SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                   ----------

                                    FORM 8-K

                Current Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                                  July 29, 2004

                                 Date of Report
                        (Date of earliest event reported)

                         TeleCommunication Systems, Inc.
                         -------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

           Maryland                        0-30821                52-1526369
           --------                        -------                ----------
(State or Other Jurisdiction of   (Commission File Number)      (IRS Employer
        Incorporation)                                       Identification No.)

                   275 West Street, Annapolis, Maryland 21401
               (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (410) 263-7616

                                       N/A
                                       ---
          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)



Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

      (a)   Financial statements of business acquired.

            Not applicable.

      (b)   Pro forma financial information.

            Not applicable.

      (c)   Exhibits.

      Pursuant  to  General  Instruction  B(6)  to  Form  8-K,  the  information
furnished  in the  exhibit  listed  below  shall not be deemed  "filed"  for the
purposes  of  Section  18 of  the  Exchange  Act  or  otherwise  subject  to the
liabilities  of that  section  and shall not be  deemed  to be  incorporated  by
reference  in any other  filing  under the  Securities  Act or the  Exchange Act
unless the  registrant  specifically  incorporates  this item in a filing  under
either of such acts.

      Exhibit       Description
      -------       -----------
      99            Press release of TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. dated
                    July 29, 2004.

Item 12. Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

      On July 29, 2004,  TeleCommunication  Systems, Inc. issued a press release
announcing financial  information  concerning the quarter ended June 30, 2004. A
copy of this press release is being furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.

      Pursuant  to  General  Instruction  B(6)  to  Form  8-K,  the  information
furnished  in this Item 12 shall  not be  deemed  "filed"  for the  purposes  of
Section 18 of the Exchange Act or otherwise  subject to the  liabilities of that
section and shall not be deemed to be  incorporated  by  reference  in any other
filing  under the  Securities  Act or the  Exchange  Act unless  the  registrant
specifically incorporates this item in a filing under either of such acts.


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                                   SIGNATURES

      Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended,  the  Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                      TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, INC.

Date: July 30, 2004                   By: /s/ Thomas M. Brandt, Jr.
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Name:  Thomas M. Brandt, Jr.
                                          Title: Senior Vice President and Chief
                                                 Financial Officer


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                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

      Exhibit       Description
      -------       -----------
      99            Press release of TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. dated
                    July 29, 2004.