ELKTON, Md. (February 21, 2012) – Sonim Technologies has developed the ultimate rugged phone to increase safety for workers alone in the most extreme environments.

Imagine that you are working alone in an underground tunnel inspecting a water handling system when you slip and hit your head on some of the piping. You are injured and can’t reach your phone. Now you have no way to call for help. Having access to a reliable communication system that automatically monitors lone workers for an entire shift is key to staying safe.

Sonim Technologies has developed the ultimate rugged phone to increase safety for workers alone in the most extreme environments. The XP3340 Sentinel delivers the longest GPS tracking time of any phone available in today’s market, ensuring lone-worker safety with both manual and automatic tracking by an emergency response call center. This phone also provides reliable communication with talk time of 20 to 24 hours or standby time of 800 hours. The robust XP3340 Sentinel surpasses military specifications for ruggedized devices, with an IP68 rating for protection against liquid immersion up to two meters as well as dust, dirt, salt and other particles.

To provide high-quality sound in the noisiest environments, Sonim engineered the phone to include loud audio with a 23mm speaker and an active noise-cancelling microphone. These audio transducers require openings to allow the sound waves in and out of the phone. If dirt, debris or liquid contaminants were to enter the phone through these small openings, the transducer will degrade and eventually fail.

That’s why Sonim selected GORE^® Portable Electronic Vents to enable durable performance of the XP3340 Sentinel. Three acoustic vents protect the phone’s audio transducers from dust, dirt, and water — even when immersed to a depth of two meters — without compromising the sound quality that Sonim’s customers expect. In addition, another GORE^® Portable Electronic Vent equalizes pressure inside the phone, which prevents a vacuum from occurring, ensuring that keys and pushbuttons can function reliably.

The key to the reliable performance of these vents is the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) membrane that quickly and easily responds to sound and air pressure. The tiny pores of the ePTFE membrane allow air to flow freely through the vent while preventing liquid, dirt, salt, and other contaminants from entering the phone and damaging the sensitive electronics.

According to Sanjay Jhawar, Sonim Technologies’ Vice President of Marketing and Business Development and General Manager of Application Development, "The XP3340 Sentinel is engineered for people who encounter extremely rough conditions, and we cannot afford to have the phone fail. Our reputation is based on the reliability of our products, as proven by our three-year comprehensive warranty. GORE® Portable Electronic Vents enable us to deliver durability and reliability in our products."

The 3340 Sentinel is one of the latest additions to Sonim’s full line of ruggedized workforce-critical phones made with GORE® Portable Electronic Vents. These phones offer a reliable solution for communicating with and tracking a remote workforce, ensuring the safety of lone workers in the most challenging environments.

Sonim Technologies 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. For more information about Sonim Technologies, visit sonimtech.com.

Gore is a leading manufacturer of thousands of advanced technology products for the electronics, fabrics, industrial and medical markets. Perhaps best known for its waterproof and breathable GORE-TEX® fabric, the company’s portfolio features a diverse array of innovations, including everything from guitar strings to life-saving cardiovascular devices. Gore is headquartered in Newark, Delaware, posts annual sales of more than $3 billion, and employs 9,500 associates in 30 countries worldwide. It is one of a select few companies to appear on all of the U.S. “100 Best Companies to Work For” lists since the rankings were introduced in 1984. For more information about GORE® Portable Electronic Vents, visit gore.com/venting.

Susan L. Crow 
W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. 
+1 410 506 7776 
Contact by email

Virginia Jamieson 
Sonim Technologies
+1 650 279 8619
Contact by email