AT&T Wireless Services Expands Wireless Data Markets; Teams With U.S. Robotics on Megahertz Cellular Modem Promotion Wireless Data Division to Launch 35 New Commercial Markets and First-Ever Retail Promotion.KIRKLAND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 10, 1996--The Wireless Data Division of AT&T Wireless Services today announced it has launched commercial Wireless Circuit Data Service in 35 new markets. The company also announced that it will team with U.S. Robotics (U.S. Robotics, Inc., Schaumburg, IL, www.usr.com) A modem manufacturer highly regarded for its quality products. The company manufactures its own chipsets (data pumps) and often leads with innovations. Its HST protocol was a high-speed, reliable protocol before V. Mobile Communications, which represents the Megahertz One million cycles per second. See MHz. MegaHertz - (MHz) Millions of cycles per second. The unit of frequency used to measure the clock rate of modern digital logic, including microprocessors. (r) brand of PC Cards, to offer the first retail wireless data solution from AT&T Wireless Services, the AT&T and Megahertz Cellular Modem A wireless adapter that connects a laptop computer to a cellular telephone system for data transfer. Cellular modems, which contain their own antennas, plug into a PC Card slot or into the USB port of the computer and are available for a variety of wireless data services such as GPRS, Bundle, in select markets across the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . AT&T Wireless Services' 35 new Wireless Circuit Data Service commercial markets include Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas; Fresno, Calif.; Las Vegas Las Vegas (läs vā`gəs), city (1990 pop. 258,295), seat of Clark co., S Nev.; inc. 1911. It is the largest city in Nevada and the center of one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the United States. , Nev.; Portland, Ore.; Sacramento, Calif.; Seattle; Spokane, Wash.; and Tacoma, Wash. They join current commercial markets New York/New Jersey and Pittsburgh. For a complete list of all 35 new commercial market service areas for AT&T Wireless Circuit Data Service, please see Appendix A. The company plans to launch service in Austin, Texas; Denver; Little Rock, Ark.; Minneapolis; Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (1990 pop. 444,719), state capital, and seat of Oklahoma co., central Okla., on the North Canadian River; inc. 1890. The state's largest city, it is an important livestock market, a wholesale, distribution, industrial, and financial center, and a farm ; Salt Lake City; and San Antonio San Antonio (săn ăntō`nēō, əntōn`), city (1990 pop. 935,933), seat of Bexar co., S central Tex., at the source of the San Antonio River; inc. 1837. in summer 1996. In all, AT&T expects to offer wireless circuit data service in more than 90 percent of its cellular footprint by the end of 1996. With Wireless Circuit Data Service, laptop computer users can transmit data over the cellular voice network in a manner similar to that of a conventional telephone connection. The wireless connection requires a cellular-capable modem, a data-ready cellular phone and a compatible cable. Customers of AT&T Wireless Services can use Wireless Circuit Data Service where it is offered, at no additional charge over standard voice call rates. AT&T and Megahertz Cellular Modem Bundle The AT&T and Megahertz Cellular Modem Bundle comprises a special offer of up to 100 minutes of free wireless data air time (based on full-minute-increment billing) using the *DATA modem A modem used for sending data and not faxes. See modem and fax/modem. pools; a discount offer for AT&T Enhanced FAX Service, worth more than $75; and an order coupon with special pricing for a cable to connect the Megahertz modem with selected cellular phones. The Megahertz Cellular Modem Bundle offer is good only through Dec. 31, 1996. For details, see specially marked boxes of the Megahertz Brand 28.8Kbps PC Card modem with Direct Connect Cellular (model XJ4288). The suggested retail price for the Megahertz Brand 28.8Kbps PC Card modem with Direct Connect Cellular (model XJ4288) is $369. "The bundle is part of an aggressive effort by AT&T to package and promote wireless data service directly to mobile professionals who need to send e-mail, transmit faxes or check their online service when they don't have access to a standard phone jack," said Clayton Foster, a product manager at AT&T Wireless Services' Wireless Data Division. "Until now, customers have had difficulty purchasing wireless data solutions because they couldn't find the required components in one place. These offers add significant value to a modem purchase while they make buying and trying a wireless data solution very simple." The AT&T and Megahertz Cellular Modem Bundle will be available in the