National Wireless Network -- Acquisition Strengthens Range of Products and Adds Large New Customer Base
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 23, 2001--Advanced Communications Technologies Inc (OTCBB:ADVC - news; ACT-US), today announced that one of its Australian based associate companies, Advanced Network Technologies Pty Ltd (ANT), has acquired all outstanding shares of DataLink Pty Ltd. The company will continue operation as a wholly owned subsidiary of ANT.
DataLink Pty Ltd is a well established 23 year old sales and marketing company operating in the field of analogue trunk radio. Perhaps most importantly, the new acquisition provides ANT with an existing customer base of 275,000 users. DataLink is currently, and has consistently been a very profitable operation and is expected to generate in excess of $A10 million in revenues during 2001. ANT will also have use of a technology developed by DataLink known as Mobile Information Manager (MIM).
MIM is a mobile/wireless data and voice communications terminal fitted to vehicles that allows for the input, recording and transmission of an extensive range of data to a central repository, as well as providing a communications link between mobile vehicles and the central communications center. Emergency services, mobile sales and services operators, truck drivers, taxis, couriers and many other similar users will be able to use the MIM terminal in place of a hand held radio. The MIM terminal also has full GPS capabilities.
DataLink is in the early stages of converting its extensive customer base from the analogue services to the new MIM/Tetra style applications.
Commenting on the new acquisition, Roger May, Chief Executive Officer of Advanced Communications Technologies said, ``DataLink's existing customer base of analogue trunk radio users provides the perfect compliment to ANT's recently acquired TETRA network technology. As the TETRA system is the digital equivalent of analogue trunk networks and offers many additional features, we believe we will be able to transfer DataLink's existing customers onto the ANT TETRA network. Securing of this customer base establishes an important step in ANT's ultimate goal of providing a leading edge nationwide wireless data and telecommunications service both in Australia and in several other locations globally.''
While the value of ANT's network technologies will be proven locally, ACT-US is already laying the foundations to replicate ANT's success. Moves to date have included the establishment of the ACT-US controlled Advanced Network Technologies (US) Inc (ANT-US) and the proposed acquisition of Digital Comm Link Inc. Upon completion, this acquisition will provide ACT-US with the necessary network infrastructure to both replicate ANT services and demonstrate its flagship product, SpectruCell. Several other important acquisitions are currently in process in the United States.
``ANT's network provides the dual benefits of high-end wireless services and a demonstration platform for some new applications for ACT's SpectruCell technology. This ability to implement SpectruCell type applications in a real world environment will provide us a powerful tool in our quest to demonstrate the many benefits of the SpectruCell wireless base station,'' said May.
