Aether Announces Marketplace First: AIM 2.0 To Allow Enterprises Using the Linux Operating System To Easily Deploy Wireless Data Applications.

OWINGS MILLS, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 16, 1999--

Support of Linux OS expands marketplace for Aether's wireless

ASP solution, broadens developer community reach

Aether Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: AETH), the leading wireless applications services provider, today announced that its industry-leading wireless data software, Aether Intelligent Messaging (AIM) version 2.0, will soon be the first wireless data solution to support the Linux operating system. This new development will enable enterprises that currently depend upon Linux to easily deploy wireless data systems that deliver real-time, mission-critical information to their mobile employees, customers, and partners.

AIM is a wireless communications software and development platform that makes it easy for corporate enterprises and content providers to develop applications that deliver their data across multiple wireless data devices and networks. AIM Servers, which currently are supported on Solaris and Windows NT, act as a gateway between corporate data and wireless networks.

By adding support for Linux AIM Servers, Aether extends its leading wireless messaging transport system to a new set of enterprise customers and developers. As corporations shift their information technology budgets following Y2K, analysts anticipate significant first-quarter spending on business-to-business e-commerce systems using applications such as supply chain management. Boston-based research firm AMR Research, for example, expects the market for supply chain management solutions alone to grow 48 percent over the next five years, reaching $18.6 billion by 2003.

Fueling this drive will be the desire to streamline operations by providing connectivity to partners, employees and customer via the Web. Enterprises today also are finding they can streamline operations further by providing this information real-time, via wireless handheld devices. Aether's leading wireless messaging transport system enables this wireless connectivity, allowing enterprises using Solaris, Windows NT and now Linux operating systems to easily extend the reach of their e-commerce systems. Developers will be able to use a Java, Microsoft Component Object Model (COM) or C/C++ programming environment - depending on the operating system - to rapidly integrate wireless data applications with intranet-based, enterprise resource planning and custom enterprise systems.

"The Linux operating system is emerging as a popular choice for enterprises in many of Aether's leading markets, including the financial, field automation and healthcare industries," said Aether President and Chief Executive Officer David Oros. "By integrating Aether's leading wireless data solution with the flexible Linux operating system, Aether will allow corporations and developers to easily create customized, scalable and secure wireless data applications."

The new software enhancement, which includes AIM's full security and compression libraries, will be available in first quarter 2000 through licensing arrangements with Aether. To simplify the development of new applications even further, the AIM Message Wizard and the AIM Server Wizard - both of which are designed to eliminate much of the tedious work required to develop an enterprise wireless solution - will be enhanced to support the new platform. When available, developers will be able to download the enhanced AIM 2.0 developer toolkit from the Aether web site (www.aethersystems.com).

"AIM's support of the Linux environment will help us build on our momentum in the developer community, broadening developer support of Aether products even further," Oros said. "AIM's ability to support robust business-to-business e-commerce applications while shielding developers from the complexity of wireless systems helps developers create sophisticated, reliable wireless applications in less than half the traditional time."

AIM improves the performance of data delivery over multiple types of wireless networks and devices. The AIM software platform takes private data - such as sales force information, stock quotes, or Internet and intranet data - and performs compression, encryption, data-thinning and optimization techniques that allow the data to move more quickly, securely and inexpensively over wireless networks.

Enterprises that develop wireless data solutions using Aether software also receive the benefits of Aether's network operations and customer support center, which provides them with a turnkey wireless data solution, allowing them to access flat-rate nationwide service as well as product fulfillment and support from one reliable source.

Current users of the Aether's full-service solutions include Charles Schwab & Co., Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Online, OmniSky Inc. and Riverbed Technologies.

About AIM

Aether Intelligent Messaging (AIM) is a software platform that provides secure wireless messaging transport and a rich development environment for extending corporate desktop applications to mobile devices. AIM supports a wide variety of back-end data systems, wireless data networks and mobile device platforms.

Aether's AIM software platform makes corporate data move faster, more securely and less expensively through multiple wireless networks - reducing the number of data packets required in a typical wireless transmission by as much as 66 percent. AIM design, development and simulation tools plug into Metrowerks Codewarrior and Microsoft Visual DevStudio. AIM provides off-the-shelf integration with e-mail, Web, Wireless Application Protocol, RiverBed ScoutSync, Oracle and other types of databases.

Aether licenses the AIM software platform to developers who wish to enable their applications for multiple wireless environments. Aether's enterprise customers, including financial institutions and OmniSky, also license AIM as part of the full service solutions that Aether provides.

About Aether Systems, Inc.

Aether Systems, Inc., is a one-stop provider of wireless software and services connecting people to the information they need, wherever and whenever they need it. Aether allows individuals to receive real-time data on handheld wireless devices, using virtually any kind of wireless data network. Aether's ability to deliver real-time, secure and reliable wireless solutions comes through proven expertise in wireless system engineering, software tools and services, wireless network operations, product fulfillment and customer support. For more information, visit the Aether Web site at http://www.aethersystems.com.