Motorola wins $82 million in Chinese cellular expansion contracts.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 6, 1996-- Shanghai Post and Telecommunications Administration (PTA), Sichuan PTA and Beijing PTA (Beijing Telecommunications Administration) have awarded analog cellular phone network contracts totaling $82 million to Motorola. The three system expansion projects will increase network capacity to more than 400,000 subscribers in these highly- populated areas of China.

The expansion of the Total Access Communications System (TACS) network by Motorola's North Asia Cellular Infrastructure Division (NACID) includes the deployment of additional LD TACS series cell site equipment and large-capacity EMX(R) (Electronic Mobile Exchange) 2500 switches. The platform for the EMX 2500 switch is supplied by DSC Communications Corp. and software is developed both by Motorola and DSC.

The contract with Shanghai PTA represents the sixth phase of expansion to the TACS system originally deployed by Motorola in 1986. The installation of additional cell site and mobile switching equipment will increase subscriber capacity of the network from 94,000 to 134,000 by the first half of 1996.

Sichuan PTA has signed a contract to initiate the third phase of its Motorola TACS system expansion covering a total of 22 cities in Sichuan province, including Chengdu, Chongqing, Leshan, Nanchong and Wanxian. The expansion project, which will increase subscriber capacity to more than 140,000, will be completed in the second half of this year. The network was originally installed in 1993.

Beijing PTA(BTA) has contracted with Motorola to incorporate a sixth phase of expansion to its analog mobile phone network. As the customer's largest contract expansion, 130,000 subscribers are anticipated to be on the system by year end. The network currently has capacity of 67,000 subscribers.

"We have been extremely successful in the China market in working closely with operators to expand and improve their mobile phone networks," said Richard Sell, vice president and general manager of Motorola's NACID. "Our long-standing relationships with Shanghai PTA, Sichuan PTA and Beijing PTA fortify our commitment to provide state-of-the-art infrastructure equipment and technical support in building out the country's wireless network."

In early 1995, Motorola completed the deployment of the world's largest contiguous TACS network in China. As part of that project, Motorola interconnected the company's existing cellular phone systems in 19 provinces and the cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin to provide automatic roaming service for subscribers. To date, Motorola has networked more than 200 EMX mobile switches for nationwide roaming and interconnected with Ericsson's TACS network in China.

Motorola is one of the world's leading providers of wireless communications, semiconductors, and advanced electronic systems and services. Motorola's 1995 sales were $27 billion.

CONTACT: Motorola CIG 

Mary Anne McAndrew, 847/632-2775