NEW EDIG

[cksla]

In today's hyperspeed business environment, secure, efficient and streamlined communications are key to business success. United Parcel Service (UPS) and Hewlett-Packard Company (HP) announced in the US an agreement to develop the world's first digital-delivery solution for sending and tracking paper-based documents over the Internet - all with the push of a button.

Under the terms of the agreement, the companies will bring together two industry-first products: UPS Document Exchange, the first trackable, secure, delivery service for digital documents, and the HP 9100C Digital Sender, which electronically sends physical documents in a single step. The result is expected to be the industry's first solution that enables secure delivery of paper-based documents across the Internet.

The natural combination of these smart products - seamlessly integrated paper-based information and electronic messaging - is the closest you can get today to safe and immediate document delivery. By combining what UPS and HP do best, both companies can deliver superior solutions for electronic-document delivery and management. It help customers with one of today's greatest business challenges: simplified communications.

Because electronic transmissions are so efficient and cost-effective, companies are seeking to electronically manage as much of their data as possible. The HP 9100C Digital Sender allows companies to deliver high-quality, paper-based documents electronically - in monochrome or colour. At the same time, UPS Document Exchange enables users to send and track digital files securely across the Internet, using a service that features delivery confirmation, proof of receipt and a password-protection option. Now, critical paper-based documents that once were sent via overnight delivery can be sent in digital form to recipients almost instantaneously, at a fraction of the cost.

UPS Document Exchange integrated with HP's Digital Sender will help companies leverage investments in existing e-mail and networking systems because it allows users to send paper-based documents across the Internet and to other devices on the network. The combined product is a complementary extension to e-mail; a cost-effective alternative to physical overnight letter delivery; and a more convenient, secure alternative to faxing.

Companies looking to increase business-to-business e-commerce may find this product helps alleviate fears about conducting business electronically. Surveys of Internet users conducted by the Information Technology Association of America, Lycos and NetZero consistently identify security fears as a major barrier to the growth of e-commerce.

These concerns include the fear that sensitive data can be intercepted; uncertainty that recipients of information are who they claim to be; and the possibility that critical documents can be manipulated while in transit.

Companies today are under significant pressure to bring value to their organisations by leveraging information. UPS is in the unique position of having a robust portfolio of physical and virtual delivery offerings, a well-trusted brand, and an innovative set of electronic commerce solutions.

More information about the HP 9100C Digital Sender and UPS Document Exchange is available on UPS website at www.exchange.ups.com under "Our Partners - Extending the Advantage."
==============================================
UPS to spend $127M on tri-mode wireless driver terminals


By Bob Brewin
APRIL 15, 2003

Content Type: Story
Source: Computerworld


United Parcel Service Inc. plans to spend $127 million over the next five years on global deployment of a new driver terminal that features built-in cellular, wireless LAN and Bluetooth short-range wireless systems.
The DIAD IV driver terminal, a compact, rugged device powered by Windows CE .Net., includes a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, a bar code scanner and a color screen. The DIAD (or Deliver Information Acquisition Device) IV terminals were manufactured by Symbol Technologies Inc. in Holtsville, N.Y.

Atlanta-based UPS spent $22 million to develop the DIAD IV, which will be used by 70,000 drivers worldwide, according to spokeswoman Donna Barrett.

The new terminal hooks drivers into the UPS worldwide network from a customer's premises, allowing drivers to enter package tracking data into the network without having to walk back to the truck and hook up the terminal to a wireless WAN -- as they have to do with the current system, Barrett said.

The new terminal also confirms deliveries almost instantaneously: Drivers scan the package bar code, collect the receiver's signature electronically, type in the last name of the receiver, push a single key to complete the transaction and distribute the data, UPS said in its announcement.

"This electronic data capture ensures that UPS customers have the most current package tracking information available to them anytime, anywhere," UPS CIO Ken Lacy said in a statement.

Dave Salzman, UPS program manager for information services, said the short-range Bluetooth wireless system in the DIAD IV is designed to communicate with peripheral devices that the company may add in the future, including printers and credit card readers.

UPS also plans to use the Bluetooth system, which operates in the same 2.4-GHz band as 802.11b WLANs built into the DIAD IV, to communicate with customer computers that use UPS shipping software and also have Bluetooth wireless connections, Salzman said. He added that one reason UPS chose the .Net version of the Windows CE operating system from Microsoft Corp. was because it supported XML messaging, which will make it easier for the DIAD IV to communicate with customer PCs.

