American Mobile Announces eLink Wireless Email Service.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 4, 1999--

Provides Mobile Professionals Untethered Access To A Broad

Range of Internet Email and PIM Applications;

Places the Power of Desktop PCs In the Palm Of The Hand

At a press conference here, American Mobile Satellite Corporation (NASDAQ:SKYC) today announced the eLink(SM) wireless email service, the company's next-generation two-way wireless data messaging application. eLink is an easy-to-use solution and the first to fully integrate Personal Information Manager (PIM) functionalities with wireless access to POP 3 Internet desktop email. eLink provides mobile professionals with untethered access to a broad range of corporate and Internet email systems, enabling them to stay connected via email wherever they travel across the United States and to update and access critical schedule and contact information while away from the office. Tight integration between eLink's wireless email and PIM functions provides mobile professionals with an intuitive hand-held communications solution.

American Mobile today also announced a major eLink distribution agreement with SkyTel (NASDAQ:SKYT), the nation's leading messaging company (see related announcement).

The eLink offering incorporates an unparalleled combination of form factor and functionality. For the first time, the millions of users of the leading Internet email providers can wirelessly extend their desktop email. The first wireless data email service that provides mobile professionals with access to a broad range of Internet and corporate email systems, eLink allows users to send and receive wireless email messages using their existing mailbox. This capability provides mobile professionals with added productivity and convenience when away from the office.

"According to our group's research, over 8 million ISP users consider their Internet email to be mission-critical, raising serious issues for mobile professionals," said Andrew Seybold, editor and publisher of Andrew Seybold's Outlook. "American Mobile has developed an innovative solution that allows users to maintain their most important communications links from the road. Packing the real-time email capabilities of your desktop PC into a device that fits in the palm of your hand, eLink allows you to wirelessly send and receive your desktop email nationwide as though you were in the office. And with integrated organizer functionality, eLink provides the critical computing and communications capabilities mobile workers need to survive on the road."

"In recent years, email has rapidly become a preferred method of business communications," said Walter V. Purnell Jr., president and CEO of American Mobile. "This poses significant challenges for email dependent mobile professionals, who cannot easily or in a timely manner access their desktop email when traveling. With eLink, customers can now wirelessly access their corporate or Internet email, placing the communications capabilities of a desktop PC in the palm of their hands."

The American Mobile service operates on Research In Motion's (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSE:RIM) second-generation Inter@ctive Pager, an innovative hand-held communications device. eLink also includes a docking cradle that simultaneously recharges the Inter@ctive Pager's nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery and synchronizes PIM information with users' desktop PCs.

In addition, the eLink service is the only two-way wireless data messaging solution that operates on American Mobile's ARDIS nationwide network, which provides the industry's best network coverage and transmission speeds. The ARDIS network has the most extensive breadth and depth of coverage of any two-way wireless data packet network, providing coverage in approximately 430 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) and non-MSAs, which includes more than 10,700 cities and towns across the U.S. The ARDIS network also delivers outstanding in-building coverage, allowing users to communicate from customer sites in office buildings or while waiting to catch a flight. Furthermore, the network provides the industry's fastest wireless data transmission speed of 19.2 Kbps, enabling users to send and receive messages within seconds.

A Breakthrough Combination of Functionality

The eLink service incorporates an unparalleled combination of functionality, all of which are easy to use and available "out of the box." eLink includes the following:

Choice of Email Address 

eLink users can choose to wirelessly extend their existing corporate mailboxes or create stand-alone wireless mailboxes. If they select to wirelessly extend their mailboxes, the wireless email addresses are identical to their existing Internet email addresses. In addition, users can easily determine which emails they want to receive wirelessly by managing their eLink accounts online at www.elinkmail.com.

If users want to create stand-alone wireless mailboxes, they will benefit from advanced two-way messaging functionality that includes:

-- A personal wireless email address -- A personal toll-free number and personal information number -- The ability to send messages to fax machines -- And the option of using operator assistance for creating messages.

Complete PIM Functionality

eLink includes complete PIM capabilities, including an address book, task list and calendar. In addition, the software can synchronize its data with popular desktop PIM applications, such as: Microsoft Schedule+ and Outlook, Lotus Organizer and ACT!.

In addition, the PIM functionality is tightly integrated with eLink's wireless email capabilities, providing users with a powerful, context-sensitive interface. For example, when a user finds a specific listing in his/her address book, eLink automatically creates a new wireless email message addressed to that person.

Desktop Synchronization

The eLink offering includes a serial port and docking cradle, allowing users to synchronize their eLink PIM data with their desktop PIM data. In addition, the docking cradle recharges the battery while simultaneously synchronizing the PIM data, providing mobile professionals with added convenience.

Long-Lasting, Rechargeable Battery 

American Mobile's eLink offering uses a unique nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery. Unlike alkaline batteries, American Mobile's battery can be recharged, eliminating the need for mobile professionals to constantly purchase and replace disposable AA batteries. However, for convenience sake, eLink can also use AA alkaline batteries.

About RIM's Second-Generation Inter@ctive Pager

The Inter@ctive Pager 850 is a compact and highly functional device with a full QWERTY keyboard. Powered by an Intel386 processor, the Inter@ctive Pager is an easy to use, wearable device that fits in the palm of a hand. The pager also features a unique thumb wheel that functions similarly to a PC mouse and allows users to navigate through messages and menus with simple roll and click motions. The RIM Inter@ctive Pager measures just 3.5 inches long, 2.5 inches wide, approximately 1 inch thick, and weighs less than 5 ounces.

Pricing and Availability

The eLink wireless solution, including the Inter@ctive Pager, email software, PIM application, synchronization cradle, rechargeable battery, and belt clip will be available in June from American Mobile and American Mobile distributors. Mobile professionals will be able to purchase the eLink package from American Mobile's eCommerce Web site at www.elinkmail.com.

The suggested retail price for the eLink package will be $359, with an unlimited monthly airtime agreement available for $59.95.

About American Mobile

American Mobile (www.AmMobile.com) owns and operates an integrated terrestrial/satellite network and provides a wide range of mobile communication services, including digital voice dispatch, data communications, dual-mode mobile messaging, position reporting services, and satellite telephone to the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and hundreds of miles of U.S. coastal waters. American Mobile services are used in the transportation, field service, maritime, two-way messaging and telemetry markets. The company's major shareholders include Hughes Communications, Inc., Motorola, Inc., Singapore Telecom, and AT&T Wireless Services.

Factors that could cause forward-looking statements in this news release to differ materially from actual results are discussed in American Mobile Satellite Corporation's Form 10K for the year ended December 31, 1998, and other periodic filings the company has made with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of the filings are available upon request from American Mobile Satellite Corporation's investor relations department.