Finder technology developed by a location-based services developer in Melbourne, Tenzeng, is being rolled out in seven countries across the globe.

The asset tracking technology is actually spearheading a new stolen vehicle recovery scheme in Mexico which commenced earlier this month.

Tenzeng provides Location-Based Services (LBS) in the Asia-Pacific region and was selected by the Globalstar Independent Gateway Operators (IGO) Association, to deliver its AssetFinder software platform in seven countries around the world.

Globalstar de Mexico is the second IGO Operator to go-live, following Globalstar Australia's launch in 2007.

In August last year Globalstar Australia was the first carrier to license the platform and launch it under their 'TracerTrak brand, which is combined with asset-tracking devices on the Globalstar satellite network.

It enables businesses to monitor, map and track high-value assets, in areas well outside terrestrial-based mobile-phone tower reception.

Tenzeng managing director, Cheryl Quirion, said the technology has been further developed for use in a carrier call centre environment for managed service delivery.

Quirion said Globalstar de Mexico is the first overseas carrier to roll-out the solution as a part of a new crackdown on motor vehicle theft.

Tenzeng's enhanced functionality is being used to monitor stolen vehicles within Mexico City starting in February 2008, when a law requiring all new vehicles to have tracking units came into effect.

"Our platform will offer an end-to-end solution for stolen vehicle recovery in addition to standard asset tracking functions, such as monitoring and alerting for device-triggered, location and missing broadcast alarms, sophisticated mapping capabilities, historical reporting and two-way SMS access for in-field operations," she said.

IGO Association Operators plan to rollout the solution throughout 2008.

The IGO Association represents Globalstar Operators on all continents and includes Elsacomm Italy, Globalstar Argentina, Globalstar do Brasil, Globalstar Korea, Globalstar Turkey and Globalstar Russia.

President of the Globalstar IGO Association and CEO of Globalstar de Mexico, Eduardo Pacheco, described the technology as innovative and in an easy to use format with built-in user-defined security.

Pacheco said the platform also provides the required carrier-grade billing systems and call centre functionality that operators such as Globalstar de Mexico require to deliver solutions direct to market.

"The adaptability of the technology was also integral to our decision, as it gives Globalstar Operators the flexibility to adapt and customise it for business or consumer-based solutions," he said.

In Australia, the asset monitoring market is in excess of 2.25 million units, and in the US, it tops 37.5 million units.

Based in Melbourne, Tenzeng was formed in 2005.