Industry News

Sprint PCS Service Now Available in 134 Metropolitan Markets Nationwide; Nation's Largest PCS Provider Announces Markets for Next Two Years of Launch -- Boston and Los Angeles Wrap Up Sprint PCS Market Launches for 1997

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Dec. 16, 1997 -- Sprint PCS, already the nation's largest 100 percent digital, 100 percent PCS nationwide wireless network announced that it has completed its 1997 launch phase, bringing Sprint PCS service to 134 metropolitan markets across the country in less than a year. Sprint PCS also announced the metropolitan markets it plans to begin launching in 1998 and early 1999.

"One year ago we launched eight markets with a goal of bringing our 100 percent digital, 100 percent PCS service to consumers and businesses in virtually every metropolitan market in the United States," said Andrew Sukawaty, chief executive officer of Sprint PCS. "With the phenomenal launch of 134 markets, Sprint PCS has become the nation's largest, all digital, nationwide PCS network. And 1997 was really just the beginning for Sprint PCS. In fact, by the end of 1998 or early 1999, the Sprint PCS network will serve the nation's top 100 major metropolitan areas and thousands of cities, realizing the goal of the United States' first truly national wireless network."

Sprint PCS, through its affiliate Sprint Spectrum, launched the United States' first PCS system in the Washington, D.C./Baltimore area in November 1995. Offering innovations such as the first incoming minute free, bundled enhanced features, and eliminating the cellular-style long-term contracts and activation fees; Sprint PCS' pioneering launch forever changed the way wireless services are packaged and sold. Many of these innovations have become the new standards for the wireless industry.

"We've completely changed the mobile phone world by offering consumers Search clarity, simplicity and value -- a proposition that was never available in the days of the cellular duopoly," Sukawaty said. "Our value proposition combined with the superior call clarity of our 100 percent digital CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) nationwide PCS service has positioned Sprint PCS as the clear alternative to cellular in 134 markets coast to coast."

In 1998 and early 1999 Sprint PCS will begin launching service in more than 100 additional metropolitan markets including Palm Springs, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura, California; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Stamford, Connecticut; Jacksonville, Orlando, St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; Chicago, Illinois; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Las Vegas, Nevada; Charlotte, North Carolina; Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio; Memphis, Tennessee; and Houston, Texas. Lucent Technologies, Motorola and Nortel are providing the CDMA network infrastructure equipment for the Sprint PCS network. The recent launch of Sprint PCS service in Boston and Los Angeles marked the final launch markets for Lucent Technologies in 1997 in the Sprint PCS network.

"We are proud that Sprint PCS looked to Lucent Technologies to help build its sophisticated, nationwide network that provides reliable, clear service to Sprint PCS customers," said Bill Nelson, vice president for Lucent Technologies' Sprint/Sprint PCS customer team. "We look forward to continuing our work with Sprint PCS as it grows its network and strives to bring new, innovative services to its customers."

SK Telecom Announces 340,000 New CDMA Subscribers for the Month of November; Increase Marks the Largest Monthly CDMA Growth in SK Telecom History

SEOUL, Dec. 15, 1997 -- SK Telecom announces an additional 340,000 new CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) subscribers. This growth marks a 40% increase in SK Telecom's CDMA customers over the 243,000 new subscribers reported in October.

"We are delighted to see the tremendous growth of our CDMA subscriber base and feel confident that the number will continue to grow," said Dr. Jung Uck Seo, President of SK Telecom. "This growth stands as testament to the quality of our products and the services we offer to our customers," concluded Dr. Jung Uck Seo.

SK Telecom has implemented a number of programs which have significantly contributed to the strong growth of the company's CDMA subscriber base. Earlier this year, SK Telecom lowered its cellular rates by 12.7 percent and developed four calling plans to make the service even more economical for consumers. In July, the company lowered the deposit fee on new SK Telecom service by 90% and developed the "011 Leaders Club" customer loyalty program. Members of the 011 Leaders club are entitled to emergency roadside assistance, free replacement of lost or stolen telephones, and discounts on travel services and electronics products.

SK Telecom is the leader in the field of mobile communications in Korea with 2.9 million digital subscribers and 1.6 million customers on its analog network. SK Telecom was the first company in the world to offer commercial CDMA cellular service and is the third largest paging services provider in the world.

Clearnet Roaming Agreement with Digital PCS Provider PrimeCo Expands U.S. Coverage

PICKERING, Ontario, Dec. 10, 1997 -- Clearnet Communications Inc. ("Clearnet") today announced a reciprocal roaming agreement with PrimeCo Personal Communications L.P. ("PrimeCo") of Dallas that will provide Clearnet PCS clients with extensive digital PCS roaming in the United States. Clearnet will also receive roaming revenues from PrimeCo as PrimeCo subscribers travel to Canada and access service on Clearnet's digital PCS network.

