Mobitex
Encyclopedia
Mobitex is an OSI
based open standard
, national public access wireless
packet-switched data network. Mobitex puts great emphasis on safety and reliability with its use by military, police, firefighters and ambulance services. Mobitex was developed in the beginning of the 1980s by the Swedish Televerket
Radio. From 1988 the development took place in Eritel, a joint-venture between Ericsson
and Televerket
, later on as an Ericsson
subsidiary. Mobitex became operational in Sweden in 1986.
In the mid-1990s Mobitex gained consumer popularity by providing two-way
paging network services. It was the first wireless network to provide always on, wireless push email services such as RadioMail and Inter@ctive Paging
. It is also used by the first model of Research in Motion's
BlackBerry
, and PDAs
such as the Palm VII
. During 9/11
and the 2005 hurricane
rescue and clean-up operations, Mobitex proved itself to be a very reliable and useful system for first responders.
Mobitex is a packet-switched, narrowband
, data-only technology mainly for short burst data. Mobitex channels are 12.5 kHz wide. In North America, Mobitex runs at , while in Europe it used . The modulation
scheme used is GMSK with a slotted aloha
protocol
at , although user throughput is typically around half of that.
The network provided the first public access wireless data communication services in North America. Subscriber services included electronic messaging with Cc
capabilities to multiple recipients, combined with the ability to log on to any wireless or fixed terminal and receive stored mailbox messages.
Mobitex is offered on over 30 networks on five continents. In Canada it was first introduced in 1990 by Rogers
Cantel
, and in 1991 by carrier
RAM Mobile Data
. However, , it is primarily used in the USA and Canada. European Mobitex networks almost completely withered in the shadow of the overwhelming success of GSM there in the early 1990s. An exception to this are the Mobitex networks used in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxemburg.
Mobitex networks in North America have been marketed under several names, including RAM Mobile Data
, BellSouth
Wireless Data, Cingular Interactive, Cingular Wireless and Velocita Wireless
, and Rogers Wireless
in Canada.
Mobitex in the UK was marketed by RAM Mobile Data
, the UK part of which became Transcomm and was then purchased by BT
(British Telecom) in 2001. The largest use of Mobitex in the United Kingdom, is within the Vehicle Recovery service. Nearly all breakdowns passed to UK Breakdown services agents are sent using Turbo Dispatch
, a Mobitex based gateway software developed in the early nineties, by Ian Lane and Andy Lambert.
Despite the competitive nature of the Market in the UK, the motoring organisations were persuaded to cooperate and make a standard of the format. This resulted in a major saving for the eight hundred independent Garages, used by the Motoring Organisations. The Turbo Dispatch Standards Group (the official keepers of the standard) estimate that at least Twenty Million breakdowns and recoveries, are transmitted over Turbo Dispatch per year.
Mobitex is now marketed worldwide by Mobitex Technology.
OSI model
The Open Systems Interconnection model is a product of the Open Systems Interconnection effort at the International Organization for Standardization. It is a prescription of characterizing and standardizing the functions of a communications system in terms of abstraction layers. Similar...
based open standard
Open standard
An open standard is a standard that is publicly available and has various rights to use associated with it, and may also have various properties of how it was designed . There is no single definition and interpretations vary with usage....
, national public access wireless
WWAN
A wireless wide area network , is a form of wireless network.The larger size of a wide area network compared to a local area network requires differences in technology....
packet-switched data network. Mobitex puts great emphasis on safety and reliability with its use by military, police, firefighters and ambulance services. Mobitex was developed in the beginning of the 1980s by the Swedish Televerket
Televerket
Televerket is the name of two government telecommunications agencies:*Televerket , former name of Swedish company Telia, later merged to TeliaSonera.*Televerket, former name of Norwegian company Telenor...
Radio. From 1988 the development took place in Eritel, a joint-venture between Ericsson
Ericsson
Ericsson , one of Sweden's largest companies, is a provider of telecommunication and data communication systems, and related services, covering a range of technologies, including especially mobile networks...
and Televerket
Televerket
Televerket is the name of two government telecommunications agencies:*Televerket , former name of Swedish company Telia, later merged to TeliaSonera.*Televerket, former name of Norwegian company Telenor...
, later on as an Ericsson
Ericsson
Ericsson , one of Sweden's largest companies, is a provider of telecommunication and data communication systems, and related services, covering a range of technologies, including especially mobile networks...
subsidiary. Mobitex became operational in Sweden in 1986.
In the mid-1990s Mobitex gained consumer popularity by providing two-way
Two-way
Two-way, two way, 2-way, or 2way may refer to:* Two-way communication occurs when information flows in both directions between two parties** Two-way radio...
paging network services. It was the first wireless network to provide always on, wireless push email services such as RadioMail and Inter@ctive Paging
Inter@ctive Paging
The Inter@ctive Pager, introduced in 1995 by Research In Motion , allowed users to receive and send messages over the internet via a wireless data network known as Mobitex. The US Operator of Mobitex, RAM Mobile Data operated the network and introduced the Inter@ctive Pager service as RAMfirst...
. It is also used by the first model of Research in Motion's
Research In Motion
Research In Motion Limited or RIM is a Canadian multinational telecommunications company headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada that designs, manufactures and markets wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market...
BlackBerry
BlackBerry
BlackBerry is a line of mobile email and smartphone devices developed and designed by Canadian company Research In Motion since 1999.BlackBerry devices are smartphones, designed to function as personal digital assistants, portable media players, internet browsers, gaming devices, and much more...
, and PDAs
Personal digital assistant
A personal digital assistant , also known as a palmtop computer, or personal data assistant, is a mobile device that functions as a personal information manager. Current PDAs often have the ability to connect to the Internet...
such as the Palm VII
Palm VII
The Palm VII was a personal digital assistant made by the Palm Computing division of 3Com. The device featured an antenna used for wireless data communication, a first for a Palm device. Connectivity was provided through the Mobitex network, under the now defunct Palm.net service...
