Ameri-First Securities Announces Investment Opinion on Metricom, Inc.Business Editors NOTE TO EDITORS: The following is an investment opinion issued by Ameri-First Securities DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 12, 2000 Ameri-First Raises Metricom, Inc. (MCOM MCom Master of Commerce (degree) MCOM Marketing Communications MCOM Mobile Commerce ) to a Strong Buy and a 12 Month Price Target of $60 Wireless Internet Access See how to access the Internet. is an Undeniable Future Wave and Metricom is the First and Only Player With Full Blown Wireless Web Access and the Speeds You Need Today... Ameri-First Securities (OTC OTC See: Over-the-counter. OTC See over-the-counter market (OTC). :BB AMFR AMFR Autocrine Motility Factor Receptor ) analyst, Billy C. Bowden, raises Metricom, Inc. (Nasdaq:MCOM) from a speculative buy to strong buy rating and a 12 month price target of $60. Metricom's Ricochet A wireless Internet service from Ricochet Networks, Inc., Denver, CO (www.ricochet.net). Originally developed by Los Gatos, CA-based Metricom, Inc., Ricochet was the first high-speed, wireless Internet service for commuters. Wireless Data Networking Service is uniquely positioned to dominate the data networking market landscape as the national deployment of Ricochet tracks into its 46 metropolitan areas, and Metricom's national footprint is realized. 1. Metricom has delivered on its promise to offer wireless data transfer speeds of up to 128 kbps in the newly launched metropolitan areas. In areas where slower speeds have been recorded Metricom can and will easily deploy a more dense package of radio microcell receivers at a minimum expense and effort to boost speeds to achieve a blend of 128 kbps as promised. 2. The Ricochet Network is fully scalable and upgradeable as faster data networking speed technology improves. The Ricochet network takes into consideration that bandwidth speed is key to building and maintaining subscribership. Ricochet can evolve. 3. Metricom's Ricochet utilizes the 900 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. radio spectrum frequency, the free unlicensed radio spectrum. This is the backbone and key component of the Ricochet advantage. Metricom's patented technology insures that the cost prohibitive pro·hib·i·tive also pro·hib·i·to·ry adj. 1. Prohibiting; forbidding: took prohibitive measures. 2. and scarce licensed radio spectrum that 3G and PCS (1) (Personal Communications Services) Refers to wireless services that emerged after the U.S. government auctioned commercial licenses in 1994 and 1995. This radio spectrum in the 1. networks utilize will never compromise its fundamental model to offer a flat rate service. The real Ricochet advantage is that not only does Ricochet beat the competition in speed but in price. Licensed spectrum is simply cost prohibitive and unavailable. 3G technology is 4 to 5 years away. Ricochet is here today. Also, a PCS network requires the user to key in an inordinate number of functions via the telephone causing more frustration than is manageable. The consumer, upon experiencing PCS cellular browsing, will look for a more honest and familiar Internet feel. 4. Management clearly understands Ricochet's first mover mover /mov·er/ (moo´ver) that which produces motion. prime mover a muscle that acts directly to bring about a desired movement. advantage and its working super shifts to get a national footprint built to further facilitate more meaningful reseller An organization that sells hardware and software to the general public. Resellers purchase products from software publishers and hardware manufacturers. agreements and more cost effective national marketing campaigns. 5. Ricochet offers tremendous advantages over a PCS network because Ricochet's model allows the user to not worry about high unexpected metered usage fees. Ricochet is a buffet A buffet is a meal serving system where patrons serve themselves. It is a popular method of feeding large numbers of people with minimal staff. The term is also used to describe a sideboard, an antique form of furniture which was sometimes used to offer the dishes of a buffet meal ...all you can eat, always on flat rate connectivity enabling a user to budget this service. 6. Ricochet is a pure data optimized network built from the ground up. The Ricochet network eliminates retrofitting and therefore the normal glitches associated with data/voice, like a Sprint PCS network, a compression network, where slower speeds cannot be avoided. 7. Ricochet will benefit from a word of mouth buzz once more subscribership coupled with a national marketing campaign kicks in. The mobile knowledge worker will discover Ricochet. The high tiered laptop Same as laptop computer. laptop - portable computer user will not compromise and settle for a less than homeogenic experience like full web browsing on a personal computer. The public does not yet realized the profound differences between full web browsing and clipped graphic-less voice/data Internet connectivity. Ricochet offers that full and uncompromised web browsing experience the public has come to know. This is a Ricochet advantage. 8. The need to access data is very real and as the Internet improves and evolves, wireless connectivity will become standard and essential. The applications the wireless Internet appliances will offer in the future, will only improve. Ricochet will benefit from the necessary evolution of the laptop, the PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) A handheld computer for managing contacts, appointments and tasks. It typically includes a name and address database, calendar, to-do list and note taker, which are the functions in a personal information manager (see PIM). and any and all devices that will emerge once wireless data mobility reaches out to an increasing demographic sector of society. Once the device makers can retool re·tool v. re·tooled, re·tool·ing, re·tools v.tr. 1. To fit out (a factory, for example) with a new set of machinery and tools for making a different product. 2. and shift away from a now obsolete and clumsy laptop, mobile devices will become sleeker, lighter, and more Jetson-like. This shift will further solidify so·lid·i·fy v. so·lid·i·fied, so·lid·i·fy·ing, so·lid·i·fies v.tr. 1. To make solid, compact, or hard. 2. To make strong or united. v.intr. Ricochet's penetration in both the professional and non-professional arenas. Wireless connectivity is here to stay and Ricochet will see ever increasing demand for its high speed, on the go, connectivity. 9. Ricochet's main risk is creating market awareness. The technology is proven and the competition, at this point, is not visible. Ricochet must build its brand from scratch and create customer loyalty as well as execute on the consumer side by enabling users to find and locate easy access to Ricochet through the channel partnerships. If Ricochet can tell the world, effectively, that an optimized data network exists today, Metricom's success will be insured. 10. All things equal, Ricochet's model is by far the most simple and elegant model vis-a-vis 3G and/or PCS cellular. Metricom will deploy and maintain its data network as a wholesaler. The very nature of Ricochet's patented technology leverages off the free radio spectrum giving Metricom the purest economic play in this wireless space. The competition must somehow navigate (1) "Surfing the Web." To move from page to page on the Web. (2) To move through the menu structure in a software application. around licensed spectrum that is outrageously expensive and to date, not for sale. Further, the wireless data networking speeds the competition offers are one-eighth the speeds of a Ricochet. Since Metricom has superior technology at a superior price the real risks Metricom faces are building the network but more importantly, building brand awareness. In time Metricom will learn how to play the game and sell itself. |
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