Lok8u Ltd. a provider of location based safety solutions and T-Mobile (News - Alert) a mobile communications company, reportedly announced the deployment of micro subscriber identity module or SIM cards inside Lok8u’s wearable GPS locator devices in the U.S. These are also known as Third Form Factor or 3FF cards.

The 3FF SIM cards were originally developed by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute and they offer a smaller footprint than traditional SIM cards. The cards measure only 12mm x 15mm and are most suitable for smaller machine-to-machine applications and other much smaller wearable devices that employ GSM technology.

“With the support and integration of this new SIM form factor in the U.S., Lok8u and T-Mobile are breaking new ground, enabling a new category of wearable M2M devices,” said Steve Salmon, CEO of Lok8u in a release.

“Our partnership with T-Mobile has been instrumental in advancing our product portfolio. We look forward to continued collaboration, resulting in the smallest and most advanced location-based products for our customers,” Salmon added.

John Horn, national director of M2M at T-Mobile USA, said that M2M applications are growing fast encompassing telematics, smart meters and the remote monitoring and control of the home and finding lost children or even remotely monitoring the health of the sick or elderly.

T-Mobile invests in the development, testing and introduction of new SIM card form factors, like the micro 3FF, to directly meet the needs of these applications and enable new M2M solutions that were not possible due to traditional SIM form factors.

“With the addition of the micro 3FF to our M2M SIM card portfolio, which also includes our unique embedded SIM card, we significantly increase the number of M2M applications that can take advantage of T-Mobile’s strong network,” Horn said.

Lok8u’s nu•m8 is a GPS locator device which is designed for children. Using this, parents are able to set boundaries, and access the location of the wearer via SMS texting, or through the Lok8u Web portal. Parents will also receive instant notification upon forced removal of the watch.

The multi•m8 is a GPS locator watch designed for consumers involved in hiking, running, cycling, climbing, and skiing. It also suits at-risk seniors, like those with health issues such as Alzheimer’s disease, Lok8u officials said. 

The company’s patented cell ID algorithm will be able to give the approximate location through GSM which can be referred to 10 feet to get a GPS fix of the exact location, said company sources.

This feature of these devices allows indoor and outdoor positioning and offers quick location details even if approximate. Lok8u products leverage T-Mobile’s network infrastructure so that the devices can be used all over the United States.

To find out more about T-Mobile, visit the company at the M2M Evolution Conference. To be held Jan. 20 in Miami and collocated with ITEXPO East 2010, the M2M Evolution Conference will focus on how telemetry has been changing to take advantage of the Internet, where WAN and LAN systems were points of aggregation in the past today’s machines benefit from the ability to connect worldwide. And as the machines continue to look to network the wireless world represents a large growth opportunity for data communication. T-Mobile’s John Horn, the company’s USA National Director of M2M, is speaking during “The ‘2’ between M&M.” Don’t wait. Register now.