. During 9/11
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
and the 2005 hurricane
2005 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active Atlantic hurricane season in recorded history, repeatedly shattering numerous records. The impact of the season was widespread and ruinous with an estimated 3,913 deaths and record damage of about $159.2 billion...
rescue and clean-up operations, Mobitex proved itself to be a very reliable and useful system for first responders.
Mobitex is a packet-switched, narrowband
Narrowband
In radio, narrowband describes a channel in which the bandwidth of the message does not significantly exceed the channel's coherence bandwidth. It is a common misconception that narrowband refers to a channel which occupies only a "small" amount of space on the radio spectrum.The opposite of...
, data-only technology mainly for short burst data. Mobitex channels are 12.5 kHz wide. In North America, Mobitex runs at , while in Europe it used . The modulation
Modulation
In electronics and telecommunications, modulation is the process of varying one or more properties of a high-frequency periodic waveform, called the carrier signal, with a modulating signal which typically contains information to be transmitted...
scheme used is GMSK with a slotted aloha
ALOHAnet
ALOHAnet, also known as the ALOHA System, or simply ALOHA, was a pioneering computer networking system developed at the University of Hawaii. ALOHAnet became operational in June, 1971, providing the first public demonstration of a wireless packet data network.The ALOHAnet used a new method of...
protocol
Communications protocol
A communications protocol is a system of digital message formats and rules for exchanging those messages in or between computing systems and in telecommunications...
at , although user throughput is typically around half of that.
The network provided the first public access wireless data communication services in North America. Subscriber services included electronic messaging with Cc
Carbon copy
Carbon copying, abbreviated cc or c.c., is the technique of using carbon paper to produce one or more copies simultaneously during the creation of paper documents...
capabilities to multiple recipients, combined with the ability to log on to any wireless or fixed terminal and receive stored mailbox messages.
Mobitex is offered on over 30 networks on five continents. In Canada it was first introduced in 1990 by Rogers
Rogers Communications
Rogers Communications Inc. is one of Canada's largest communications companies, particularly in the field of wireless communications, cable television, home phone and internet with additional telecommunications and mass media assets...
Cantel
Rogers Wireless
Rogers Wireless is a wireless telecommunications provider offering mobile phone and data services throughout Canada using Global System for Mobile Communications and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System technology. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rogers Communications...
, and in 1991 by carrier
Common carrier
A common carrier in common-law countries is a person or company that transports goods or people for any person or company and that is responsible for any possible loss of the goods during transport...
RAM Mobile Data
RAM Mobile Data
RAM Mobile Data was originally founded by RAM Broadcasting Corporation as American Mobile Data Communications, Inc. in 1988. The name of the company was changed to RAM Mobile Data in 1989. RAM Mobile Data was the U.S...
. However, , it is primarily used in the USA and Canada. European Mobitex networks almost completely withered in the shadow of the overwhelming success of GSM there in the early 1990s. An exception to this are the Mobitex networks used in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxemburg.
Mobitex networks in North America have been marketed under several names, including RAM Mobile Data
RAM Mobile Data
RAM Mobile Data was originally founded by RAM Broadcasting Corporation as American Mobile Data Communications, Inc. in 1988. The name of the company was changed to RAM Mobile Data in 1989. RAM Mobile Data was the U.S...
, BellSouth
BellSouth
BellSouth Corporation is an American telecommunications holding company based in Atlanta, Georgia. BellSouth was one of the seven original Regional Bell Operating Companies after the U.S...
Wireless Data, Cingular Interactive, Cingular Wireless and Velocita Wireless
Velocita Wireless
Velocita Wireless is a national wireless-telecommunications service provider that is based in Woodbridge, New Jersey, United States. Known by several names over the years, Velocita Wireless has been in existence for over 17 years as the operator of the Mobitex network in the United States...
, and Rogers Wireless
Rogers Wireless
Rogers Wireless is a wireless telecommunications provider offering mobile phone and data services throughout Canada using Global System for Mobile Communications and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System technology. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rogers Communications...
in Canada.
Mobitex in the UK was marketed by RAM Mobile Data
RAM Mobile Data
RAM Mobile Data was originally founded by RAM Broadcasting Corporation as American Mobile Data Communications, Inc. in 1988. The name of the company was changed to RAM Mobile Data in 1989. RAM Mobile Data was the U.S...
, the UK part of which became Transcomm and was then purchased by BT
BT Group
BT Group plc is a global telecommunications services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is one of the largest telecommunications services companies in the world and has operations in more than 170 countries. Through its BT Global Services division it is a major supplier of...
(British Telecom) in 2001. The largest use of Mobitex in the United Kingdom, is within the Vehicle Recovery service. Nearly all breakdowns passed to UK Breakdown services agents are sent using Turbo Dispatch
Turbo dispatch
Turbo Dispatch is a public domain standard for the electronic transfer of job details, initially using packet radio, but now also using the Internet. It is used throughout the United Kingdom to pass the details of stranded motorists between all the major UK motoring organisations and their 500 plus...
, a Mobitex based gateway software developed in the early nineties, by Ian Lane and Andy Lambert.
Despite the competitive nature of the Market in the UK, the motoring organisations were persuaded to cooperate and make a standard of the format. This resulted in a major saving for the eight hundred independent Garages, used by the Motoring Organisations. The Turbo Dispatch Standards Group (the official keepers of the standard) estimate that at least Twenty Million breakdowns and recoveries, are transmitted over Turbo Dispatch per year.
Mobitex is now marketed worldwide by Mobitex Technology.