CDMA Poised To Be The Future Of Wireless

Costa Mesa, CA., June 28, 1999 -- The CDMA Development Group (CDG) reported highlights from its successful Fourth Annual CDMA World Congress, held last week in Hong Kong. Attracting more than 1,000 delegates from more than 30 countries around the world, the Congress is the wireless industry’s leading event for all CDMA-related topics.

The opening day of the Congress featured several key presentations:

• The Congress keynote address was delivered by Dr. Victor K. Fung, chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. Fung provided the delegates with expert insight on the wireless industry’s future as it pertains to CDMA in Hong Kong, China and the surrounding areas. · Mr. Wang Jianzhou, executive vice president with China Unicom, highlighted the plans for cdmaOneTM in China.
• Mr. Wang outlined Unicom’s network expansion plan to grow from an initial system capacity of 2.6 million this year to 40 million by 2003, at which time 28 million subscribers are anticipated.
• Perry LaForge, executive director of the CDG, moderated a "Visions for Future Migration to a Wireless World" panel consisting of CEO/COOs discussing new trends and directions for the wireless industry, especially as it relates to CDMA growth expected from data, Internet usage and fixed convergence. The panelists included Wang Jianzhou, Executive Vice President for China Unicom; Al Kurtze, COO for Sprint PCS; Harvey White, Chairman and CEO for Leap Wireless International; Richard Callahan, President and CEO for Callahan Associates International; Rudy Graf, President and CEO for Centennial de Puerto Rico; Dr. Sang Chul Lee, President and CEO for Korea Telecom Freetel; and John Major, CEO for Wireless Knowledge.

The delegates also heard from executives of operators, manufacturers, software vendors, analysts, regulatory authorities and the finance sector as they discussed the hottest topics in wireless, including the mobile Internet and international roaming. A common theme of many of the presentations was the inherent technical and financial advantages cdmaOne operators have in migrating to 3G and wireless Internet and information services.

"There was an excitement and energy surrounding this year’s Congress as the industry celebrated the success of cdmaOne this past year and its prospects to lead the way into the next millennium as the technology of choice to deliver 3G’s promises," said LaForge.

"The CDG is pleased to see industry leaders acknowledging the technology’s incredible potential as the best platform for next generation services." The CDG also announced that the Fifth Annual CDMA World Congress will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, June 12-16, 2000.

"Given the prevalence of cdmaOne throughout Asia and the rapid introduction of leading-edge wireless information and Internet services by the cdmaOne operators in the region, Hong Kong is the ideal venue for the first World Congress of the new millennium," said LaForge. "At next year’s Congress, we will undoubtedly be hearing the success stories of the growing number of operators launching wireless Internet and data applications."