The built-in 802.11b WLAN system will be used for in-building communications with WLAN systems installed in UPS stations and hubs, Salzman said. In October 2000, UPS detailed plans to install WLANs at all 2,000 of its sorting facilities worldwide (see story).

The DIAD IV, which UPS plans to start deploying next year, replaces the DIAD III. Introduced in 1999 at a cost of $100 million and manufactured by Motorola Inc. in Schaumburg, Ill. (see story), the DIAD III had a black-and-white screen and operated over a U.S. wide-area packet data network provided by Motient Corp. in Reston, Va., with a data rate of only 9.6Kbit/sec.

The DIAD IV, Barrett said, will operate over cellular networks based on the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) standard that have a data rate of 20Kbit/sec. to 40Kbit/sec. or Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) 1xrtt (single carrier radio transmission technology) networks that have an average data rate of 40Kbit/sec. to 60Kbit/sec.

UPS started a large-scale test of a GPRS network operated by AT&T Wireless Services Inc. in Redmond, Wash., with 4,500 DIAD III terminals earlier this year (see story). Last year, UPS completed an upgrade of 15,000 DIAD IIIs used in Europe so they would operate on a GPRS network operated by the T-Mobile division of Deutsche Telekom AG in Bonn.

Barrett added that UPS has not yet signed a long-term contract with AT&T Wireless pending the results of the tests. Cingular Wireless in Atlanta and the U.S.-based division of T-Mobile in Bellevue, Wash., also operate nationwide GPS-based cellular systems. UPS intends to use CDMA networks to provide coverage in areas not served by GPRS systems, Barrett added. Both Verizon Wireless in Bedminster, N.J., and Sprint PCS Group in Overland Park, Kan., operate nationwide CDMA networks.

UPS rival FedEx Corp. in Memphis started a rollout of a similar driver terminal based on the Pocket PC operating system last fall in a $150 million project designed to equip 40,000 drivers. The FedEx PowerPad operates over the AT&T Wireless Services GPRS network and incorporates Bluetooth technology as well as a built-in 802.11b wireless LAN system. But it doesn't have a built-in GPS like UPS's DIAD IV.

Barrett said UPS initially intends to use the GPS technology to aid dispatchers in Europe, where the company responds to calls for pick-up, unlike in the U.S., where the company has scheduled pick-ups on a daily basis at known customer locations. The DIAD's GPS receiver will transmit vehicle locations back to the dispatch center over the GPRS network, allowing dispatchers to quickly determine the vehicle nearest to a call, Barrett said. The DIAD IV has 128MB of memory, more than 20 times the memory in the DIAD III. A portion of the DIAD IV's memory could one day be allocated for maps that would be used with the GPS system, Barrett added.

Ken Pasley, director of wireless system development at FedEx, said that while his company uses GPS on long-haul trucks, the company had dismissed the idea of putting it into the PowerPad because of loss of coverage from the GPS satellites once a driver enters a building.

Pasley also said that FedEx eventually will be able to use cellular network-based location systems in the U.S., once the cellular carriers have rolled out the federally mandated service nationwide.

Salzman said that UPS doesn't need to track a driver inside a building; it just needs to know the driver's last stop location. He added that the cost of adding GPS capabilities to the DIAD IV was "incremental."

Pasley also disclosed that FedEx is considering using CDMA cellular service in addition to GPS in the U.S. to improve coverage and is looking for the industry to develop a chip-based GPRS/CDMA system.

Chris Kozup, an analyst at Meta Group Inc., said UPS and FedEx continue to lead the way with integration of wireless in vertical, enterprise markets.

"UPS and FedEx have always been innovators, and they are now pioneering the integration of multiple wireless technologies" into a single device, Kozup said. He said UPS needs to stay ahead on the technology curve because many of the concepts and business applications it pioneered, such as automated package tracking, have been adopted by rivals, including the U.S. Postal Service.
==============================================
Wednesday 16 April 2003

UPS to deploy trimode wireless driver terminals



United Parcel Service is to spend $127m (£81m) on global deployment over the next five years of a driver terminal that features built-in cellular, wireless Lan and Bluetooth short-range wireless systems.

The Deliver Information Acquisition Device (DIAD) IV includes GPS receivers and a barcode scanner.

"This electronic data capture ensures that UPS customers have the most current package tracking information available to them anytime, anywhere," UPS chief information officer Ken Lacy said.

Dave Salzman, UPS program manager for information services, said the short-range Bluetooth wireless system in the DIAD IV is designed to communicate with peripheral devices that the company may add in the future, including printers and credit card readers.

