to Internet of good quality nor to have a credit card, since it is the first service with prepayment cards or recharges, because these represented commercial barriers important to acquire or to contract these services.
In fact, he emphasized, this can be obtained in any Office Depot store for a price of 299 pesos, or to be sent at home with an additional position of 99 pesos. The director informed that device VOX IP USB includes 100 pesos of credit, and each local call or of long national distance will have a cost of a weight, whereas to speak to the United States, the price will be of a weight per minute, which represents, unlike the conventional telephony, a saving of between 40% and 70%
It detailed that this device automatic loading when inserting the USB in the computer, reason why is not required of batteries. In addition, the software that contains allows to visualize a telephone in the screen and to follow the instructions step by step to make and to receive calls. The "telephone" counts on identifier of calls, calls in delay and calls to local numbers can be redirected, in addition of which important archives of MP3, photographies and other data can keep. This type of supplies like the one of VoxIP of Group IUSA, in which initially it invested 50 million weights to conform his branch VPN, will allow him to arrive at a potential market of 22,7 million Mexican internauts, whose numbers are climbing.
According to report of the Mexican Association of Internet, at the end of 2007 half of these users will use the new services of the network, like the one of communities in line. Source: The Universal One, Mexico
Pnizzle....What?
You Wrote this:
"Very nice Imawswami. You're doing the same thing that Seth Jayson and Christopher Byron did... string along unrelated facts to make it appear as though GTE once again has gotten itself into a peril. The Ghana pilot test has barely begun, and already you're talking about the company's efforts being sabotaged by Kunta Kinte and friends. Don't you realize that what you start here on the message board works its way up? Pretty soon, I'm sure Huff and Bleckman will be getting calls asking about the theft of copper wire from the Hotzone boxes. Aren't these guys busy enough?"
----------------------------------
PNizzle, Comparing what was written @ 30351 with works by Seth and Chris is quite frankly ludicrious, and very insulting. In some ways it's quite similar to your reference to the African male in italic above. While your terminology and message seemed to have survived it's posting to this board, i for one am not glad of it.
Your belief is that i make it appear as though GTE once again has gotten itself into a peril.
This is false.
My quote: " That said, the article should be viewed as very illuminating to investors involved in companies offering wireless or non-terrestial telecom services to the third world."
PNizzle, why would a cable-minimizing or non-cable operation such as GTE can (through Hotzone Wireless) or in the future (STratellite) offer be in immediate peril from those that strip cable from the ground or sky? Exactly, they may actually be resistant -a big plus for operating in third world nations.
But, more importantly, even if GTE was not insulated from such attacks, it is of PARAMOUNT importance that we as investors know what is going on in a foreign land where we operate. Good news or BAD. Period.
What should be stated here on this board, first and foremost is Truth as it relates to GTE and it's operations. I have done that. What comes of such postings, no one can control, nor should.
I am an investor. I have friends and family who also invest in GTE. I research what i own. Lots of time. I shared what was found. Don't believe that, go and read my past posts. I am proud of my comments and efforts. Are you of yours?
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Here are the RELATED facts logically strung together for you so that any investor can rationally understand there ramifications. This information can be found in National papers of Ghana and greater Africa or public websites:
1. Ghana Telecom is Ghana's largest telecom operation with 4000 employees in a nation of only 21 million.
2. Several articles such as this one: http://allafrica.com/stories/200606261273.html
describe the large scale infrastructure damage sustained by a single telecom company, Ghana Telecom during this month in and around the regional capital of Kumasi.
3.This vandalism initially involved theft for resale of cable telecom wiring, but more recently cable laid both above and below ground have been cut and left behind. This strongly suggests sabotage as a motive.
4. Ghana Telecom itself suspects sabotage. A quote from another article:
"Mr. Robert Baffour Awuah, Regional Director and Head Sector Middle of the company [Ghana Telecom] and who suspects sabotage, said cables were destroyed as soon as they were replaced.
5. These events began during a period when Ghana T. was starting to expand their operations through cable-laying.
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PNizzle,
This is my last post to this board. Am hoping that you will contribute more and better than i have. Sorry for the rant above, but your comments above were uncalled for.
