Date:25/12/2007 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/12/25/stories/2007122551030400.htm

Back Albatross plans new unit for tracking services

Some of the tracking solutions would be unveiled by January-end and these include a novel tracking system for children going to school and helping parents track their movements.

Our Bureau

Hyderabad, Dec. 24 Albatross Information Systems, a part of the Singapore-based Pearl Informatics, has announced plans to establish a data centre and a call centre to offer hosted tracking and radio frequency identification (RFID) services.

The company plans to invest about $2.5 million in the new facility to be based in Secunderabad. Albatross has partnered with Spatial Technologies, Hyderabad, and Bangalore-based Indigo Information Systems, to offer RFID and tracking solutions in the application service provider (ASP) model.

ASP model

“This hosted ASP model will make it attractive for companies to rapidly deploy RFID solutions in a broad range of areas such as supply chain management, and logistics,” according to Mr Shankar Rao, Managing Director and CEO of Albatross.

Addressing a press conference, Mr Shankar said: “some of the tracking solutions would be unveiled by January-end and these include a novel tracking system for children going to school and helping parents track their movements. Such services would be offered for about Rs 200 a month.”

The company is in parleys with some of the leading schools in in Hyderabad and other cities and expects to roll out these services by next academic year.

The CEO of Spatial Technologies, Mr Ambati R. Rao, said: “together we would offer solutions to fleet operators, enterprises, and specialised set-ups such as police department. These solutions would help them better manage their fleet. We are also talking to a couple of road transport corporations to offer these solutions.”

Referring to a customised solutions for educational institutions, Mr Madhu Shetty, Director of Indigo, said all the issues relating to offering these solutions are now being addressed and the products will be launched later next month.