Aether Systems Partners with Mobile Automation, Inc. to Bring Wireless Systems Management to Mobile Government Fleets

Mobile Automation by Aether Will Allow Government Agencies to Simplify Software Updates and File Transfers Over WANs or LANs

Aether Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:AETH) a leading provider of wireless data products and services, today announced a partnership with Mobile Automation, Inc. (MAI), that will result in government agencies being able to perform systems management, software updates and file transfers for mobile fleets remotely.

By eliminating the need to "touch every vehicle" for software updates and file exchanges, Mobile Automation(TM) by Aether(TM) can reduce the cost of deploying software to mobile government workers and allow immediate access to critical applications and time-sensitive information.

Under terms of the agreement, Aether will be the exclusive distributor of MAI's Mobile Automation 2000 product in several markets within federal, state and local government, including Public Safety, Public Works, Health & Human Services, Inspection and Compliance.

Using Mobile Automation by Aether, the remote software update process is transparent to users of Aether's wireless applications. For example, from one central administrative point, a public safety agency could roll out a new version of the wireless query and messaging application Aether PacketCluster(R) Patrol(TM) to a fleet of 500 vehicles.

The customer's system administrator self-manages the installation and verifies the process at their own pace, with no interruption of workflow in the field.

Improvements in Systems Management and End-User Productivity

Mobile Automation by Aether allows agencies to reduce their previous dependence on internal and external resources for a wide range of systems management tasks. For example, administrators can schedule and automate important system-wide jobs such as virus definition updates, which is especially relevant for large fleets where users create large updated data files frequently.

And for long-range planning, Mobile Automation by Aether's hardware and software asset tracking allows agencies to more efficiently perform hardware upgrades and software license management.

The file transfer capability of Mobile Automation by Aether also improves end user productivity. Agencies can upload critical field data such as digital images from accident scenes more efficiently. The software solution also supports any wireless IP environment, allowing users to receive critical updates over wide area networks such as CDPD or local area networks such as 802.11b.

Other benefits include:

-- Customization capabilities, allowing agencies to specify department-specific rules or to establish user-initiated download centers for optional software packages

-- Application self-healing to prevent downtime in the field

-- The ability to create inventories of software installation histories and locations

-- File and data back-up for mobile units.

"Our partnership with Mobile Automation is another example of Aether's commitment to improve the performance of government agencies," said David Rosi, corporate vice president of Aether's mobile government division. "In government today, timeliness is everything. By expediting the process of updating and transferring applications and files moving over wireless networks, we're making it easier for agencies to be more productive and efficient."

"Mobile Automation is both pleased and proud to have Aether Systems as a business partner," said Douglas Neal, president and CEO of Mobile Automation, Inc. "Mobile Automation technology was designed from the ground up to handle the communication complexity of wireless and wired environments from a single, enterprise scalable architecture. Aether Systems has the knowledge and experience to implement our technology within a wide range of market segments that have demands for improved device management."


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