I thank all the meaningful contributors here. You've all done a great job. This board is the best. Frank, keep up the good work.
I've been blessed by all your efforts, and now will spend less time writing and more time foot-pounding. Living so close to Plant 42, am going to spend more time there in the hopes of gaining more first hand information, though the security guards are already getting tired of my drive-bys and hellos....
Take care all.
pete
Ghana: Saboteurs Cripple GT's Expansion Programme
"No enterprise is more likely to succeed than one concealed from the enemy until it is ripe for execution."
Niccolo Machiavelli, 1520THE SEVEN BOOKS ON THE ART OF WAR
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"In April 2006, in sub-Saharan Africa, the Company was approached by Giant Int'l (GH) Ltd., to develop a HotZone wireless communications infrastructure for the nation of
Ghana and for the Republic of the Congo, two underserved telecom markets. Construction of the test bed was paid for by Giant and once testing is completed, GlobeTel and Giant will review the feasibility of a joint venture to operate networks in the two countries."
GTE June PR
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
By posting the article below, in no way am i inferring that Giant
International or GTE are directly or indirectly involved in the ongoing telecommunications wiring destruction incurred by Ghana Telecom (GT). For myself, i simply view these events as common for this kind of political/social/economic environment of a third world country, or for that matter, any country.
That said, the article should be viewed as very illuminating
to investors involved in companies offering wireless or non-terrestial telecom services to the third world.
Here, the economic value of underground cable can be great enough to justify it's untrenching by thieves.
Replacement/customer lose can be staggering to the provider. Prevention is plainly difficult. A wireless competitor may find such an environment advantage and make justifiable inroads, or they themselves may become victims of sabotage...
[note: Obviously, Stratellites would be the ultimate provider of choice given the above scenario]
As the artice goes on to reveal, sometimes rudimentary economic gain is not always the motive. Lines were just recently cut, but not removed for copper resale.
Business may be like warfare, and tangible assets like plant& equipment, or intangibles like the goodwill of a companies name/reputation or Stock price may become victims of commerce.
This is the reality that we compete in.
Again, am in no way inferring that Giant Int./GTE is culpable.
It just makes for some interesting reading.....pete
http://allafrica.com/stories/200606261273.html
Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra)
June 26, 2006
Posted to the web June 26, 2006
Sebastian R. Freiku, Kumasi
A GROUP of unidentified people are said to have besieged Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional capital and its immediate environs, destroying underground and overhead cables laid by the Ghana Telecom (GT) under its expansion projects.
GT has been under constant threat the past three months following massive destruction of cables at Santasi, Esreso, Tanoso, TUC residential area, the entire Buokrom and the city centre of Adum.
Following this phenomenon, the company has had to replace destroyed cables at a high cost of about ¢532 million.
Mr. Robert Baffour Awuah, Regional Director and Head Sector Middle of the company and who suspects sabotage, said cables were destroyed as soon as they were replaced.
He mentioned that on June 9, 2006, about 358 fixed lines were destroyed and that about 200 pairs of overhead cables were reportedly destroyed in a week at TUC.
In all, about 2,000 lines have been disrupted from the activities of the criminals.
The Regional Director indicated that following the development, fault levels in Kumasi had been raised from average of 80 to about 500 a week.
According to him, earlier thieves who stole cables previously, took away the copper wire in them for monetary gains but the situation was now different because the cables were cut and abandoned, giving credence to a case of sabotage.
As a result, he said the GT has been compelled to use cables meant for its expansion programmes to repair destroyed ones only to be cut down again and again.
According to Mr. Baffour Awuah, this crime was mostly committed in the night and therefore appealed to the general public to volunteer information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators for a handsome reward.
Relevant Links
West Africa
ICT and Telecom
Crime and Corruption
Company News
Ghana
The Regional Boss said upon a formal complaint to the Police, the Regional Police Command has assured to mount an intensive surveillance to clamp down on the activities of the saboteurs.