next two to three weeks at AT&T Wireless Services sales centers and participating national and regional retailers such as Best Buy and Service Merchandise Service Merchandise was a chain of large stores carrying fine jewelry, toys, sporting goods, and electronics that existed from 1934 to 2002. The company's former chairman, Raymond Zimmerman, resurrected Service Merchandise as an Internet-only retailer in 2004 after buying the name in AT&T Wireless Circuit Data Service markets only. In the future, AT&T Wireless Services intends to bundle the wireless data service with combinations of additional offerings such as Internet access See how to access the Internet. . "As the nation's largest-volume specialty retailer, Best Buy prides itself on being on the leading edge of new technologies," said Dominic Leung, merchandise manager at Best Buy. "We are extremely interested in providing a retail-ready answer for mobile professionals to access important data when they're away from the office." "U.S. Robotics Mobile Communications and AT&T Wireless Services are giving mobile professionals an `out-of-the-box' wireless solution to stay connected to people and business-critical data," said Robert Bauer, vice president of marketing at U.S. Robotics Mobile Communications. "Our relationship with AT&T Wireless Services shows our commitment to the wireless data market and is just one of the many ways that U.S. Robotics is joining forces to bring customers end-to-end connectivity End-to-end connectivity is a property of the Internet that allows all nodes of the network to send packets to all other nodes of the network, without requiring intermediate network elements to further interpret them. It was for the first time implemented in the CYCLADES-network. solutions." The Megahertz Brand 28.8Kbps cellular-capable PC Card modem with the XJACK(r) connector offers improved usability, compatibility and reliability. It can connect directly to select Motorola(r), Nokia(r) or other cellular phones with direct-connect cables from Megahertz. Modem features include Digital Line Guard, Flash ROM Another term for flash memory. Since flash chips can be updated over and over, the ROM (read only) designation is somewhat misleading. "ROM" is used more to mean not volatile than not changeable. See flash memory. Flash ROM - Flash Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory , Cable Sensor, Windows(r) data/fax software, Smart Battery Saver, Smart Dialer and dual cellular protocols. Enhanced Technology The speed and reliability of AT&T Wireless Circuit Data Service are enhanced by newly installed modem pool A collection of modems and software that let users dial out and remote users dial in on the next available modem. The modem pool may be internal or external to the remote access server. See network access server. technology in each of the company's commercial markets. A modem pool is a collection of modems at a switching center A switching center is a node in a telecommunications Circuit switching network which is connected to either another switching center and/or to end user devices. Switching centers are aware of other centers and possible routes between them such that on demand a center can establish that offers many users a reliable wireless connection. These modem pools provide a reliable link between a notebook computer's cellular-capable modem and a corporate network, online service, or host system -- regardless of the modems they may employ. Without a modem pool link, users would need to have a cellular-capable modem on both ends of the connection -- host and mobile -- to ensure a reliable connection. Currently, AT&T has the largest modem pool deployment in the United States. AT&T Wireless Services customers can take advantage of modem pools in markets in which they are available by adding *DATA (*3282) (see note A) to the beginning of the telephone number in their remote access application's dial-up configuration. Customers interested in obtaining more information about AT&T wireless data services or the AT&T and Megahertz Cellular Modem Bundle can contact AT&T at (800) IMAGINE(r) (462-4463). Retailers interested in carrying the bundle can contact AT&T at 206/803-7933. The Wireless Data Division of AT&T Wireless Services is a recognized leader in the development of wireless data communications data communications, application of telecommunications technology to the problem of transmitting data, especially to, from, or between computers. In popular usage, it is said that data communications make it possible for one computer to "talk" with another. networks designed to meet the entire spectrum of business data communications requirements, from short transactions, such as messaging, data entry and dispatch, to longer sessions typical of file transfers and interactive computing In computer