AT&T, Xora Inc unveil GPS locator apps

MOUNTAIN VIEW, US: AT&T and Xora Inc, a global provider of on-demand mobile resource management solutions on Tuesday announced a GPS Locator application that would provide small and medium-sized businesses with real-time visibility into the location of their mobile workforce.

The new easy to deploy solution is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) application designed to help AT&T business customers improve the productivity and accountability of field-based employees, as well as lower expenses related to overtime and fuel costs, said a press release.

The application -- Xora GPS Locator from AT&T -- is compatible with most AT&T mobile devices, from the most basic phone handsets, to the Motorola Tundra and Samsung Rugby, to smartphones such as the BlackBerry Bold, to laptops and specialty industry devices.

The GPS Locator from is based on technology from Xora GPS TimeTrack solution, and can be accessed from the same web-based portal as Xora GPS Timetrack and Xora GPS Timetrack In-Vehicle.

The application does not require any software to be loaded on the phone, providing quick and easy deployment. Field-based employees simply power on their mobile devices and office staff can see their locations using Xora’s Web-based maps and reports.

The Xora Web interface features Google Maps complete with street, satellite and hybrid views, as well as real-time traffic information. Web-based reports indicate where and when vehicles are stopped, and for how long, making it easy to identify time spent at job sites, or on breaks.

"With the addition of Xora GPS Locator to our portfolio of enterprise mobility applications, small and medium-sized businesses can better manage their mobile workforce on a wide variety of AT&T mobile devices,” said Igor Glubochansky, director, industry solutions, AT&T Business Solutions.

He further added that the resulting increase in productivity and reduction in expenses are especially critical today, with many businesses being challenged more than ever to remain profitable in a sluggish economy.”

Sanjay Shirole, CEO of Xora said, "Once companies gain real-time visibility into the locations and activities of their mobile employees, it's like someone took the blinders off. More importantly, as a result, companies can take action based on what they are seeing in order to improve the efficiency of their business.”

“The result is that more gets done with fewer resources and in less time, leading to greater profits - and that is how success is measured in most companies," he added.

Xora GPS Locator would be available from AT&T at a monthly subscription of $21.99 per device. An appropriate AT&T voice and/or data plan, and activation fee are required. The service would be available at the end of July, added the release.