U.S. Xpress to Equip Fleet with Aether MobileMax

Jan. 1, 2003
OWINGS MILLS, MD. Dec. 18, 2002 Aether Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: AETH), a leading provider of wireless and mobile data solutions, today announced that U.S.

OWINGS MILLS, MD. – Dec. 18, 2002 – Aether Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: AETH), a leading provider of wireless and mobile data solutions, today announced that U.S. Xpress Enterprises, Inc. (Nasdaq/NM: XPRSA), the fifth-largest publicly-owned truckload carrier in the country, has agreed to equip its entire fleet of 5,500 trucks with Aether MobileMax”. The company will replace its existing satellite-only system, and plans to install Aether’s multi-mode wireless communications and tracking solution in substantially all of its trucks during 2003.

Based in Chattanooga, Tenn., U.S. Xpress, has been testing Aether’s MobileMax system in more than 100 trucks. The multi-mode system, which automatically switches between land-based and satellite communications, exceeded the carrier’s demanding standards for performance and throughput. Integration to the carrier’s back-end system was written by TransCommunications, Inc., a provider of business and technology solutions to the transportation industry.

“The decision to switch from our previous vendor to Aether was made very carefully, following several months of thorough testing,” said Max Fuller, co-chairman of U.S. Xpress. “We have been very pleased with the performance of MobileMax, and have recognized substantial value in some of the system’s unique features. We believe Aether’s multi-mode technology provides us with the most competitive and expandable platform to serve our needs well into the future.”

U.S. Xpress has indicated that it plans to implement several new applications including Proximity Alert*, the latest enhancement to MobileMax, which provides automatic notifications of pre-programmed events such as when a vehicle arrives at or departs from a particular location. The carrier also plans to use applications that provide automatic state line crossings, as well as driver performance and vehicle fault code monitoring.

With the switch to MobileMax, U.S. Xpress expects to realize greater productivity and efficiencies across its fleet. Aether’s multi-mode technology delivers more messaging for the money, better coverage, and does not impose any message surcharges.

“The Aether team has worked very hard to demonstrate to U.S. Xpress that we have the most robust and cost-competitive mobile communications system available on the market today,” said Frank Briganti, President of Aether’s Transportation division. “This is a significant win for Aether not only because of the sheer size of the fleet, but because U.S. Xpress is a very discriminating customer that tested our products exhaustively. We are very proud to have won their business and believe that this further strengthens the standing of Aether MobileMax as a leading solution in the industry.”

Aether MobileMax is the only solution to use a multi-mode system that automatically switches between land-based and satellite communications without driver or dispatcher intervention to ensure complete coverage and more cost-efficient communications. The MobileMax system transmits dispatch and data messages, proximity alerts, and GPS position reports, as well as data on state-line crossings, vehicle fault codes, and driver and truck performance.