"Our roaming arrangement with PrimeCo is part of our strategy to ensure Clearnet PCS is as easy to use across the United States as it is across Canada," said George Cope, Clearnet's President and CEO. "Clearnet PCS clients will ultimately have access to the power, security and affordability of digital PCS across all 50 U.S. states. Our agreement with PrimeCo is a major component of our plan for continental Clearnet PCS coverage."

"Clearnet operates one of the most extensive digital networks in Canada, " said Lowell McAdam, PrimeCo's President and CEO. "We recently signed roaming agreements that give PrimeCo customers access to three of the largest wireless networks in the U.S. We are delighted to extend their ability to roam in Canada."

PrimeCo already provides digital wireless service in 20 major U.S. cities: Chicago, Ill.; Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando and Tampa, Fla.; Norfolk and Richmond, Va.; Madison, Green Bay and Milwaukee, Wis..; Mobile, Ala.; New Orleans, La.; Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio, Tex.; and Honolulu and Maui, Hawaii.

Automatic U.S. roaming with Clearnet PCS will be available in early 1998. Earlier this year, Clearnet concluded roaming agreements with two other companies: WirelessNorth, a Minnesota-based PCS management company establishing service throughout much of the U.S. Midwestern region, and Sprint PCS of Kansas City, Missouri, which has licensed PCS coverage of nearly 260 million people in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

Clearnet PCS covers more than 90 per cent of the Canadian population thanks to the company's use of "dual-mode" phones, which operate as digital phones in Clearnet digital service areas and as cellular phones in the balance of Clearnet's national service area.

Vendor News

QUALCOMM Signs Agreement With Centre For Development Of Telematics In India to Integrate CDMA Wireless Local Loop Equipment

C-DoT and QUALCOMM to jointly develop V5.2 interface

San Diego, CA, Dec. 30, 1997 -- QUALCOMM Incorporated announced a signed agreement with the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT) in India. The two companies intend to jointly develop a V5.2 interface between C-DoT's switching platform and QUALCOMM's CDMA QCore™ Base Station Controllers (BSCs). Once the interface is developed, C-DoT's family of digital switches and QUALCOMM's cdmaOne™ (IS-95 Code Division Multiple Access) infrastructure equipment will be able to be integrated, providing cost effective wireless local loop solutions for global markets, including India.

"By selecting QUALCOMM, the developers of CDMA technology, C-DoT has ensured that the latest CDMA products and services will be available to the Indian basic telecommunications market. This mutually beneficial agreement also enables us to jointly pursue wireless local loop opportunities in the global market, and we are confident that this new system architecture will provide a cost effective solution to basic telecommunications service providers worldwide," said K. N. Gupta, executive director, C-DoT.

"As leading, customer-focused telecommunications providers, QUALCOMM and C-DoT realize that by offering operators an expanded portfolio of products, we will be able to better meet the needs of the growing wireless local loop market worldwide. As a result of this agreement, the C-DoT system will accommodate CDMA-based wireless local loop technology, so that rural as well as suburban telecom services can be further enhanced," said Marshall Towe Jr., QUALCOMM's regional vice president of infrastructure sales, Asia. "We are pleased that C-DoT has chosen QUALCOMM to integrate their systems for wireless local loop applications, and we look forward to a productive and long-term relationship with C-DoT."

The V5.2 interface is an open interface standard between the switch and the BSC in a wireless local loop system. The interface allows equipment from different vendors to communicate based on a standard set of specifications, allowing operators to choose network elements from multiple vendors.

The agreement with C-DoT complements QUALCOMM's overall strategy to offer operators additional flexibility in designing their CDMA networks through the implementation of standard interfaces such as V5.2 and IS-634. QUALCOMM recently announced agreements with Alcatel and NEC to develop IS-634 interfaces for mobile networks. C-DoT has an established powerful switching platform that is already deployed worldwide, and is fully supportive of CDMA technology and the V5.2 standard interface. The combined expertise of QUALCOMM and C-DoT will be beneficial to operators looking to expand basic telecom service through wireless local loop systems.

The V5.2 interface will further benefit C-DoT licensees by giving them access to a new architecture for wireless local loop systems. QUALCOMM is already working with Indian Telephone Industries (ITI), the largest manufacturer of C-DoT switches. Operators who have already deployed C-DoT switches will be able to easily migrate their systems to support CDMA wireless local loop network elements.

C-DoT, an autonomous Research & Development organization of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), has a cost-effective family of digital switches ranging from 200 to 40,000 lines. There are already 20,000 exchanges based on C-DoT technology supporting more than six million lines in the Indian telecom network. C-DoT also has an established base of switches deployed in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

CDMA, developed by QUALCOMM for commercial wireless applications, is easier to deploy, more flexible, and more cost-effective than other WLL technologies. QUALCOMM will continue to offer its stand-alone CDMA networks to global markets, which support fixed, mobile and hybrid requirements. QUALCOMM's advanced system architecture, network infrastructure components, subscriber products and ancillary equipment provide complete solutions to telecommunications carriers worldwide.