science, interactive computing refers to software which accepts input from humans — for example, data or commands. Interactive software includes most popular programs, such as word processors or spreadsheet applications. . Customers can contact the Wireless Data Division at 800-IMAGINE (462-4463). The Wireless Data Division's Internet address There are two kinds of addresses that are widely used on the Internet. One is a person's e-mail address, and the other is the address of a Web site, which is known as a URL. Following is an explanation of Internet e-mail addresses only. For more on URLs, see URL and Internet domain name. is http://www.airdata.com/. U.S. Robotics Mobile Communications is a wholly owned subsidiary Wholly Owned Subsidiary A subsidiary whose parent company owns 100% of its common stock. Notes: In other words, the parent company owns the company outright and there are no minority owners. and a leading provider of solutions-oriented mobile data communications products, including PC Card data/fax modems, PC Card Ethernet modems, PC Card Ethernet adapters The Ethernet hardware required to attach to an Ethernet network. It typically resides on an expansion board, but is sometimes built into the motherboard. An Ethernet adapter is required in each client and server. See Ethernet and network adapter. , and cellular and wireless technologies. U.S. Robotics is one of the world's leading suppliers of products and systems that provide access to information. The company designs, manufactures, markets and supports remote access servers, enterprise communications systems In telecommunication, a communications system is a collection of individual communications networks, transmission systems, relay stations, tributary stations, and data terminal equipment (DTE) usually capable of interconnection and interoperation to form an integrated whole. , desktop/mobile client products, modems and telephony products that connect computers and other equipment over analog, digital and switched cellular networks, enabling users to gain access to, manage and share data, fax and voice information. The company's fiscal 1995 sales were $889.3 million; sales for the first six months of fiscal 1996 were $819.3 million. -0- Note A: The asterisk symbol noted in this news release may not appear properly (or at all) in some systems. Please note that there should be an asterisk in front of DATA and 3282. ("asterisk" symbol DATA, and "asterisk" symbol 3282) -0- AT&T and IMAGINE are registered trademarks of American Telephone and Telegraph Co. Megahertz and XJACK are registered trademarks of U.S. Robotics and U.S. Robotics Mobile Communications Corp. Motorola is a registered trademark of Motorola Inc. Nokia is a registered trademark of Nokia Corp. Windows is either a registered trademark or trademark of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries. All other product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. -0- Appendix A: New Commercial Market Service Areas for Wireless Circuit Data Service 1. Seattle-Everett, Wash. 2. Tacoma, Wash. 3. Spokane, Wash. 4. Bremerton, Wash. 5. Yakima, Wash. 6. Olympia, Wash. 7. Richland-Kennewick-Pasco, Wash. 8. Bellingham, Wash. 9. Portland, Ore. 10. Salem, Ore. 11. Eugene-Springfield, Ore. 12. Medford, Ore. 13. Sacramento, Calif. 14. Fresno, Calif. 15. Oxnard-Simi Valley-Ventura, Calif. 16. Stockton, Calif. 17. Modesto, Calif. 18. Santa Barbara-Lompoc, Calif. 19. Visalia-Tulare-Porterville, Calif. 20. Chico-Redding, Calif. 21. Las Vegas, Nev. 22. Reno, Nev. 23. Johnstown, Pa. 24. Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 25. Tampa-St. Petersburg, Fla. 26. Jacksonville, Fla. 27. West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, Fla. 28. Melbourne-Titusville-Palm Bay, Fla. 29. Lakeland-Winter Haven, Fla. 30. Dayton Beach, Fla. 31. Sarasota, Fla. 32. Fort Pierce Fort Pierce, city (1990 pop. 36,830), seat of St. Lucie co., SE Fla., on Indian River (a lagoon; part of the Intracoastal Waterway); settled in the 1860s around a fort; inc. 1901 as a city. , Fla. 33. Bradenton, Fla. 34. Ocala, Fla. 35. Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas These join the other commercial Wireless Circuit Data Service markets: 1. New York/New Jersey 2. Pittsburgh -0- Photo available on request. CONTACT: AT&T Wireless Services -- Wireless Data Division Brad Stevens Brad Stevens is the head men's basketball coach at Butler University. He took over the position vacated by Todd Lickliter in 2007. Head coaching record Season Team Overall Butler (Horizon League) (2007 — ) , 206/803-4020 brad.w.stevens(at)airdata.com or Waggener Edstrom (for AT&T) Teresa Fausti-Flora or Eleni Tsigas, 503/245-0905 elenit(at)wagged.com or U.S. Robotics Corp. Karleen Broadwater, 801/320-7709 kbroadwater(at)mhz.com |
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