Xact Technology has partnered with Iridium Communications Inc. as an Iridium (News - Alert) Value-Added Reseller (VAR).

Under the agreement, Xact will develop a dual-mode cellular/satellite GPS tracking and machine-to-machine (M2M) communication device that will work anywhere in the world.

By using least-cost routing software, this device will be able to route time-critical data through local cellular systems or the Iridium global satellite network in the most cost-effective manner.

Xact Technology provides solutions for the GPS tracking, Location-Based Services (LBS) and Machine-to-Machine (M2M) industries.

Its platform includes hardware, software, cellular and satellite data networks and user-interface portals. The company will now incorporate Iridium's 9602 Short Burst Data (SBD) Transceiver with its eight-layer Xact Development Board, which integrates a 50-channel GPS engine, quad-band wireless microprocessor, onboard flash memory, 3D multi-axis accelerometer and multiple input/output ports. 

Xact notes that due to the Board's open-architecture, sensors can be added to monitor temperature, humidity and other environmental and security conditions, along with location of critical assets.

The Xact platform not only offers high quality devices and global data network coverage but also offers several portals to view and analyze data. Customers have several options to view and use data due to a range of user interfaces including logistics portals and highly integrated portals for fleet management, usage-based insurance, telemedicine, smart grid, and security applications.

"We are excited to expand our platform to include Iridium's global satellite network. Iridium offers our platform complete real time global coverage," said Xact Technology's Michael G. Levine. "The value proposition of the dual-mode offering allows customers to get data coverage anytime and anywhere in the world, leveraging our partners' local terrestrial cellular rates when available."

"Xact has the capability to build high quality tracking devices in large scale that in turn will lead to lower price points for these dual-mode devices," said Patrick Shay, vice president and general manager of Data Services for Iridium. "With Iridium's reliable, global, low-latency short-burst data links and Xact's open-architecture platform, we see this as the perfect solution for offshore energy and global logistics companies, as well as anyone who needs asset tracking and mission critical M2M data in remote regions."

Read a related article at TMCnet “Xact Technology Launches Open-Architecture M2M Platform.”