QUALCOMM has emerged as a leader in the WLL arena, and is the supplier of India's first commercial CDMA wireless local loop system, operated by Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd. (MTNL) in New Delhi, India. The company has also deployed commercial systems in Russia, and has agreements to deploy WLL systems in Bangladesh, Nigeria, the Philippines, and Ukraine. QUALCOMM's mobile CDMA systems are being deployed in several other countries, including the United States and Chile.

QUALCOMM Signs CDMA Test Equipment License Agreement with Marconi Instruments

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 17, 1997 -- QUALCOMM Incorporated today announced that it has signed a royalty-bearing license agreement for test equipment with Marconi Instruments Ltd. of Stevenage, England. Under terms of the agreement, QUALCOMM granted Marconi Instruments a license to design and develop test equipment based on its Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) IS-95 standard.

"With Marconi Instruments being a leading global supplier of complete test systems, solutions and services, this agreement provides QUALCOMM with another quality licensee of our CDMA technology," said Steve Altman, executive vice president and general manager of QUALCOMM's Technology Transfer Division. "With the addition of CDMA, Marconi will increase its technology portfolio, providing a significant potential market for Marconi Instruments' equipment around the world."

"The license agreement allows Marconi Instruments to expand its strategy of actively supporting CDMA technology for our global customers," said Jim Koehn, president of Marconi Instruments, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas and Americas region manager, Instruments Ltd., Stevenage. CDMA is the digital technology of choice for digital cellular and PCS in the United States. CDMA offers higher voice quality with longer talk and standby times and greater wireless access to millions of subscribers.

Iusacell Selects Lucent Technologies To Build Digital Wireless Network In Mexico Using CDMA Technology

Lucent Technologies announced that it was awarded a multi-million dollar contract by Grupo Iusacell as part of a $200 million modernization program to upgrade Iusacell'swireless network.

Lucent will replace Iusacell's existing analog Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS) system with an IS-95 CDMA system in all four regions -- including Mexico City -- where Iusacell provides service. The new CDMA-based wireless network will allow for the introduction of advanced features, such as Caller ID and "pager-like" Short Messaging Service.

Under phase one of the agreement, Lucent will upgrade Iusacell's wireless system in Region 9 -- which includes the population center of Mexico City and its surrounding area -- to digital CDMA. Iusacell's remaining three regions will be upgraded under phase two of the project. Iusacell serves an area representing 70 percent of the country's total population.

"We are very pleased to have been selected as Iusacell's technology provider for this important project that will bring Mexico the most advanced digital technology available today," said Rogelio Velasco, managing director for Lucent Technologies de Mexico. "CDMA offers increased call capacity, as compared to analog cellular, and maximizes network efficiency."

CDMA is a digital wireless technology based on the IS-95 air interface. This technology provides increased call capacity and enhanced call quality that is comparable to landline service. CDMA reduces the static and cross-talk sometimes heard on analog systems, and provides a "soft hand-off" capability that makes call hand-offs between cell sites and mobile switching centers (MSCs) virtually unnoticeable to customers.

Lucent is an industry leader in CDMA technology, with more than 70 CDMA networks in commercial operation or under construction for 21 customers worldwide.

With CDMA technology, subscribers are assigned a unique code which allows each user to be distinguished from other users who are transmitting simultaneously over the same frequency band. This allows more efficient use of the licensed spectrum which increases network call capacity for service operators. CDMA technology has inherent encryption qualities that help prevent fraudulent activity and resists potential interference and eavesdropping.

Lucent Technologies has won major contracts to build CDMA networks in countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Korea. In the Caribbean, Centennial de Puerto Rico launched its PCS network last December, using Lucent Technologies CDMA infrastructure equipment.

In North America, Lucent is the leading provider of CDMA infrastructure equipment for the largest PCS network providers -- PrimeCo Personal Communications, Sprint PCS and others -- and for cellular carriers such as GTE, AirTouch and Bell Atlantic Mobile. Lucent is the only vendor to win a share of equipment contracts for each of the largest U.S. PCS networks

Motorola CIG Wins Contract To Deploy CDMA-Based Wireless Local Loop Phone Network in Kuwait

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill., Dec. 11, 1997 -- Motorola, Inc.'s Cellular Infrastructure Group (CIG) today announced it has won a contract to supply a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) Wireless Local Loop network in Kuwait.

Motorola CIG will initially install its CDMA WiLL(R) system in the northern and southern regions of Kuwait. Commercial service to more than 2,300 subscribers is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 1998. Kuwait's Ministry of Communications (PTT) plans to expand the network next year to provide service to the urban areas of Kuwait City.

