GE Trailer Fleet Services Tops New ABI Research Trailer Tracking Hardware Vendor Matrix Ranking

Business Wire, Sept 26, 2008

NEW YORK -- GE Trailer Fleet Services has been ranked at the top of the latest Vendor Matrix released by ABI Research.

Qualcomm Inc. and TransCore, Inc. claimed the second and third spots in the company's new evaluation of worldwide trailer tracking hardware vendors.

The Vendor Matrix is an analytical tool developed by ABI Research to provide a clear understanding of vendors' positions in specific markets. Vendors are assessed on the important parameters of "innovation" and "implementation" across several criteria unique to each vendor matrix.

Principal analyst David Alexander comments, "The biggest change in this latest Vendor Matrix is that previous #1 Terion has been acquired by the previous #3 GE Trailer Fleet Services, so it is no real surprise that GE takes the top slot."

Qualcomm continues to enhance its solutions and remains focused on developing a full portfolio of comprehensive commercial telematics products of which trailer tracking is an important piece, and recently simplified its trailer products by offering a choice of Tethered and Untethered Asset Management Services as part of its OmniVision suite.

Alexander adds, "It is interesting to note that both TransCore (ranked #3) and Skybitz (#4) offer only satellite-based tracking systems. Both report strong demand for their products and have invested in proprietary technology to make their telematics hardware small and efficient."

The biggest rankings jump was for Trimble (#11 to #5), which considers trailer tracking to be a subset of its full-service suite of products.

For this particular matrix, under "innovation," ABI Research examined door and cargo sensors, positioning systems, battery options, system differentiators, and communications links.

Under "implementation" analysts scrutinized the following criteria: hardware price, distribution channels, customer base, hardware configurations, and regional availability.

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To view a chart showing the rankings of the "top ten" firms in this Vendor Matrix, please visit "Trailer Tracking Hardware Vendor Matrix" (http://www.abiresearch.com/products/vendor_matrix/ Trailer_Tracking_Hardware_Vendor_Matrix). Registration on the ABI Research website (free) is required. Access to the rankings and profiles of all companies surveyed is available to clients of ABI Research.

This Vendor Matrix forms part of ABI Research's Commercial Telematics Research Service (http://www.abiresearch.com/products/service/ Commercial_Telematics_Research_Service). For a list of all ABI Research Vendor Matrices, please visit The ABI Research Vendor Matrix (http://www.abiresearch.com/vendor_matrix_home.jsp).

ABI Research is a leading market research firm focused on the impact of emerging technologies on global consumer and business markets. Utilizing a unique blend of market intelligence, primary research, and expert assessment from its worldwide team of industry analysts, ABI Research assists hundreds of clients each year with their strategic growth initiatives. For information, visit www.abiresearch.com, or call 1.516.624.2500.