NEC America Releases High Definition Mobile Handset Sold Through AT&T Wireless Retail Locations.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

TOKYO & NEW YORK & IRVING, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 23, 2003

Launch Of The 515 HDM In North America Is A Key Part Of

NEC Corporation's Plans To Significantly Expand Overseas

Mobile Phone Business

NEC Corporation (NEC) (NASDAQ:NIPNY) today announced, through its subsidiary NEC America, Inc. (NECAM), a leading provider of innovative communications products, solutions and services, the launch of its 515 High Definition Mobile+ (HDM) handset to be sold through AT&T Wireless retail outlets. This exclusive relationship offers the benefit of AT&T Wireless' powerful network combined with NEC's global experience in handset development and manufacturing. Available to U.S. consumers on July 28, the 515 HDM will serve as a premiere gaming handset delivering both enhanced game play capabilities and multimedia messaging.

The NEC America-AT&T Wireless arrangement is a natural extension of NEC's strong relationship with NTT DoCoMo, Inc., a key shareholder of AT&T Wireless. Building on NEC's use of NTT DoCoMo's advanced i-mode(TM) mobile internet technologies in Japan and Europe, NEC America in conjunction with AT&T Wireless will provide U.S. consumers with innovative technologies.

"With the recent advancements in display clarity, sound quality and multimedia applications, we have now entered a new era of 'High Definition Mobile' technology," said Noboru Sakata, General Manager of the Wireless Engineering Division at NEC America, Inc. "The 515 HDM combines many sought after applications and features, such as the simultaneous key press that allows game players to shoot and move at the same time, integrated polyphonic sound, and in-game vibration feedback."

"With the addition of NEC America's 515 High Definition Mobile+ phone to our line of mMode phones, AT&T Wireless customers will have access to an exciting and entertaining mobile experience," said Phil Osman, Executive Vice President-Mobile Multimedia Services for AT&T Wireless. "By offering a Java-enabled handset featuring a brilliant color display and polyphonic ringer, our customers can really enjoy the ultimate in wireless game play."

Worldwide Mobile Strategy

The launch of the 515 HDM in North America is a key part of NEC Corporation's plans to significantly expand its overseas mobile phone business within the fiscal year ending March 2004. NEC plans to introduce approximately 20 new handsets for international markets, utilizing the company's most advanced, Japanese market-proven technologies.

"As the Japanese mobile phone market approaches maturity, NEC expects to secure profitability through expanding in the promising overseas market, based on its experience and expertise as Japan's top mobile phone supplier," said Yoshiharu Tamura, general manager of the Mobile Terminal Division at NEC Corporation. "NEC aims to become a leading manufacturer of mobile Internet handsets with a 15% market share, revenue of one trillion yen and overseas handset sales comprising 50% of its total mobile phone sales in 2005."

NEC began delivering next-generation GSM/GPRS handsets to non-Japanese markets during the last fiscal year. NEC has so far supplied these high-end handsets to carriers such as KPN Group, covering the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium, Bouygues Telecom of France, Telefonica Mobiles Espana, Telecom Italia Mobile, and China Mobile. In addition, NEC has provided UMTS handsets to Hutchison Wampoa Group, the first mobile operator outside Japan to commercially offer 3G services based on W-CDMA technology.

Lightning Fast Mobile Gaming

The first of NEC's 500-series of HDM mobile phones, the 515 HDM - through its compact, stylish, clamshell form factor -- delivers GSM global connectivity by combining voice and data with interactive, feature-rich functionality in a GSM/GPRS quad-band environment. Equipped with an oversized 2.2 inch, 65,536-color display, 40-note polyphonic ring tunes and advanced technologies such as DoJA(TM), a version of Java(TM), created specifically for the mobile environment in a partnership between NTT DoCoMo, Inc. (NTT DoCoMo) and Sun Microsystems, the 515 HDM offers an impressive gaming interface, as well as a high performing mobile enterprise computing experience. In addition, the handset features a second, dedicated applications processor to enable lightning-fast mobile game play, without overriding or impacting incoming calls.

"NEC has a long history of innovation and technological advancement, and we continue that tradition today with the introduction of the 515 HDM phone," said Sakata. "We have placed a strong emphasis on customization with the 515 HDM. Consumers will be able to make each phone their own by downloading content from NEC's content portal or via AT&T Wireless' m-mode."

Through NEC's specialized content portal, www.NECHDM.com, 515 HDM users can download 16-bit stand-by wallpapers, 40-note polyphonic ring tunes, and Java(TM) games. Plus, they can resize personal picture files and send them to their handset for use as stand-by wallpapers or picture caller-id for even greater customization. Users can also create seven different call groups by assigning one of seven vibrant LED colors to incoming callers.

Strategic Alliances

Further, over the past two years, NEC has been building strategic alliances with key value-chain players from Java(TM) content providers to enterprise-focused wireless application solution providers, to differentiate NEC handset products. In addition to the AT&T Wireless relationship, NEC has worked with Yamaha to heighten the ring tune quality of the 515 HDM. Enhanced with a Yamaha 40-note polyphonic ring tune chip, the 515 HDM delivers excellent ring tunes features and exceptional ring tune quality.

NEC has also entered into an agreement with dwango(R) wireless, a developer and publisher of wireless applications and technology for next-generation mobile devices, to offer engaging, downloadable Java(TM) applications to 515 HDM users. Specifically, consumers will enjoy a pre-loaded demo version of dwango Star Diversion(TM) - a top down vertical shooting game - that is offered exclusively to 515 HDM purchasers the first six months the handset is available. To find out more about dwango wireless, please visit www.dwango.com.

For the enterprise user, NEC approached Vuico, LLC, a worldwide leader in mobility solutions, to provide advanced wireless solutions to enterprise market. Vuico's GoWireless(TM) Mobile Messaging, available for the NEC 515 HDM, offers a cost-effective solution for providing secure, real-time access to corporate information by extending the power of Microsoft(R) Exchange(TM), Lotus Domino(TM), and POP3 messaging environments to the mobile professional.

The 515 HDM will be in AT&T Wireless retail stores starting July 28, 2003. Upon its introduction, the phone will come pre-loaded with Java(TM) games, including baseball and Star Diversion(TM).

Editors Note: For additional information on the NEC 515 HDM, please visit www.NECHDM.com.

+HDM (High Definition Mobile) is not meant to imply compliance with any HDTV (High Definition Television) or similar high definition standards.

i-mode, the i-mode logo, and DoJA are trademarks of NTT DoCoMo, Inc. in Japan and other countries. Java is a trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc. Java is a trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc.

About NEC America, Inc.

NEC America, Inc., headquartered in Irving, Texas, is a leading provider of innovative communications products, solutions, and services. NEC America serves all communications industries from carriers, to enterprise, to wireless and is an affiliate of NEC Corporation (NASDAQ: NIPNY), a Global Fortune 500(R) company and one of the leading patent producing enterprises in the world. For more information about NEC America, visit its website at http://www.necamerica.com.

About NEC Corporation

NEC Corporation (NASDAQ: NIPNY) (FTSE: 6701q.l) is one of the world's leading providers of Internet, broadband network and enterprise business solutions dedicated to meeting the specialized needs of its diverse and global base of customers. Ranked as one of the world's top patent-producing companies, NEC delivers tailored solutions in the key fields of computer, networking and electron devices, by integrating its technical strengths in IT and Networks, and by providing advanced semiconductor solutions through NEC Electronics Corporation. The NEC Group employs more than 140,000 people worldwide and had net sales of approximately $40 billion in the fiscal year ended March 2003. For additional information, please visit the NEC home page at: http://www.nec.com.