"This is the second Motorola CIG CDMA WiLL(R) system to be deployed in the Middle East," said Adrian Nemcek, corporate vice president and general manager of Motorola's European Cellular Infrastructure Group (ECIG). "Motorola CIG's CDMA WiLL(R) system offers telephone operators like Kuwait's PTT a quality digital network with capacity for future growth that can be easily integrated into the landline network and deployed within weeks of equipment delivery, far more quickly than traditional landline installations."

Motorola's CIG will deliver the new Motorola CDMA Fixed Wireless Terminals (FWT) and deploy its SC™ 2450 base station product which will operate in the 800 MHz frequency band and will interface via the V5.2 open interface to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The V5.2 digital open interface is a European Telecommunications Standard Institute (ETSI) standard for wireless local loop systems.

Motorola CIG is the market leader in wireless local loop deployments worldwide with WiLL(R) systems in more than 25 countries and has provided infrastructure for the world's five largest wireless local loop networks in Hungary, India, Spain, Poland and the Philippines.

QUALCOMM to Supply $25 Million Wireless Local Loop System to Bangladesh Rural Telecom Authority -- First CDMA Wireless Local Loop System in Bangladesh Will Serve Rural Areas Nationwide

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 10, 1997 -– QUALCOMM Incorporated today announced it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Bangladesh Rural Telecom Authority (BRTA), a privately licensed telecommunications operator who will supply service to rural areas throughout Bangladesh. The MOU was signed in the presence of U.S. Secretary of Commerce William Daley and Mr. T. Ahmed, Minister of Industry and Commerce of Bangladesh, after the bilateral meeting of the two countries in Calcutta, India. Under the terms of the multi-year MOU, QUALCOMM will supply a cdmaOne ™ (Code Division Multiple Access) system to BRTA worth $25 million.

"It is with great pleasure that we announce our decision to deploy a CDMA wireless local loop system from QUALCOMM, which will allow us to quickly move forward with providing high-quality, reliable telephone service to the country of Bangladesh," commented Major Nurun Nabi (retired), Managing Director of BRTA. "CDMA wireless telephony will not only deliver much-needed basic telephone service to residents and businesses throughout Bangladesh, but will reliably keep communications open during monsoon season and other difficult weather conditions."

In a country with over 120 million people and a low number of installed telephones, BRTA's modern CDMA wireless local loop system will provide essential basic telephone service to rural towns and villages throughout Bangladesh. In a CDMA wireless local loop application, a wireless link is used to replace a traditional copper line to connect telephones with a central switching office, providing an alternative to the costly and time-consuming implementation of wired telephone lines. QUALCOMM's CDMA wireless local loop systems give carriers the ability to quickly and cost effectively introduce basic telephone service to large populations in diverse terrain. The technology provides voice quality similar to that of wireline, and offers customers advanced features and services.

"We congratulate BRTA on selecting CDMA from QUALCOMM which will give the people of Bangladesh access to the world's most advanced wireless voice and data telecommunications," said Marshall Towe, regional vice president of QUALCOMM's infrastructure operations in Asia. "We look forward to a productive, long-term relationship with BRTA that will meet the growing needs of BRTA's customers today and into the future."

"QUALCOMM is pleased to have the opportunity to help BRTA achieve its aggressive telecommunications goals for rural Bangladesh." Said BA Majmudar, vice president of sales and marketing for QUALCOMM's India operations. "We expect to open a local QUALCOMM office within the first quarter of 1998 to provide technical support for the deployment of the system, which will begin in the second quarter of 1998. This marks the first implementation of the latest technology for rural areas in the region. QUALCOMM is pleased to offer netowrk plans that are optimized for rural areas and require fewer cell sites than other technologies."

Under the terms of the MOU, QUALCOMM will supply their 800 MHz QCell ™ 3508I Base station Transceiver Subsystems (BTSs) and QCore ™ 22X Integrated Base Station Controllers (IBSCs), as well as QCT-6000, QCT-10200, and QCP-800 phones. QUALCOMM will also supply a range of deployment services, including training, program management, installation, commissioning and network planning using QUALCOMM's industry's leading QEDesign ® network planning software.

QUALCOMM has emerged as a leader in the WLL arena with commercial WLL systems in Russia and India, and contracts for other WLL deployments in Nigeria, the Philippines, Russia and Ukraine. QUALCOMM's mobile CDMA systems are being deployed in other countries, including the United States and Chile. As the pioneer of CDMA technology, QUALCOMM continues to invest in research, development and standardization of new CDMA features and services, as well as third-generation digital wireless technologies.

QUALCOMM Expands Global Presence to Africa with Nigerian Starcomms Contract Worth Over $40 Million CDMA Wireless Local Loop System to Serve Lagos Area

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 9, 1997 -- QUALCOMM Incorporated today announced it has signed a contract with Nigerian Starcomms Limited, a privately licensed wireless local loop (WLL) operator who will supply service to the Lagos area. Under the terms of the contract, QUALCOMM will supply a cdmaOne™ (Code Division Multiple Access) system to Starcomms worth over $40 million. QUALCOMM is scheduled to begin deployment of the 1900 MHz WLL system in early 1998, with commercial service expected in the second quarter.

