NYC Cabs to Flesh Out Cell Phone Drop Zones

From Fox News:

NEW YORK — Ever wanted to stuff that "Can you hear me now?" guy into the trunk of your car and take him on a tour of those maddening spots where your cell phone won't work?

One telecommunications company has a plan to do the mechanical equivalent.

The Stockholm-based firm Ericsson recently got approval from New York's taxi commission to place mobile sensors in the trunks of at least 50 cabs in an attempt to better map dead zones in mobile phone networks.

The small devices, about the size of a computer modem, will automatically feed information about signal strength and clarity to engineers.

Because taxis in New York are on the road all day and all night, and ostensibly travel into every corner of the city, company executives said they are a cheap way of covering vast amounts of territory with limited effort.

Read the Full Story in Fox News: Technology

Interstate Connections in Forbes Magazine

Interstate Connections grows to 100 stores! Here is the Press Release as posted by Forbes Magazine:


Nationwide Wireless Retailer Now Has More Stores to Serve Professional Drivers AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Interstate Connections, Ltd., the leading retail provider of wireless solutions to the trucking industry, announced today the opening of its 100th location since launching August 1, 2001. Interstate Connections is commemorating the occasion with special promotions for its customers and employees throughout the month.

"We're proud to be 100 stores strong across 30 states," said Brandon Frye, CEO. "We now have Interstate Connections stores coast to coast and in the four corners of the U.S. to serve our customers -- from Portland, to LA, to Tampa, to New York, and all in between."

In 2006 IC has opened new stores in the areas of Atlanta, Georgia; Baltimore, Maryland; Denton, Texas; Ft. Wayne, Indiana; Hubbard, Ohio; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Prescott, Arkansas.

"We are proud to be teamed up with Petro Stopping Centers(R) and TravelCenters of America(R) and look forward to continued growth of store locations in both networks," said Frye. "We owe our success to our customers, the thousands of professional drivers who come to us for their communication needs, and we are dedicated to evolving our business to continue to improve their lives on the road."

About Interstate Connections

Interstate Connections is the leading retailer of wireless solutions to the interstate trucking industry. Interstate Connections operates store- within-a-store retail outlets in 100 interstate travel centers nationwide. A preferred dealer for such leading product and service vendors as Sprint, Cingular, RoadCom Wireless, Sirius Satellite Radio, XM Satellite Radio, NetSpend All-Access Prepaid Visa(R) and PreCash, Interstate Connections improves the productivity and quality of life for professional truckers by providing communication and financial solutions configured to their distinct needs. Based in Austin, Texas, Interstate Connections is privately held and has about 300 employees. For more information, visit http://www.interstate-connections.com .