SAN MATEO, Calif., Dec. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Sonim Technologies today announces the Sonim XPand® NFC slimline modular expansion pack for the XP3300 FORCE.  Together they provide the world's first ultra-rugged Near Field Communications (NFC) mobile phone with a camera and GPS. Designed especially for workforces in the security guarding, commercial cleaning services, mass transportation, field equipment maintenance and domiciliary healthcare industries, the XP3300 FORCE with XPand NFC combines indoor tracking by scanning NFC tags placed around the worksite with outdoor tracking using enterprise class GPS. 

"With XPand NFC, Sonim introduces the first of a range of innovative modular expansion packs compatible with multiple current and future models of Sonim phones," said Sanjay Jhawar, VP/GM of Marketing and Applications at Sonim.  "From specialized sensors and card readers to enhanced communications, the XPand system will enable Sonim to address an ever wider range of workforce management solutions – with portability, robustness and cost of ownership that traditional rugged handheld computers can't match."

The phone's 2MP camera and bright LED flash enable teams to report critical job site damage in real time with photo evidence.   With the workforce management applications and hosted servers provided by Sonim's partners, enterprise and government organizations can collect real time business intelligence and monitor the quality of service delivery. Key applications include guard tour verification, proof of activity and real time attendance reporting.

The NFC technology that is embedded is the same as featured within Sonim's XP1301 NFC, and offers a 4cm NFC tag reading range, 99% measured NFC read reliability, Java applications that can auto-start on phone power-on and run in background mode.

Sonim phones deliver uptime in the harshest environments. The XP3300 FORCE is the Guinness World Record holder for the toughest phone and has the longest talk time – 20 to 24 hours – of any mobile phone, or 800 hours of standby time. The XPand NFC module is equally robust and power-efficient with the industry's longest battery life for NFC operations.  Beyond MIL-SPEC, the combined unit can be dropped from 2 metres onto concrete and its IP68 specification means it can be submerged in two metres of water for up to 60 minutes. It operates in temperatures from -20 to +55 Celsius and has an impact resistant and puncture proof Corning® Gorilla® Glass screen.  

Designed for usability under duress, the XP3300 FORCE features an active noise cancelling microphone, loud audio with a 23mm speaker protected by a waterproof GORE® protective vent and widely-spaced keys for ease of use with gloves. 

Sonim is working with industry leading application partners and system integrators that specialize in NFC applications for the cleaning, security guarding and transportation verticals, including:

•          Avistatime in Sweden: http://www.avistatime.com
•          BERNOT Information Technology in Germany, Austria and Switzerland: www.bernot.net
•          Over-C in the UK and Africa: http://www.over-c.com
•          P&T Consulting in France and Luxembourg: www.saas2b.eu
•          Reslink in the UK, Nordic countries, Germany and France: www.reslink.fi/sonim
•          Softclean GmBh in Germany and Austria: www.owks.de
•          Spotmaster in the Netherlands: www.spotmaster.com
•          TUOMI in Western Europe and in the US: www.tuomi-it.com
•          MoCo Software Solutions Ltd in the UK, Belgium, Netherlands: www.mocotouch.co.uk

More information and the latest list of Sonim's NFC application partners can be found at http://www.sonimtech.com/products/nfc_solutions.php

Enterprise NFC application developers and system integrators are invited to register at www.sonimdevelopers.com and to contact John Thurgood by email at j.thurgood at sonimtech.com    

The XP3300 FORCE and XPand NFC are backed by Sonim's industry-leading 3-Year Comprehensive Warranty covering not only manufacturer's defects but also accidental damage.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY
The XP3300 FORCE with NFC software upgrade and the Sonim XPand NFC expansion pack will be available globally through Sonim's business partners and system integrators. For pricing, please contact your local Sonim representative. 

ABOUT SONIM TECHNOLOGIES
Sonim Technologies (www.sonimtech.com) is the provider of the world's most rugged, water-submersible mobile phones designed specifically for workers in challenging outdoor and industrial environments. Sonim's industry-leading three-year comprehensive warranty has redefined customer expectations of rugged technology. Sonim provides a suite of high-performance workforce management applications including push-to-talk and lone worker safety services on cellular networks. The company is headquartered in San Mateo, California and offers its products in over 50 countries.

SOURCE Sonim Technologies