"We chose to deploy QUALCOMM's CDMA technology because it has proven to be the most technically and economically viable solution for providing fixed wireless service," said Chief Maan Lababidi, Chairman of Starcomms. "We look forward to rapidly providing reliable, secure and high-quality communications to a mix of business and residential customers in the Lagos area."

High demand for telephone service is spurring the growth of the telecommunications sector in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country with 110 million people. Starcomms' WLL deployment will provide much needed telephone service to the Lagos area, and will offer customers excellent voice quality and advanced wireless features.

"The signing of our contract with Starcomms represents a tremendous opportunity for QUALCOMM, and the beginning of what we hope will be a long and mutually beneficial relationship," commented Dr. Irwin Jacobs, chairman and chief executive officer of QUALCOMM. "We are proud to be taking a leadership role in bringing our advanced CDMA technology to Nigeria and the African continent."

"We are very excited to be one of the first telecommunications companies in Africa to be working with QUALCOMM on wireless infrastructure deployments, " said Amin Al-Kayal, general manager of Starcomms. "We hope that QUALCOMM will continue to fulfill our wireless equipment needs and be our partner in success."

Charles Oshunremi, director of business development of African operations for QUALCOMM's Wireless Infrastructure Products division, added, "We are extremely pleased to be providing CDMA technology to Nigeria, where demand for telecommunications is among the highest on the continent. We expect to open the QUALCOMM office in Nigeria within the first quarter of 1998 to provide local technical support and account management."

The system will feature QUALCOMM's 1900 MHz QCell™ 3519i Base station Transceiver Subsystems (BTSs) and QCore™ 22X Integrated Base Station Controllers (IBSCs), as well as QCT-6200 and QCT-1200 wireless local loop telephones. QUALCOMM will supply other equipment required for operation of the system, as well as a full menu of services, including training, program management, installation, commissioning and network planning using QUALCOMM's industry's leading QEDesign + network planning software.

QUALCOMM continues to expand its global presence with contracts for CDMA deployments in North America, South America, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe and Africa. QUALCOMM pioneered the acceptance of CDMA technology in Africa, and is currently engaged in advanced discussions with several other carriers in the region. The Company has emerged as a leader in the WLL arena with commercial WLL systems in Russia and India, and deployments underway in Russia, Ukraine and the Philippines. QUALCOMM's mobile CDMA systems are being deployed in other countries, including the United States and Chile. As the developer of CDMA technology, QUALCOMM continues to invest in research, development and standardization of new CDMA features and services, as well as third-generation digital wireless technologies.

Samsung Electronics gets US$5 million CDMA order from China

Dec. 8, 1997 -- Samsung Electronics has received an order from China United Telecommunications (CUT), the state-run cellular phone company of China, for digital wireless communication CDMA-related equipment worth the equivalent of $5 million. The CUT service area covers Tianjin, Guangzhou and Shanghai. The contract stipulates that Samsung will supply CUT with such items as a large-capacity CDMA exchange system, 11 base stations and necessary software for turn-key service. To start, in 1998 CUT will provide test services to 20 million people in Tianjin, which is the nation's largest communications market, but where the proliferation rate of cellular phones is just 2%.

Motorola Wins $260 Million CDMA Award From Pele-Phone; First to Deploy CDMA System in Israel

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. –Dec. 5, 1997 -- Motorola, Inc.'s Cellular Infrastructure Group (CIG) has been awarded a $260 million contract from Pele-Phone Communications, Ltd., Israel's first cellular network operator, to deploy the first Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) digital cellular network throughout Israel. Pele-Phone will run in parallel its existing Narrowband Advanced Mobile Phone Service (NAMPS) analog cellular network with the CDMA system, also called cdmaOne ™.

According to Benny Einhorn, general manager of Pele-Phone, "We believe CDMA is the only digital cellular technology which will support our aggressive network growth requirements and enable us to provide services, such as Short Message Service, which our customers demand."

"Motorola CIG has a long-standing relationship with Pele-Phone," said Adrian Nemcek, corporate vice president and general manager of Motorola CIG's European Cellular Infrastructure Group. "It is rewarding to have been chosen as the vendor to upgrade Pele-Phone's system. We look forward to this opportunity and to strengthening further our relationship with them. "

Motorola CIG supplied an Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS) analog cellular network to Pele-Phone in 1986 and its current NAMPS analog system in 1994. The Motorola CIG CDMA system to be deployed with Pele-Phone will have the capacity to serve a total of 740,000 subscribers, significantly enhancing the current capacity of the operator's analog cellular system. According to recent industry studies, the Israeli cellular market has one of the highest traffic densities in the world with a much higher usage per subscriber per month compared to subscribers in the U.S.