Mr. Baffour Awuah has also appealed to Chiefs through the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to prevail upon their constituents and subjects to be on the lookout for the criminals and expose them.
Meanwhile, the GT has set its investigative machinery in motion to keep an eye on the criminals.
New twist for Voip: Internet Area Code
http://news.digitaltrends.com/article10732.html
efonica VOIP Offers Internet Area Code
DiscussPrintEmail Monday, June 19th 2006 @ 12:55 PM PDT
By Geoff Duncan
Staff Writer, Digital Trends News
Fusion's efonica has rolled out a VOIP service open to landline and mobile numbers by using an "Internet area code."
advertising
Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VOIP) telephone service might be a hot technology right now—and tens of millions of Skype users would probably agree—but it doesn't alwasy integrate very well with existing phone services. VOIP solutions instead often become one more number, handle, or interface you have to remember in order to get in touch with people. Weren't thing simpler back when everyone just had a phone number?
Fusion's efonica brand aims to bring back some of that simplicity in its just-introduced VOIP service by introducing a new "Internet area code" for use by efonica VOIP customers. The basic idea is that instead of having to learn a new handle, ID, or number, efonic users can reach other efonic users via their normal phone number, simply preceding it with a "10" Internet area code. So, if my friend's phone number was 206/555-1234, I could reach that friend via efonica's VOIP service by dialing 10-206-555-1234. The idea is that folks will fine efonica's free VOIP service easier to use because it is less disruptive to existing calling habits and patterns built around phone numbers.
Customers on the efonica service can call each other for free anywhere in the world using a free softphone application for Windows 2000/XP PCs, IP phones, SIP-enabled devices, or (with an unspecified "simple" adapter) even regular landlines.
"We believe that the introduction of the worldwide Internet Area Codemarks a significant development in the VoIP industry," said Roger Karam,President of Fusion's VoIP division. "We've simplified the way subscriberscall each other. During a brief sign-up process, subscribers register theirlandline or mobile numbers as their eNumbers, and within seconds, they cancall each other for free. They simply dial the Internet Area Code '10'before the eNumber to enjoy high quality voice calls at no cost. It'sthat easy, and the call connects immediately. Because efonica supports thecurrent dialing habits of consumers worldwide, customers should adapt toefonica seamlessly."
efonica offers paid plans starting at $5/month for users to call out to traditional landlines worldwide at competitive rates, and plans to roll out support for incoming phone calls, faxes, voicemail, and even an electronic payment system. Fusion also plans to introduce VOIP solutions for business and high-end users, and, unlike Skype and Vonage, efonica claims to work well even over non-broadband Internet connections. Fusion undoubtedly has a lot of work cut out for them to catch up with eBay's world-wide VOIP phenomena Skype and major players like Vonage—but competition is a healthy thing, right?
trying2getrich, article last posted #30147
First paragraph reads:
"A small Florida company is flight testing a line of high-altitude airships, or what it calls “stratellites,” this year and has attracted tentative support from Raytheon to develop airships for military and civilian telecommunications and observation.".........
hope this helps,
pete
Palmpilots/Pipes/>personnel: Our future Border?
Interesting commentary on present border security and some of the basic logistical problems faced daily. From circumvention of physical barriers to man/hours lost for want of a telecom infrastructure, this 2000 mile border is a beast to secure.
Raytheon made it a point to spent substantial field time with border agents, understanding their particular needs/wants, and constructed their SBINET submission around such intel.
My personal belief is that Raytheon's "tentative" partnership
(their words)with GTE will fit into a border initiative that, while being awarded this Sept., will take years to put into place. Not only because it will involve the placement of various forms of physical barriers, but the telecom/sensor infrastructure, new tech/training/ & tactics necessary to fullfill the 2000 mile task.
National guard is the temporary fix, but in the end, the President's vision of a co-laboring Unmanned airsupport will be implemented.
