CDMA 1998 Americas Congress Recognizes Key Industry Players; Perry LaForge Hosts Awards Ceremony With a Special Message From Former FCC Chairman, Reed Hundt.

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 19, 1998--The CDMA Development Group (CDG) Thursday announced the winners of the First Annual CDMA Industry Achievement Awards during the 1998 CDMA Americas Congress, hosted by Perry LaForge, executive director of the CDG.

Reed Hundt, former FCC chairman, also participated, delivering a message honoring the recipients and the global success of cdmaOne. The awards ceremony was held at the Museum of Flying and focused on 1998's cdmaOne achievers throughout the world.

"We are proud to recognize the cdmaOne achievements of key wireless industry leaders," said LaForge. "Their contributions to the CDG have led to the commercialization and globalization of cdmaOne, resulting in phenomenal success for cdmaOne operators, manufacturers and subscribers worldwide."

The 1998 CDMA Industry Achievement Award winners include:

-- Past President and Founder -- F. Craig Farrill, AirTouch

Communications, Vice President Strategic Technology

Farrill, past president and co-founder of the CDG, has served on the executive board as president since 1994. His telecommunications systems engineering and management career of 21 years has played a significant role in the success of the CDG. He has also proven to be an instrumental leader in strategic matters before government and regulatory bodies.

-- Overall Subscriber Growth Award -- SK Telecom

This award is given to the company that has demonstrated significant subscriber growth over the last year.

SK Telecom launched the world's first commercial CDMA service in January 1996. They are one of the world's largest service operators with 5.5 million customers -- 4.7 million are digital and 800,000 million are analog customers. The company is a world-class integrated operator in the information and communications field and is well positioned for the next millennium, while keeping customer satisfaction a top priority.

-- Wireless Local Loop Subscriber Growth WLL Award -- Centennial

Communications

This award is given to the company that has demonstrated outstanding work in deploying cdmaOne WLL systems.

Centennial Communications is the seventh largest independent cellular provider. The company's wireless telephone subscribers was 354,100 on Aug. 31, 1998, compared with 231,600 in August of 1997, which is a 52.9% increase. Puerto Rico serves 43.3% of that growth. Overall, 45 cdmaOne WLL systems are now deployed in 23 countries.

-- Subscriber Product Innovation Award -- QUALCOMM

This award is given to the company that demonstrates forward thinking in terms of services supported and terminal design. Resulting products take advantage of the inherent benefits and latest technological developments of cdmaOne, offering consumers state of the art handsets.

The company exceeded seven million cdmaOne phones shipped since the company's inception, with shipments doubling from 1997 to 1998. They also were the first to introduce the pdQ CDMA digital smartphone, which combines the functions of the PalmPilot and a CDMA phone. Mass production of Q phones began in a new manufacturing facility in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

-- Innovative Solutions Through Teamwork -- Repeater Technologies

and Nortel Networks 

This award is given to the companies that have brought new ideas and different approaches to product development by working together to leverage strengths and expertise of their different companies. Resulting solutions provide value added, cost effective implementations for operators supporting the advancement of cdmaOne.

Repeater Technologies and Nortel Networks have worked together to standardize CDMA repeater products and to accelerate the deployment of cdmaOne in outlying suburban and rural areas.

Nortel has optimized six base stations and also modified BTS parameters to work with repeaters. Repeater Technologies is a global repeater provider and utilizes network designers to ensure customer satisfaction.

-- Infrastructure Product Innovation Award -- Samsung

This award is given to the company that has introduced network elements that allow operators flexible and cost effective solutions for urban, suburban and rural implementations incorporating today's advanced cdmaOne features with an easy evolution path to future enhancements.

PicoBTS provides cellular and PCS operators with an exceptionally small and high capacity platform, allowing for maximum deployment flexibility. It is easily installed in non-traditional areas including sides of buildings, tunnels, bridges as well as telephone and utility poles. In addition, it provides operators with a compact product that's flexible in designing mobile networks and offers reduced operational and deployment costs. It also provides open architecture to make CDMA an affordable option for smaller carriers.

-- Technical Achievements -- Dr. William Lee, AirTouch

Communications and Dr. Andrew Viterbi, QUALCOMM

Dr. Lee has been heavily involved with setting standards in the digital cellular area. He assisted and supported the pursuit of CDMA for cellular systems, which he also introduced in Korea. In 1990, he invented and patented a new microcell system that reduced frequency reuse and increased capacity.

Under Dr. Viterbi's leadership, QUALCOMM has received international recognition for innovative technology in wireless telephone systems and CDMA products. Dr. Viterbi received international honors for his work in digital communications theories and has written numerous research papers as well as two books. He was also one of the first communication engineers to recognize the potential and purpose of digital transmission techniques for space and satellite communications.

-- Exceptional cdmaOne Branding Award -- DDI and IDO 

This award is given to the company that most effectively utilized the cdmaOne brand.

DDI and IDO incorporated solid branding in their service launch in Japan with the use of the cdmaOne name on phones and as the name of service. They have introduced the cdmaOne brand name in consumer marketing with their advertising featuring "Titanic" star, Leonardo DiCaprio to promote the technology. In addition, the brand name is on all package and collateral materials.

-- International Leadership -- Lucent Technologies

This award is given to the company that has successfully helped in the development and/or implementation of cdmaOne outside of the company's headquarters region. Qualifications included assisting international operators for the good of the technology (regardless of financial interest) and promoting the adoption of cdmaOne by participating in international delegations and speaking opportunities.

Lucent Technologies has manufacturing facilities in 21 countries and 60 sites with a strong presence in the Americas and Asia Pacific region. The company has been recognized globally for its scientific discoveries and technological innovation. They have also effectively marketed cdmaOne outside of its headquarters' region.

The CDMA Development Group is a nonprofit trade association formed to foster the worldwide development, implementation and use of cdmaOne. The 100 member companies of the CDG include many of the world's largest wireless operators and equipment manufacturers. The primary activities of the CDG include development of cdmaOne features and services, public relations, education and seminars, regulatory affairs and international support. Currently there are more than 500 individuals working within various CDG subcommittes on cdmaOne-related matters. For more information about the CDG, contact Christine Bock of the CDG News Bureau at 714/540-1030, Ext. 11, e-mail [e-mail] or visit the CDG Web site http://www.cdg.org.

NOTE TO EDITORS: cdmaOne is a trademark of the CDG.