Motorola CIG will install its digital SC ™ series base transceiver system equipment -- which supports multiple air interfaces for versatile, modular growth -- along with its recently announced, open systems EMX(R) 5000 mobile switch.

Additionally, Pele-Phone will utilize the Short Message Service (SMS) which Motorola CIG has installed on all of the commercial CDMA systems it has deployed. The Motorola SMS system will enable subscribers to receive voice mail notification, digital pages, text messages, time stamp of messages, urgent message indication, voice mail message count and informational services such as stock quotes, sports scores, weather and traffic. Shipment of equipment is expected to begin this month with commercial service planned for 1998.

QUALCOMM Introduces World's Smallest CDMA Base Stations for Cellular and PCS Networks -- Compact and Cost-Effective CDMA BTSs Are Ideal for Macro, Micro and Pico Applications

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 4, 1997 -- QUALCOMM Incorporated today introduced the industry's smallest cdmaOne ™ (Code Division Multiple Access) base stations, the QCell ™ 519e and the QCell 508e, for cellular and PCS networks. The latest products from QUALCOMM address the needs of wireless service providers for compact, lightweight and cost-effective base station transceiver subsystems (BTSs). The QCell 519e and 508e products will enable cdmaOne operators to quickly and easily increase capacity and coverage in a variety of environments, including buildings, subways, capacity hot spots, event venues, highways and rural areas.

"QUALCOMM's new CDMA base stations can reduce capital and deployment costs by more than 50 percent compared to macro CDMA cell sites, while providing operators with additional flexibility in designing mobile and wireless local loop networks," said John Major, president, Wireless Infrastructure Products division. "Furthermore, the QCell 500 series base stations will dramatically shorten the deployment process due to the products' small size and wide range of installation options."

Entirely self-contained and environmentally designed for indoor or outdoor installations, the new lightweight QCell products are ideal for wall or pole- mounted applications. The QCell 519e and 508e BTSs measure just 26" by 15" by 8" (66cm x 38cm x 20cm) and weigh only 75 lb.(34 kg), allowing field technicians to rapidly complete installation by simply connecting the antenna and backhaul interface and plugging the product in to any universal AC power supply. The products' deploy-anywhere design minimizes the costs operators usually face in obtaining zoning permits and acquiring and preparing sites.

The QCell 508e and 519e accommodate 64 channel elements and ten watts of radio frequency (RF) output power, providing maximum capacity and coverage. The QCell 500 series products are configured for omni sector, single RF carrier sites for low initial investment. As capacity demands increase, multiple QCell 500 series BTSs can be collocated to provide multiple sector cell design. In addition, they can be daisy chained for efficient use of backhaul, significantly reducing the service provider's capital and operating costs.

Operators can locate the new remote global positioning system (GPS) antenna up to 2000 feet (615m) away from the base station, eliminating the requirement for expensive coaxial cable to serve tunnels, subways and other hard to reach areas. One GPS antenna can be shared among multiple QCell 500 series BTSs. Using specially designed and manufactured components, the QCell 519e and 508e require no internal or external fans, resulting in low power, maintenance-free, silent operation. These energy-efficient BTSs consume less than 300 watts of universal AC power, less than one-third the power required for a conventional BTS, and are designed to be used with both U.S. and international power systems. These weather-proof QCell products can be installed virtually anywhere, withstanding temperatures from -40 degrees Celsius to +52 degrees Celsius.

Micro and pico applications of the product can fill in coverage holes or increase capacity in dense areas where real estate is at a premium. Integral patch antennas for spot and indoor coverage can be pre-installed for public and residential deployments, where traditional antenna installation may be difficult or inappropriate. In addition, these powerful BTSs have the capacity and coverage to provide service to highways and rural areas in a macrocellular environment, allowing operators the flexibility to deploy low cost base stations for a wide variety of applications. This attribute is especially beneficial to operators providing wireless local loop (WLL) service to suburban or rural areas.

The QCell 519e will be showcased at the CTIA '98 show in Atlanta, Georgia this February, and the first products are scheduled to ship in the second half of 1998.

Airtouch Cellular`s Powerband Service Launch in Great Lakes Region Extends Nortel (Northern Telecom) cdmaOne Reach to 70 Cities Worldwide

ORLANDO, Dec. 3, 1997 -- With the launch of AirTouch Cellular's Powerband service in Ohio's Great Lakes region, Nortel (Northern Telecom) cdmaOne (IS-95 CDMA) digital wireless networks are now providing service coverage in more than 70 cities around the world.

AirTouch Cellular customers in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio join those in Detroit, Mich. and millions of potential subscribers with other operators in the US, Canada, South America, Eastern Europe and the Far East enjoying the crystal-clear audio quality, reliability and security of Nortel's innovative cdmaOne wireless network solutions.