[NOTE:?Tentative partner: why would Ray even announce such a thing? Why not wait till after the successful trials of the Strat, before announcing an actual partnership? Maybe someone forced their hands.....]
pete
http://www.lamonitor.com/articles/2006/06/23/headline_news/news02.txt
Headline News
Federal Security Task Force tours state's border
CAROL A. CLARK, lanews@lamonitor.com, Monitor Senior Reporter
With domestic anti-terrorism raids in the news once again, concern with illegal foot traffic along New Mexico's international border heightens.
Incidents of OTMs, (Other Than Mexicans), illegally crossing the border have increased by 63 percent during the last six months, said Ron Dolin from Los Alamos National Laboratory's Center for Homeland Security.
Dolin, a Republican candidate running for U.S. Congress against Democratic incumbent Tom Udall, sits on the United State Senate's Border Security Task Force.
He arranged a New Mexico border tour for Department of Homeland Security executives from Washington, D.C., which took place June 15.
"We were briefed on the current situation by border patrol agents," Dolin said.
Through his service on the task force during the last three years, Dolin said he has interacted with border patrol agents and local law enforcement officers to address problems brought on by the nonstop stream of illegals.
"I have witnessed the problems along the border first hand and talked extensively with landowners and community leaders," he said.
Dolin identified landowner concerns as:
Growing incidents of drug dealers crossing their property with drugs;
armed drug dealers on their property;
damage to property from foot traffic;
trash discarded by illegals;
cut fences; and,
illegals draining water tanks, which leaves livestock without water.
Dolin said there is an unexpected lack of negativity along the U.S. side of the border.
"Both citizens and law enforcement have a lot of compassion for the people crossing the border to work here," he said. "They are very respectful of them even when talking about them."
"The landowners feel for the plight of the workers and try to provide some of them with water and food," Dolin said. "Sometimes the workers come to the landowners' homes and ask for aid but when you've got 70 people crossing every day it becomes overwhelming."
He said the border patrol has already apprehended 54,000 people illegally crossing the border this year.
The National Guard is building miles of three-foot tall vehicle barriers constructed of 4-inch pipe filled with concrete. The barriers are being placed two feet apart in sections of high vehicle traffic, Dolin said.
The drug traffickers and illegal aliens are building ramps to drive over the barriers or they're tearing them down, he said.
Another problem is lack of communication in the desolate areas where the illegal crossings occur.
Sen. Jeff Bingaman obtained funding to provide 150 radios for landowners so they can communicate with border patrol and law enforcement agencies, Dolin said. The problem they have run into is in finding a frequency that connects all parties.
Another problem is extensive time involved in fingerprinting each apprehended person.
"Literally 25 percent of an agent's shift is spent fingerprinting," Dolin said. LANL has been working on advanced technologies to help local law enforcement agencies have access to federal intelligence without requiring a clearance," Dolin said. "They don't have to say why but just share enough information to let local enforcement know to proceed with caution or let the person go but follow him, etc."
Dolin said there will probably be a palm pilot operated by cell or satellite transmission to enable fingerprinting in the field so agents don't have to drive the illegal alien to a facility for fingerprinting. If there is no arrest warrant the person can be returned to Mexico rather than being held.
New Mexico has 112 miles of international border and is comprised of three border patrol sectors, Dolin said. The east end of the border is the jurisdiction of the El Paso Border Patrol sector. The central 54-mile border is the jurisdiction of the Deming Border Patrol sector, and the western boot heel portion is the jurisdiction of the Lordsburg Border Patrol sector.
Most of the illegal alien traffic along New Mexico's international border occurs within the Deming sector," Dolin said.
Besides the BSTF, Dolin also serves on the Department of Justice's Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council and the Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Action Team.
Dolin recounted what President Teddy Roosevelt said in 1902 - "The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, or preventing all possibility of its continuing as a nation at all, would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities."
Today illegal alien enforcement is nonexistent, Dolin said. The number of unauthorized workers arrested fell from 2,849 in fiscal year 1999 to 445 in 2003, according to the Government Accountability Office during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Dolin said.
The GAO noted the number of full-time immigration officials devoted to worksite enforcement fell from 240 in 1999 to 90 in 2003.
"My observation is that the border patrol is doing a good job - they are just incredibly understaffed right now," Dolin said.
