Communications and Technology Industry Research

Sprint, a provider of wireless and wireline communications services, reportedly received the Frost & Sullivan 2009 Award for Product Line Strategy in the North American Mobile Resource Management Market.

 

The award was specifically given for Sprint’s TeleNav (News - Alert) Vehicle Manager, which the company introduced in February.

 

TeleNav Vehicle Manager is an all-in-one fleet management service developed for the trucking industry, featuring Global Positioning System, vehicle diagnostics and automated IFTA tax filing, Sprint (News - Alert) officials said. The solution uses an electronic on-board recorder paired with a GPS-enabled wireless phone to gather and submit engine diagnostics, driver performance information, odometer readings, mileage reports, wireless forms and wireless time cards, according to Sprint.

 

The wireless phone can also track vehicles en route and give drivers audible, turn-by-turn directions. TeleNav Vehicle Manager also helps improve compliance management through automation of IFTA Fuel Tax filings, company officials said.

Sprint developed the TeleNav Vehicle Manager in association with TeleNav and Turnpike. The solution is offered exclusively on the Sprint Nationwide Network and Nextel National Network.

 

The Frost & Sullivan (News - Alert) Award for Product Line Strategy is given to a company that has demonstrated the most insight into customer needs and product demands.

 

Jeanine Sterling, research analyst, Frost & Sullivan, said Sprint was selected for this year’s award on the basis of several interviews with suppliers, end-users and industry experts.

 

“In developing TeleNav Vehicle Manager, Sprint used its open development approach working with solution partners to achieve exceptional insight into the communications and compliance needs of the North American trucking industry,” Sterling said in a statement.

 

According to Sprint officials, the award citation credits Sprint’s partnering strategy, which is focused on identifying customer needs and then closely collaborating with application developers to create innovative solutions.

 

Sprint offers an open location platform that provides third-party mobile, Web, Wireless Application Protocol, short messaging service and widget developers with a consistent way to create cell phone applications that use the customer’s location information to provide customized, permission-based information and services.

 

To further expand this open approach, Sprint announced partnerships in late 2008 with three location aggregation platform enablers to help developers create new location-based services for Sprint customers. Since then, additional platform enablers have been added, giving developers even more choices and making it easier for third-party developers to create GPS applications, company officials said.

 

 “Sprint’s open approach to product development has generated a variety of differentiated solutions for business customers and we are proud to see that achievement recognized by Frost & Sullivan,” said Tim Donahue (News - Alert), vice president of business marketing, Sprint, in a statement. “TeleNav Vehicle Manager offers the benefits of improved productivity, reduced environmental impact with more efficient routing and automated vehicle management, and enhanced end customer satisfaction.”