AT&T Wireless launches CellCard that extends cellular service to 35 countries across Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East; customers can now use the cellular phone number to receive or make calls around the globe.

KIRKLAND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 7, 1995--AT&T Wireless Services Inc., (formerly McCaw Cellular) announced the commercial availability of the AT&T CellCard, a service that will extend the reach -- both in making and receiving calls -- of a customer's cellular telephone number beyond North America to an additional 35 countries throughout the world.

The size of a normal credit card, AT&T CellCard is a smart card and is carried with the traveling customer. The customer rents or purchases a GSM cellular telephone and, once overseas, inserts the card. The customer can immediately start making calls or receive calls made to their cellular number. Charges are included on the customer's regular cellular bill.

Currently CellCard is being offered by AT&T Wireless in the Dallas and New York markets. The company expects to have the service commercially available in most of its markets in early 1996.

"During a recent trip to Europe I used my AT&T CellCard and avoided many of the communications frustrations I had during past traveling experiences," said Phil Evans, senior telecommunications consultant of Dallas-based Perot Systems Corp. "With CellCard and a portable phone I no longer had to worry about locating public phones, reading telephone instructions in languages unfamiliar to me, and foreign currency or credit cards that I did not have easy access to."

"We see the commercial introduction of CellCard as one more way that AT&T can provide anytime, anywhere communications," said Cathy O'Shea, travel marketing manager of AT&T Wireless Services. "As business travelers face an increasingly global marketplace it will become critical for them to stay in touch while in Europe and Asia just as they do in Dallas or Houston -- and with the same reliability and convenience."

Currently, more than 35 million Americans travel internationally each year, 6 million of whom travel on business. Prior to CellCard, a U.S. traveler seeking to use cellular service while traveling would have to sign up for local, in-country service. This becomes expensive and inconvenient as travelers must pay in local currency, give out their number to all potential callers prior to leaving for their trip, and pay for all international calling charges. With CellCard, callers need not know the customer is out of the country, they simply dial the customer's number.

"As a financial analyst, access and information are critical. My portable cellular telephone and the AT&T CellCard enable me to communicate without having to notify people when I am out of the country," said Alex Cena, telecommunications equipment analyst for Lehman Brothers. "I attended a recent conference in Geneva, Switzerland and used by AT&T CellCard to host an 80-minute conference call with 160 institutional investors around the world."

In addition to being convenient, CellCard is also less expensive than hotel charges for outbound calls. CellCard users pay an annual $49.99 charge and then $2.49 per minute for outgoing calls (this includes long distance) and $2.49 per minute plus long distance for incoming calls.

CellCard is currently offered in New York, New Jersey, and Dallas and is expected to be available throughout a majority of AT&T Wireless Services markets by early next year. Customers can rent or buy a GSM cellular phone from AT&T Wireless Services Inc. prior to traveling internationally by dialing 800/355-4685.

The AT&T CellCard can currently be used in:

Europe: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Jersey, Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom

Asia, Africa, Oceania: Australia, Bahrain, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, United Arab Emirate.

AT&T Wireless Services Inc. is the nation's largest provider of cellular service offering wireless voice and data communications. The company has nearly 5 million cellular customers and licenses to eventually cover 80 percent of the United States. Additionally, AT&T Wireless is the nation's fifth largest messaging service provider and a world leader in air-to-ground communications services. -0-

Note for Television Editors/Producers: Video news release on CellCard is available on Tuesday, Nov. 7, from 8-8:15 a.m. PST on Galaxy C-4, Transponder 12, C-Band.

CONTACT: AT&T Wireless Services Inc.

Todd Wolfenbarger, 206/828-1851, 206/979-2677 portable