2-Way SMS to Be Commercially Available for the First Time on TDMA.

Business Editors

MANKATO, Minn. and LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 4, 2000

Lava2140 and Midwest Wireless Work Together to Bring

Information on Demand and E-Mail Origination to the Handset

Lava2140, a global communications software developer focused on providing wireless access to Internet resources and services, and Midwest Wireless, a Midwestern-based wireless phone service provider, today announced the successful trials and upcoming deployment of what will be the first commercially available two-way SMS messaging system on a TDMA network.

The two companies plan to provide Midwest Wireless subscribers with two-way interactive information services, including Information on Demand, which means users can request information through their wireless phone at any time, while on the go, and have it delivered just seconds later.

Unlike standard information services, which allow only pre-scheduled information to be sent to the wireless phone, the Lava2140 Information Services product enables customers to request and receive information when the need arises, at a time that is convenient to them. The user simply enters a short command into the wireless phone, and moments later the requested information appears as a message on the phone's display screen.

The Information On Demand feature is crucial, because with the freedom to access information at their fingertips, users do not have to anticipate their needs or receive countless unnecessary messages.

Up to this point, only one-way messaging has been available to customers of TDMA wireless service providers. The recent breakthrough in TDMA two-way messaging using Lava2140 technology means that Midwest Wireless subscribers will be able to receive stock quotes, filtered news, sports scores, weather and other information on both a scheduled and "on demand" basis, as well as send and receive e-mail messages to and from any e-mail account.

"Lava2140 has been very successful in providing two-way SMS solution among GSM carriers. We are very pleased to offer two-way SMS that can be deployed in the TDMA networks," added Robert Treasure, vice president of Sales and Marketing for Lava2140. "We believe two-way SMS capability among TDMA handsets can offer wireless data service users a very attractive user experience with virtually unlimited new features and applications."

"We were extremely excited last year when we were first able to offer our subscribers `e-mail to the phone' capabilities. But this new technology developed through our cooperative efforts with Lava will give our subscribers the power to also send e-mails and request information using only their wireless phone," said Midwest Wireless President Dennis Miller. "This is truly an exciting time for wireless phone users and for Midwest Wireless."

Some of the features of the service include user-defined e-mail filtering and forwarding, news alerts by keyword, a synchronized custom portal page to view full versions of alerts, and a Web-based Service Management Center for users to define content preferences and schedule regular delivery.

The technology does require a wireless phone with outbox capability. Midwest Wireless and Lava utilized the Nokia 6120i in their trial.

Lava2140 and Midwest Wireless have been in trials since October, and are planning to launch the new services at the beginning of the second quarter of this year.

About Midwest Wireless

Owned by a group of independent telephone companies, Midwest Wireless' current service area encompasses 36 Minnesota counties, 28 Iowa counties and 4 Wisconsin counties, with more than 165,000 subscribers. The company's wireless offerings include both cellular and digital phone services (marketed under the brand names Cellular 2000(R) and CLEARLYDIGITAL(TM) respectively).

Midwest Wireless is committed to giving its subscribers the most up-to-date wireless phone services available, evidenced by its partnership with Lava2140. What's more, Midwest Wireless is constantly exploring a multitude of other wireless applications and conducting research to determine their benefit to consumers.

For more information about the company, visit the Midwest Wireless Web site at www.midwestwireless.com.

About Lava2140

Lava2140 is a leading global wireless data enabler. The company's wireless data enabling products include a 2-way SMS solution, which offers interactive information and e-mail services; an Enterprise solution, which integrates with corporate Intranet and databases; and a WAP-enabled gateway product.

The company has deployed derivatives of its basic product suite for wireless banking solutions and mobile e-commerce solutions. Lava2140's technology has been successfully implemented both in the United States and internationally. Lava2140 has headquarters in Los Angeles, with offices in Singapore and Germany.