"With a couple of years of commercial service successfully under our belts, cdmaOne digital wireless service is moving rapidly from promise to reality," said Richard Lowe, general manager, CDMA Systems, Wireless Networks, Nortel.

Addressing the 1997 CDMA North American Regional Congress at The Peabody Orlando Hotel, Lowe highlighted the global success of cdmaOne to date, and indicated the best is yet to come.

"What we've learned in engineering and implementing these networks thus far will enable even greater capacity and performance for new and existing operators as we anticipate the need for third-generation wireless multimedia PCS,'' said Lowe, who chaired the Wednesday afternoon session on ``CDMA as a Mature Technology."

Nortel's contributions to the rapid development and acceptance of cdmaOne include nearly 4,000 base stations shipped from its Wireless Networks manufacturing facility in Calgary, Alberta in less than a year in full production.

Nortel's high-capacity DMS-MTX SuperNode can support CDMA, TDMA and AMPS service from the same digital mobile switching system. This gives operators complete flexibility to take advantage of roaming revenue opportunities, and to offer their customers the widest available choice of quality and services.

Nortel has also designed and delivered a number of cdmaOne innovations, including:

- a mast-mounted Radio Frequency Front End (RFFE) for flexible Base Transceiver Station (BTS) placement, reduced RF cable loss and up to a 30 percent reduction in cell count.

- six-way soft handoff for outstanding (under two percent) dropped call performance.

- under 4 dB receiver noise at 1900 MHz (under 5 dB at 800 MHz), which also reduces the number of cell sites required.

- ATM-based Base Station Controller for fast soft handoff, and evolution to soft intersystem handoff and ATM network connectivity for future data applications.

cdmaOne is a trademark of the CDMA Development Group

DMS-MTX, SuperNode, Nortel and the Globemark are trademarks of Northern Telecom

U S WEST NewVector Group Selects Lucent Technologies' Digital Wireless Platform -- New CDMA Wireless Technology to be Installed in Seven U.S. Cities

WARREN, N.J., Dec. 3, 1997 -- U S WEST New Vector Group, doing business as AirTouch Cellular, today announced its plans to replace its digital wireless platform. Under a five-year, multi-million dollar contract, AirTouch said it plans to install Lucent's code division multiple access (CDMA) technology in Albuquerque, N.M.; Des Moines, Iowa; Spokane, Wash.; Duluth, Minn.; Fargo, N.D.; Boise, Idaho; and Omaha, Neb. The companies said the first system will be shipped to Albuquerque before the end of the year, with commercial service planned for early 1998.

"We're committed to provide customers with the best possible wireless service in the industry," said Brian Shay, executive vice president and general manager, AirTouch Cellular. "We have already deployed Lucent digital technology in Portland and Salt Lake City and will build on that positive experience as we expand our PowerBand CDMA service across our markets."

CDMA is a digital version of wireless service. It offers improved call clarity for consumers, and provides network operators improved capacity and service reliability. CDMA also offers a host of new calling features and service capabilities -- such as caller ID, voice mail and paging.

Lucent's CDMA systems perform "soft" hand-offs over a wide area, thereby improving the overall quality of the wireless call as customers travel through a service area or between adjacent CDMA networks. In addition, Lucent's CDMA wireless systems supports both digital and analog wireless services off the same wireless platform.

"This strategic agreement takes our relationship with AirTouch Cellular to the next level," said Eric Wilson, global account director for Lucent Technologies. "By choosing our CDMA systems over its embedded analog supplier, AirTouch is positioning itself as a leader in the digital wireless marketplace for years to come."

Lucent will be providing AirTouch with its CDMA AUTOPLEX(R) Series II cell site equipment and the 5ESS(R)-2000 switch. In addition, AirTouch Cellular's network will use Lucent's 13 kilobit-per-second digital voice encoder, which offers wireless voice quality that has been rated in independent tests to be comparable with wireline telephone service.

This past summer, AirTouch launched new digital services and features, such as caller ID, paging and voice mail with notification, in its markets in Utah and Oregon over a Lucent-built CDMA network.

Motorola CIG Launches GTE Wireless' CDMA Digital Phone Network in San Diego -- Marks 34th Commercial CDMA Launch Worldwide

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill., Dec. 3, 1997 -- The announced launch of GTE Wireless' 800 MHz digital cellular phone system in San Diego, Calif., raises the number of commercial digital Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) networks (now called cdmaOne ™ launched by Motorola, Inc.'s Cellular Infrastructure Group (CIG) worldwide to 34.

"With our new Motorola digital network and our upgraded analog network, GTE Wireless is providing our customers with access to the highest-quality service with the best network in San Diego," explained Kurt May, area president for GTE Wireless. "The new digital service will offer fewer dropped calls, added clarity and a portfolio of advanced features such as caller ID, digital messaging service and voice mail."

