Uk Oil & Gas Regulatory News (UKOG)

13 Apr 2005 15:05

Sarantel Group PLC13 April 2005 For immediate release April 13, 2005 Sarantel Group PLC Agreement with TomTom Sarantel, the leading manufacturer of revolutionary filtering antennas forwireless devices, announces that TomTom will be using its GeoHelix GPS antennain the new TomTom Bluetooth GPS receiver. Sarantel's GeoHelix GPS antenna wasselected because it ensures TomTom's newest navigation solutions TomTom MOBILE 5for mobile phones and TomTom NAVIGATOR 5 for PDA's have the best possible GPSreception across all locations and environments. TomTom MOBILE 5 and TomTom NAVIGATOR 5 include the latest personal navigationsoftware and maps with the smallest and lightest wireless Bluetooth GPS receiveron the market. TomTom has embedded Sarantel's high performance GPS antenna intoits own high sensitivity Bluetooth GPS receiver, which is so sensitive it can beplaced in a pocket or bag, without line of sight required, to ensure that usershave reliable reception in urban environments, on the road, on foot - orwherever they go.As the Bluetooth GPS receiver needs to work in close proximity to the user,TomTom required an embedded GPS antenna capable of working next to the body. TheGPS antenna also needed to be lightweight and small enough to meet thechallenging design criteria set for the product for ultimate customer usability.The Sarantel antenna was selected for its small size, exceptional beamwidth andextremely low near field, which allows it to work within millimetres of signalabsorbing bodies - such as human tissue - without affecting performance orimpacting the customer. Harold Goddijn, TomTom's Chief Executive Officer said: "The sensitivity of theSarantel GPS antenna ensures the accuracy of the TomTom Bluetooth GPS receiver,even when it is in a bag or a pocket. The antenna is, in my opinion, a majorcontributor to our GPS receiver's excellent performance and ensures that TomTomNAVIGATOR 5 AND TomTom MOBILE 5 are easy to use and for the first time makepersonal navigation truly mobile." David Wither, Chief Executive Officer for Sarantel said: "TomTom's new BluetoothGPS receiver is breaking new ground in personal navigation and it represents afirst for the personal navigation market. We are delighted to have been selectedfor this unique and truly innovative personal navigation system that assistsconsumers in easily getting to their destination, no matter the form of travel." For further information please contact: Sarantel Group PLC www.sarantel.comDavid Wither, CEO/Sitkow Yeung, CFO 01933 670560Smithfield 020 7360 4900Sara Musgrave/Sarah RichardsonPictures are available for the media to view and download fromwww.vismedia.co.uk Notes to Editors: About TomTom TomTom BV is a leading provider of personal navigation products and services.TomTom's products are easy-to-use and include all-in-one navigation devices, aswell as navigation software products which integrate with third party devicessuch as PDAs and smartphones. TomTom BV was founded in 1991 in Amsterdam and hasoffices in The Netherlands, United Kingdom, France and USA. TomTom's productsare sold through a network of top retailers in 16 countries. To learn more aboutTomTom, visit: www.tomtom.com. About Sarantel Sarantel designs, manufactures and sells patented, ceramic, filtering antennasfor use in portable wireless devices such as PDAs, laptops and 3G mobiledevices. Its current focus is on producing antennas for the GPS market whichallow a clearer signal than conventional antennas whilst reducing the amount ofenergy absorbed by the head by approximately 90 per cent. The antennas simplifysystem design, thus allowing design standardisation and reduced time to marketand cost for manufacturers. As well as GPS, Sarantel's antennas are designed to service Wi-Fi, 3G andBluetooth platforms which are expected to be a key element in the future successof mobile network operators and device manufacturers. Sarantel's antennas cansignificantly increase the range and effective bandwidth of Wi-Fi devices andSarantel is planning to commence high volume delivery of its antennas into thesatellite radio market within the next 12 months. Sarantel Group Plc listed on AIM, a market operated by the London StockExchange, on 2nd March 2005 at an issue price of 82p. Sarantel is included inthe IT Hardware sector (93) within the Telecommunications equipment sub-sector(938) and has a RIC code of SLG.L This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange