Wavecom Announces World’s First ATEX Approved GSM/GPRS Wireless Microprocessor®

Faster time to market for gas meters, petroleum monitoring systems and other devices operating in potentially explosive atmospheres

Issy-les-Moulineaux, France - The Wavecom Group today announced the availability of the WMP120 Wireless Microprocessor®, the world’s first ATEX-approved GSM/GPRS solution for wireless machine-to-machine communication. The unique offering will greatly reduce time to market for developers and integrators of smart metering solutions and other devices operating in potentially explosive environments.

ATEX (ATmosphere EXplosive) is the European Directive for certifying products for use in environments where there may be a risk of explosions from exposure to volatile chemicals, liquids or gases. The WMP120 is certified for ATEX equipment category 1 and 3, which allows its use in zone 0, 1 and 2.

The WMP120 offers Wavecom customers unique advantages in terms of scalability and system cost. The same GSM/GPRS platform can be used for both gas meters and metering gateways, with a common software architecture. On the meter, a WMP120 can simply be added to an existing sensor part and used as a GSM/GPRS data logger. On the gateway, a 100% software and hardware compatible WMP100 can manage network technologies such as ZigBee, proprietary RF or PLC in addition to the GSM/GPRS communication.

By integrating the WMP120, Wavecom customers can speed the certification process for the final product: The main component of a GSM/GPRS-enabled meter is already ATEX certified in its typical environment, and there is no need for an in-depth ATEX design analysis of the GSM/GPRS part. Furthermore, thanks to the WMP120, existing smart meter designs can be adapted for use in potentially explosive atmospheres without major changes.

Commenting on the launch, Philippe Guillemette, CTO & VP Marketing of Wavecom, said: “ATEX certification is another Wavecom innovation which will facilitate the creation and introduction of new products and business processes, and we are confident that those of our customers which produce wireless-enabled equipment for hazardous environments will be eager to adopt the WMP120.”

Claude Yonnet, CEO of Technolog, a market leader in the provision of smart metering solutions, added: “We are continually looking for new ways to improve our product designs. The availability of the GSM engine with ATEX component approval presents a number of potential benefits. In particular, the design process and ATEX certification of our gas AMR products should become more efficient”.

Emmanuel Van Dillen, ATEX Auditor of the Notified Body LCIE Bureau Veritas, added: “ATEX is not only about product certification, but also about the quality processes applied across the organization. Wavecom has an excellent quality approach, and we are happy to deliver the ATEX Quality Notification certificate which will make ATEX certification quicker and easier for Wavecom’s customers.”

WMP120 provides ATEX certification in addition to all of the benefits of the current high running WMP100 Wireless Microprocessor®. It can operate as a smart modem, as a shared processor with a host CPU, or as a standalone CPU natively executing the customer application. It supports three programming models: host AT commands, standard C executable and Lua scripting. It also supports the Open AT® real-time operating system and the full range of Open AT® Plug-Ins including Internet, Security and GPS in addition to the IDS (Intelligent Device Services) scalable platform for securely delivering upgrades and diagnostics over-the-air.

WMP100 and WMP150 (automotive version) are already in use by more than 100 large global customers, in applications ranging from automotive and smart metering to security, asset tracking, wireless local loop and more.

WMP120 is available to order now, for delivery commencing late October 2008. To find out more, visit our stand number H03 at Metering Europe in Amsterdam, The Netherlands (21-23 September 2008), or see www.wavecom.com/wmp120.

Wavecom – the wireless M2M experts

Wavecom is a leading provider of embedded wireless technology for M2M (machine-to-machine) communication. We provide a range of GSM/GPRS, CDMA, EDGE and 3G Wireless CPUs; programmable processors which also act as wireless modules or wireless modems. These are backed by a C and Lua-based cellular wireless software suite which includes a real-time operating system (RTOS), a software development environment based on Eclipse™, and several Plug-Ins (GPS, TCP/IP, security, Bluetooth™, Lua script and more). We also offer a wide range of professional and operated services. Our solutions are used for automotive telematics, smart metering, fleet management, GSM/GPS/satellite tracking, wireless alarms, wireless POS (point of sales), WLL (fixed voice), remote monitoring and many other M2M applications.

Founded in 1993 and headquartered near Paris, France, Wavecom has subsidiaries in Hong Kong (PRC), Research Triangle Park, NC (USA), São Paulo (Brazil), Farnborough (UK) and Munich (Germany). Wavecom is publicly traded on Euronext Paris’ Eurolist in France (AVM) and on the NASDAQ exchange in the U.S. (WVCM).