4thpass Adds Enterprise Support to its Mobile Application System; Businesses Can Provision Their Own Java Applications Over the Air to Fleets of Mobile Handsets.

Business Editors

JavaOne 2002

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 25, 2002

4thpass Inc., a pioneer in technology for wireless carriers to deliver mobile Java applications over the air to consumers, has announced support for wireless carriers' enterprise market.

"Business subscribers have very specific needs and expectations when it comes to using the wireless network," said 4thpass CEO Mazin Ramadan. "Our aim is to give wireless carriers the technology and tools to satisfy their enterprise customers."

With 4thpass Mobile Application System (MAS(TM)) Enterprise Edition, wireless carriers can give corporate users the ability to manage and provision internal business applications. Businesses will also have access to a broader selection of mobile applications offered by wireless operators.

"Our technology gives enterprise IT departments the ability to manage and control what is on their employees' Java handsets," added Ramadan.

Nextel Communications Inc. (NASD:NXTL) is the first wireless carrier to license a custom version of the 4thpass MAS Enterprise Edition technology. Nextel is demonstrating the system this week at JavaOne in San Francisco on its Java-enabled handsets.

"This is a tremendous step forward for the enterprise customers, and we anticipate accelerated usage of Java applications by larger companies, as they begin to realize the convenience and security offered by Nextel and 4thpass MAS Enterprise technology," said Greg Santoro, vice president of Internet and Wireless Services at Nextel.

MAS is currently used by carriers to serve a broad based consumer market. The MAS Enterprise edition was developed after carriers, like Nextel, asked if 4thpass could offer a similar provisioning system for its base of business subscribers on the network. Carriers wanted a tool that makes it easier for corporate users to manage their wireless needs and applications installed on company handsets.

Currently, companies must tether handsets to a PC to update applications or change software, a time consuming process. With MAS Enterprise technology, the process is done over the air in seconds.

4thpass will formally release its MAS Enterprise edition to carriers later this year.

4thpass's MAS is rapidly establishing itself as a leading platform for J2ME application provisioning following a global deal announced with Spain-based operator Telefonica Moviles in February and an earlier licensing agreement with LG TeleCom of Korea.

MAS technology is the preferred choice of carriers because it works on the existing wireless network, and will work with third generation (3G) wireless networks as well. MAS also inspects, or x-rays, the byte-code of applications to ensure the application is safe for the carrier network and consumer's mobile devices. And MAS matches applications to mobile devices with different specifications and memory requirements to ensure carriers can offer -- and consumers get -- the newest applications downloaded over the air to their mobile phones.

About 4thpass

4thpass (www.4thpass.com) builds software to efficiently manage and deliver the latest applications over the air to Java-enabled mobile devices. Through its core product, the Mobile Application System (MAS(TM)), 4thpass gives carriers the ability to provide new applications for mobile devices of different sizes and capacities, without creating new hardware. MAS allows wireless carriers to introduce new Java services to customers instantly and safely. 4thpass, founded in 1997, is a privately held company in Seattle, WA.

About Nextel

Nextel Communications, Inc., based in Reston, Va., is a leading provider of fully integrated wireless communications services and has built the largest guaranteed all-digital wireless network in the country covering thousands of communities across the United States. Nextel and Nextel Partners Inc., currently serve 197 of the top 200 U.S. markets. Through recent market launches, Nextel and Nextel Partners service is available today in areas of the U.S. where approximately 230 million people live or work. In addition, through NII Holdings, Inc., wireless services are provided outside of Nextel's domestic markets, primarily in selected Latin American markets. For more information visit www.nextel.com.