UPS will use the Bluetooth system to communicate with customer computers that have Bluetooth wireless connections and UPS shipping software. Salzman added that one reason UPS chose the .net version of Microsoft's Windows CE was because it supported XML messaging, which will make it easier for the DIAD IV to communicate with customer PCs.

The built-in 802.11b Wlan system will be used for in-building communications with WLAN systems installed in UPS stations and hubs. In October 2000, UPS detailed plans to install Wlans at all 2,000 of its sorting facilities worldwide.

The DIAD IV, which UPS plans to start deploying next year, replaces the Motorola-manufactured DIAD III introduced in 1999.

UPS started a large-scale test of a GPRS network, operated by AT&T Wireless Services, with 4,500 DIAD III terminals earlier this year. Last year, UPS completed an upgrade of 15,000 DIAD IIIs used by its drivers in Europe to use a GPRS network operated by the T-Mobile division of Deutsche Telekom in Bonn.

UPS has not yet signed a long-term contract with AT&T Wireless pending the results of the tests. Cingular Wireless in Atlanta, as well as the US division of T-Mobile, also operates nationwide GPS-based cellular systems.

UPS intended to use CDMA networks to provide coverage in areas not served by GPRS systems. Both Verizon Wireless and Sprint PCS Group operate nationwide CDMA networks.

UPS rival FedEx started a rollout of a similar driver terminal based on the Pocket PC operating system last autumn in a $150m project designed to equip 40,000 drivers.

The FedEx PowerPad operates over the AT&T Wireless Services GPRS network and also incorporates Bluetooth technology as well as a built-in 802.11b wireless Lan system, although it does not have built-in GPS
========================================================
UPS Drivers to Use Next-Generation Wireless Computer
ATLANTA, April 15, 2003 - UPS (NYSE:UPS) today unveiled a new generation of the wireless, handheld computer used by its drivers, ultimately ensuring customers have the most up-to-the-minute tracking information available at all times.
The fourth generation of the Delivery Information Acquisition Device, or DIAD IV, incorporates new radio communication links that allow it to communicate almost anywhere, anytime; dramatically expanded memory, and a color screen that allows alert messages to be color-coded for drivers.

The incorporation of three different types of radio communication links in each unit will ensure that package delivery information is available to customers almost instantaneously. The color screen will make life easier for drivers as well as customers signing for deliveries. Urgent customer pick-up messages, for example, can be color-coded to alert the driver. And the 128 megabytes of memory - 20 times that of the DIAD III - positions UPS to provide future features, like customer preference notes, to enable drivers to personalize service even more.

All of the new technology is focused on one result - the best customer service. The DIAD IV, for example, features a new link to Global Positioning Satellites that will allow drivers to easily verify customer locations for pickup or delivery of packages, particularly outside the United States.

"This technology will enable our drivers to provide even better service to our customers," said Ken Lacy, UPS's chief information officer. "It will make us more efficient and reliable while reducing errors."

UPS pioneered the use of handheld computers in the shipping industry in 1991 when it introduced the first DIAD. Since then, each successive generation of the device has broken new ground, opening the door to the comprehensive package tracking UPS customers enjoy today.

The DIAD IV will be the first handheld computer to include built-in wireless connectivity options for either personal, local or wide-area networks. The multiple options ensure maximum data transmission flexibility for UPS drivers, ultimately resulting in customers having the most up-to-the-minute tracking information available at all times.

Each DIAD IV will feature a built-in Global Packet Radio Service or Code Division Multiple Access radio (depending on the area of the world in which it is operating); an acoustical modem for dial-up access if necessary, and wireless local area network connectivity (WiFi) to enable transmission within a UPS center. The device also features a Bluetooth wireless personal area network and an infrared port to communicate with peripheral devices and customer personal computers.

Thanks to all the wireless communications technology, the DIAD IV confirms deliveries almost instantaneously. Drivers simply scan the package bar code; collect the receiver's signature electronically; type in the last name of the receiver, and push a single key to complete the transaction and distribute the data. There is no need to activate a cell phone or return to the vehicle to place the device in a transmission cradle.

"This electronic data capture ensures that UPS customers have the most current package tracking information available to them anytime, anywhere," Lacy said. "Since its creation more than a decade ago, the DIAD technology represents the front line of a global IT infrastructure that now captures electronic data on about 90 percent of the 13.3 million packages that move through our system each day - more than any other package delivery company in the world."

