By KRYSTLE CHOW
Published in the Ottawa Business Journal newspaper and website.
Nov. 13, 2006

Click here to view this article on OttawaBusinessJournal.com.

With his 20-year background in the wireless industry, Larry Jennings is no stranger to Spotwave Wireless’s products.

“I was attracted initially by Spotwave’s products, having followed trends in wireless (during my career),” says the former chief operating officer of the U.S.-based emergency services software provider Intrado. “But I’m also really interested in the passion and commitment Spotwave’s employees have shown.”

Mr. Jennings was appointed as the new president and CEO of Spotwave Wireless on Nov. 6. He says the first order of business is to improve distribution the company’s brand-new residential indoor antenna system.

“This is a great consumer product, and we’ve had very strong feedback for it,” says Mr. Jennings. “We’re going to be focused on how to better penetrate the market by improve relationships with distribution partners and working with Internet marketing.”

Mr. Jennings has worked extensively in the wireless industry, serving at wireless location technologies company Teletrac Inc. and at regional paging company Premiere Page, Inc., before moving on to Intrado. He says he has seen a wide range of aspects of the industry, having started working in mobile telephony in the late ’80s and moving on to work for and with carriers and service providers.

“Our business was built on relationships with carriers, and we were looking for someone with that in their pedigree, and Larry fit the bill,” says Spotwave’s marketing communications manager Connie Costigan.

Mr. Jennings says the company is currently in a “growth mode,” and that they are “evaluating future growth based on aggressive growth.” He adds that Spotwave is in a good place to become a much larger company, especially with the introduction of its Z1900 indoor wireless coverage system.

The new product, which helps ensure reliable coverage for cellphones, PDAs, and 3G laptop air cards, has received great feedback during its field tests in various locations for its user-friendliness and easy setup.

“People didn’t want to give it back!” laughs Ms. Costigan. “They wanted to be alerted when it came out, and they’ve all been impressed that it does what it’s supposed to do.”

Mr. Jennings says he intends to help the company broaden its reach in the North American home office and residential sector with the new product, although the company is definitely looking at opportunities abroad in the long term.

“This is a market I love,” says Mr. Jennings. “I really believe it’s just beginning to scratch the surface of the benefits this technology can provide, and I’m really happy to be here.”