Microsoft’s Frank Arrigo’s map. Seems to be powered by a company from Westen Australia, plugged into the Telstra services.

BlackBox is a company that specialises in location based technology, communication to and from field workers and telemetry applications. BlackBox was formed in 2002 by the four founders that collectively have significant experience in the areas of:

• GPS (Global Positioning Satellites) technologies

• Satellite communications

• Mobile Phone communications

• Mining industry - open pit mine design, communications

• Fishing industry - compliance systems, communications

• Transport industry - compliance systems, communications

• Government - compliance systems, communications

• Trades and Services - communications.

The company negotiated an exclusive agreement with TerraVision ( www.sat.com.au ) to access its globally recognised vessel and vehicle tracking software. TerraVision is a Perth , Western Australian based company that services a large share of the world’s fishing fleets for their vessel tracking requirements. In fact around 24 countries of the world have chosen to use the TerraVision system. Typically this is based around a GPS receiver collecting the location information and sending this over a satellite communications link to the monitoring point. TerraVision software monitors vessel location, activity and compliance with licenses. TerraVision systems are also utilised in trains, buses, buoys and trucks. TerraVision’s wealth of knowledge and experience in this industry, it has been involved with GPS since the technology became available to the public in the region, has been a significant contributor to BlackBox’s early success.

BBlackBox has developed its own vehicle tracking software for use in the mobile unit. This code is loaded into a state of the art hardware unit (sourced under a highly competitive OEM arrangement) to allow the vehicle to provide location information, usage data and also integrate with the vehicle (such as engine management systems) to allow customers to observe vehicle activity.

To date, BlackBox has tracking units operating in trucks, sedans, buoys, tugs and telemetry applications.

BlackBox can provide solutions based on any of these communication systems:

• GSM/GPRS mobile phone services

• CDMA/1XRTT mobile phone services

• Satellite

• Radio

• Landlines

It is also possible for BlackBox to mix and match these options. The goal is to find the most cost-effective method to ensure that the customer has the most beneficial solution balanced between functional requirement and operating cost.

BlackBox Control has grown significantly and with the addition of a number of strategic shareholders now also offers highly advanced reporting tools, integration capability with office systems, messaging (including email to and from drivers) and can adapt its solutions to suit the specific needs of its customers.

With the growth has come a team of dealers that also contribute to the collective solution available from BlackBox. Contact us to find out more and how the company is providing solutions that are more than just a dot on map.

More than a dot on the map, indeed.