Government assessments show 6,000 more agents are needed, he said adding that it will take some years to reach that staffing level because of the border patrols' rigorous training course.
"It takes 17 months to train a new agent and only one in every thousand who apply are actually able to complete the training," Dolin said. "The good news is that they have a high retention rate for those that make it."
Dolin said Sen. Jeff Bingaman D-NM created the Border Security Task Force to foster greater interagency interaction between the U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs, and state and local law enforcement. A secondary reason was to address landowner concerns along the border, he said.
The BSTF is chaired by Bingaman's office with representatives from the offices of Sen. Pete Domenici's R-NM, Rep. Steve Pierce and Rep. Heather Wilson R-NM. Occasionally a representative from the New Mexico Office of Homeland Security also participates, he said. Other agencies that participate include U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs, New Mexico State Police, NMSU, New Mexico Tech, DHS, LANL, Sandia, Donna Anna County Sheriff, Hildago County Sheriff, City of Las Cruces, City of Deming, City of Lordsburg, City of El Paso, and members of the Mexican Government.
Printed 6/23/06
Swami's glad you liked his comments Schnizzle
Am flattered Sir. As i was reading your post, had to laugh, because it contained a certain purity and succinctness to it that was well.....so familar! lol. Except the cut-an-paste part missed my "pete". ;^)
Glad you liked it also...
PS since im here. Am personally glad stock price is where it is. Am grabbing all i can. Too much world changing tech for the likes of FSS/Grupo IUSA/Giant Int./Travelex/etc. under our roof. The floor at the moment is just over a buck. I'll stand on that. All attending the shm much thanks. Mide, you've done a man's job, sir. Thanks.
Posted by: imawswami
In reply to: None Date:5/21/2006 11:55:33 PM
Post #of 29916
Raytheon/Brazil deal + Strat=US/Mex $$
The success of Raytheon's Brazilian surveillance program (article below) produced further contracts for Airport security here in the US and a possible leg up on competiting bids for the $2 billion dollar US Mexico/Canada border programs.
With an operational Stratellite program accentuating an already proven security infrastructure such as Raytheon and "tentative" partner Sanswire would offer, competitors may well be hard pressed to counter. -pete
http://business.bostonherald.com/businessNews/view.bg?articleid=140020
Raytheon Bids For Border Contract
By Jay Fitzgerald
Boston Herald General Economics Reporter
Saturday, May 20, 2006 - Updated: 12:17 AM EST
A vast sensor system being used in Brazil’s Amazon forest could be the high-tech model for a similar “virtual fence” along America’s borders - if Waltham-based Raytheon has its way.
Raytheon is now preparing its official multibillion-dollar bid proposal in response to the U.S. government’s recent call for ideas on how to better monitor the Mexican and Canadian borders to prevent illegal aliens and potential terrorists from sneaking into the country.
Bids are expected on May 30 - and a final contract for the so-called “SBInet” system will be awarded this fall by the Department of Homeland Security.
Raytheon is hoping its past effort to build an electronic monitoring system in Brazil will give it a leg up on competition for the U.S. contract.
Four years ago, Raytheon finished up its $1.4 billion contract to construct Brazil’s “System for the Vigilance of the Amazon,” whose high-tech monitoring devices are intended to catch drug traffickers and people cutting down trees in the 2 million-square-mile region of the Amazon.
The idea is to tie together ground and satellite sensors, planes flying above, mobile radars, and other high-tech gadgets to track people and trucks within the Amazon.
“All of the (information) feeds into one central command system,” said Lynford Morton, a spokesman for Raytheon, a defense contractor that’s increasingly moving into non-military business areas.
In March, four airports in the New York City area gave Raytheon a $100 million contract to build anti-terrorist monitoring systems at the airports.
That contract came after New York officials visited the Amazon, Morton noted.
“It’s (similar) to what we’re doing in Brazil,” said Morton of the U.S.-border system federal officials envision.
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Now imagine a 7-8 Billion dollar Saudi securtiy deal (Raytheon to bid on) thrown into the mix. -pete