Developed in conjunction with Symbol Technologies (NYSE:SBL), UPS will begin deploying the DIAD IV in 2004 after completing extensive tests of the new device later this year. About 70,000 DIAD's are used daily by UPS drivers throughout the world. The pioneering technology forms the core of UPS's wireless strategy and is an integral part of how the company conducts business.

UPS is the world's largest package delivery company and a global leader in supply chain services, offering an extensive range of options for synchronizing the movement of goods, information and funds. Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., UPS serves more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. UPS's stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange (UPS), and the company can be found on the Web at UPS.com.
===========================
UPS and Symbol Technologies Backgrounder

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions):

Question: How long have Symbol and UPS worked together?
Answer: Symbol has been a strategic technology partner of UPS for nearly 15 years. The technology solutions that Symbol has co-developed with UPS are central to the UPS system of picking up, tracking and delivering some 15 million packages and parcels every day. UPS scans nearly 75 million bar codes every day with a Symbol scanning device.

Question: What's new with the DIAD IV (delivery information acquisition device) that UPS announced on April 15, 2003?
Answer: The DIAD IV, co-developed with Symbol, will be deployed to the global network of 70,000+ UPS drivers over the next several years. DIAD IV is a highly rugged device designed to perform in any kind of weather or environment that a driver may encounter. It allows drivers to capture information about package pickup and delivery and includes signature capture on a bright, color screen. In addition to laser bar code scanning capabilities, the device includes three types of wireless communications: wireless LAN (the Symbol Spectrum24® wireless local area network), wide area network (WAN) and Bluetooth. It also includes GPS (Global Positioning Systems) that will allow drivers to verify customer locations.

Question: What is the revenue to Symbol for the DIAD IV project?
Answer: UPS has not announced specific revenue to Symbol however it did go on record that the project would cost $127 million over the next several years.

Question: Is Symbol involved in other technology projects with UPS?
Answer: Symbol provides the UPS wireless local area network for wireless communications in its 1,700 office buildings, sortation hubs, distribution centers and hubs. Spectrum24 will be fully deployed in 2004 with some 15,000 access points.
The wireless ring scanner (Bluetooth coexisting with WLAN) is also part of the UPS sortation solution where thousands of workers route parcels and packages each night.

Useful Links:

15 April 2003 - UPS to spend $127M on tri-mode wireless driver terminals
http://www.computerworld.com/mobiletopics/mobile/story/0,10801,80369,00.html

15 April 2003 - UPS Drivers to Use Next-Generation Wireless Computer (ups.com press release)
http://pressroom.ups.com/pressreleases/current/0,1088,4287,00.html

15 April 2003 - UPS Drivers to Use Next-Generation Wireless Computer (Yahoo version of the UPS press release)
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/030415/155612_1.html

December, 2002 - UPS Uses WiFi & Bluetooth Together To Manage Packages at Shipping Hubs
http://www.mobileinfo.com/News_2002/Issue47/UPS_WiFi_Bluetooth.htm
=====================================
UPS Uses Bluetooth To Replace Weakest Link
In one of the largest such deployments so far, the United Parcel Service plans to outfit its package handlers with 55,000 Bluetooth scanner rings and Wi-Fi terminals around the world next year.

The handlers work in 1,700 UPS hub facilities where packages are loaded and unloaded. The scanner rings, made for UPS by Symbol Technologies, are worn on the finger and send data to Wi-Fi terminals on the waist. The tracking data taken from the packages is sent into UPS' computer network.

Tamara Schwartz, director of UPS global network services, told the Bluetooth Developers Conference last week the company will start rolling out the scanner rings in mid-2003 with completion in 2004.

UPS already uses Wi-Fi devices and scanner rings, but the two are connected by a cable. That cable is the weakest link in the chain and replacing it with Bluetooth will mean a 30 percent reduction in annual repair costs for the scanning system, Schwartz said.

The package carrier has been using the set-up in four beta sites and soon will begin a larger test before starting the deployment next June. UPS already is one of the largest companies deploying wireless technologies, using analog more than a decade as well as the Motient packet data network. It recently started using GPRS data in Europe and is running GPRS and cdma2000 1x tests in the U.S., Schwartz said.

UPS likely will continue to use all the air interfaces to ensure coverage wherever its delivery workers go. The next version of the company's DIAD (delivery information access device) handheld device likely will include a wide area technology such as GPRS or cdma2000, she said. A decision on which carrier networks will be used won't be made until next year, but probably will include multiple carriers. --By Brad Smith