QUALCOMM, HITACHI TEAM UP ON HIGH DATA RATE TECHNOLOGY TRIAL.

Effort Will Result In New Mobile Wireless Internet Services

QUALCOMM Inc., the San Diego, Calif., developer of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) digital wireless technology, has signed a letter of intent with Hitachi Ltd. to jointly develop equipment and support a field trial of QUALCOMM's High Data Rate (HDR) technology beginning later this year. Following a successful trial, Hitachi intends to develop and manufacture HDR infrastructure equipment for commercial use.

Technical trials of HDR are expected to begin in mid 2000; marketing trials and commercial rollout are expected to occur during 2001. Initial HDR network trials will incorporate evaluations of HDR's air-link performance, advanced feature sets, decentralized Internet Protocol (IP)- based architecture and highly integrated access points. HDR supports e- mail, web browsing, e-commerce, telematics and other applications while offering end-users continuous, untethered access to the Internet and next generation data services. The technology can be embedded in handsets, laptops and handheld computers, and other fixed, portable and mobile devices.

"The demand for wireless data services is growing around the world," says Yasuo Katou, general manager of CDMA System Business Operation, Telecommunication Systems Division of Hitachi. "We believe we can help carriers meet this growing demand by offering equipment that provides high-performance, cost-effective wireless data services through HDR."

"Optimized for packet data, HDR enables high-speed, always-on wireless Internet access using standard Internet Protocols," adds Irwin Jacobs, chairman and CEO of QUALCOMM. "We are pleased that Hitachi has recognized the merits of HDR and plans to manufacture infrastructure equipment to support the deployment of HDR."

HDR provides a spectrally efficient 2.4 Mbps peak rate in a standard 1.25 MHz channel bandwidth. Optimized for packet data services, it incorporates a flexible architecture based on standard IP. As a complementary solution to voice networks utilizing operator's existing cell sites, towers, antennas and network equipment, HDR technology allows operators to leverage their current infrastructure investment and cellular/Personal Communication Services (PCS) networks. HDR can also be implemented as a standalone system using off-the-shelf IP backbone equipment. It is compatible with IS-95A, IS-95B and future cdma2000 networks, enabling existing cdmaOne and cdma2000 service providers to obtain higher capacities and better performance by optimizing voice and data spectrum separately, serving both application from the same network.