"It's extremely rewarding to have been given the opportunity of helping GTE Wireless launch the latest in cellular communications in San Diego," said Jack Finlayson, corporate vice president and general manager of Motorola CIG's Americas Cellular Infrastructure Group. "CDMA Technology will allow GTE Wireless to provide its customers with the finest wireless service available."

CDMA has quickly become one of the leading digital wireless technologies throughout the world. Motorola CIG is both a leader of this globalization effort and a premier CDMA provider.

Motorola CIG is a pioneer in CDMA, having launched the world's first commercial cdmaOne system in Hong Kong in 1995, the first commercial CDMA system in the U.S. and the first in Latin America in Peru. Currently, Motorola CIG has more than 75 agreements to provide commercial and trial CDMA equipment across the globe.

Motorola Unveils Enhanced CDMA Microcellular Base Stations -- Self-Contained Products for Both Digital Cellular and PCS Markets

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. , Dec. 2, 1997 -- Motorola, Inc.'s Cellular Infrastructure Group (CIG) today unveiled the latest microcellular additions to its Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) base station product family. The new SC ™614 and SC 614T Base Transceiver Stations provide high transmit output power while minimizing deployment costs for network operators. Motorola CIG will feature the SC 614 products December 2 - 4 at the CDMA North American Regional Congress in Orlando, Florida.

The SC 614 product line supports operators in both the cellular 800 MHz and the Personal Communications Services (PCS) 1.9 GHz frequency bands. The SC 614 base station supports digital cellular networks in the 800 MHz frequency band, while the SC 614T version operates in the 1.9 GHz frequency band. Both models provide the coverage of a conventional CDMA base station in a compact, self-contained enclosure for indoor/outdoor installations.

The SC 614 product features a full 20 watt linear power amplifier (LPA), while the SC 614T model provides 16 watts of nominal power. Through Motorola CIG's exclusive TrunkedPower ™ technology, the SC 614T base station enables power to be shared dynamically across sectors -- or "trunked" -- as needed. With the SC 614T product, additional power can be trunked for an effective output power of 20, or more, watts per sector.

Designed with a weather-tight casing, both SC 614 products can be placed in either indoor installations, such as conventional cell-sites or in-building locales, or outdoor installations, such as rooftops or parking lots. By eliminating the need for an environmentally conditioned building and minimizing the real estate necessary for installation, the SC 614 base stations reduce an operator's investment in cell site deployment. Because the products do not require active air conditioning or heat exchangers, the SC 614 base stations afford quiet operation and are neighborhood-friendly -- increasing the options for installation sites.

"We developed the SC 614 products in response to our customers' need for increased output power," said Graham Haddock, vice president and general manager of Motorola CIG's Personal Communications Division. "These products enable our operators to deploy a full power, full capacity base station while minimizing their total cell site investment."

In addition to the SC 614 base stations, Motorola CIG is also introducing its new SC 611 base station. The SC 611 product supports both 800 MHz and 1.9 GHz networks and features a 7 watt LPA. The SC 611 product is a self-contained microcell base station designed to help operators quickly enhance their network coverage while overcoming zoning issues. The small size, light weight and zero noise emissions of the SC 611 base station provide deployment flexibility in a variety of indoor and outdoor installation scenarios.

The SC 611 and SC 614 base stations also feature remote Global Positioning System (GPS) technology which extends the base station-to-antenna distance to 2,000 feet and eliminates the need for costly coaxial cable and attendant in-line amplification -- resulting in reduced installation costs.

The SC 611 and SC 614 base stations are shipped from the factory fully configured and tested, dramatically reducing on-site installation time. Both products will begin commercial deployment to the 800 MHz and 1.9 GHz markets in early 1998.

Pele-Phone of Israel Orders Motorola CDMA

Motorola Inc.'s Cellular Infrastructure Group won a contract to deploy a CDMA cellular network in Israel for Pele-Phone Communications Ltd. Motorola values the arrangement at $260 million.

The CDMA system will run parallel with Pele-Phone's existing narrowband AMPS analog cellular network, which currently supports 850,000 subscribers, said the companies. Pele-Phone will clear about 1.8 MHz of the 10 to 12 MHz of spectrum allocated to it in order to deploy the CDMA system, which will support 740,000 subscribers when completed.

Tel Aviv-based Pele-Phone, which holds a national license, says it has the highest traffic density in the world with about 350 minutes of use (MOU) per customer per month compared with average MOUs of about 100 in the US and 70 in Europe.

DSP Communications Inc. Announces Agreement with Kyocera Corp.

DSP Communications Inc. announced an agreement to develop and supply IS-95 baseband processor chipsets for Kyocera Corp.'s dual-mode handsets. Connected through simple interfaces to the RF/IF unit, host microcontroller, audio codec and keypad, the CDMA chipset completes the hardware required for a mobile terminal.