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Globalstar (News - Alert) reportedly has signed a distribution agreement with MJ Fein & Company Mid-Atlantic LLC of East Hanover, NJ, a manufacturer's representative company specializing in the distribution of electrical utility products.

With the signing of the sales representative agreement, MJ Fein will now represent Globalstar while distributing Globalstar's satellite-based remote automated utility meter reading interface (MRI) solution, designed to communicate with meters located in areas not served by terrestrial-based wireless or landline systems.

"This agreement with MJ Fein demonstrates Globalstar's continued commitment to expand the distribution of our innovative mobile satellite voice and data services to our core commercial market customers," said Mark Stevenson, vice president, strategic sales and alliances for Globalstar, Inc, in a release.

Stevenson said he is pleased to be working with a company that brings more than 40 years of experience working with, and distributing electrical utility equipment to, enterprise customers throughout the Northeast.

As part of the contract, Globalstar officials said, MJ Fein will sell and promote the sale of the remote meter reading product and provide promotional, merchandising and training support for customers located in New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Eastern Pennsylvania, Maryland and the Washington, DC area.

"We at M.J. Fein & Co. are pleased to be working with Globalstar on promoting their Mobile Satellite Voice and Data Services," said Walter Radzio, owner of MJ Fein & Co.

Radzio said many utilities are currently spending money on remote metering communications and the company sees this as a growing market.

“With Globalstar's help we expect to fill a need for our customers by providing innovative MRI services for their remote communication applications,” he added.

Company officials said the Globalstar MRI product provides utility companies with a way to communicate with remote CI (commercial and industrial) utility meters using the Globalstar satellite network. The MRI transmits and receives information between the meter and the utility company back office host system.

According to the company officials, the MRI provides a way to manage and collect meter data while eliminating the need for, and the costs associated with, sending workers into remote and sometimes hazardous areas just to read a utility meter. This can result in increased productivity and workplace safety while decreasing the high costs associated with remote meter-reading fleet management.