Superconductor Technologies Introduces Four SuperFilter Systems For Use In Cellular AMPS/B Networks; Customers Report As Much As 60 Percent Coverage Area Increase.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 8, 1997-- Superconductor Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:SCON)(STI), a manufacturer of wireless filter systems utilizing superconductor and cryogenic technologies, Monday announced the availability of four systems from its SuperFilter AMPS/B line of wireless filter systems.

AMPS/B 2 and AMPS/B 3x2 in both rack and tower mount systems are aimed at providing solutions for the coverage problems plaguing rural and suburban cellular AMPS/B service providers.

Customers have reported field trial results showing as much as a 60 percent increase in network coverage area for hand-held phones from use of the AMPS/B SuperFilter systems.

According to James P. Simmons, Jr., vice president of marketing and sales for STI, "Expanding coverage for hand-held units is a high priority for many rural and suburban cellular providers.

"Also, improving coverage to 'dead spots' where signals are lost in a wireless network is an increasing problem for these providers. Installing additional base stations to increase coverage can be a costly solution, particularly in areas where communities are prohibiting new installations.

"Superconducting filters have been proven to address these issues. STI's SuperFilter AMPS/B systems expand coverage in practical rack and tower mount systems without costly addition of new base stations."

Most suburban and rural cellular networks were designed for high power (3 watts), automobile-installed mobile phones. Deployment of new lower power (0.6 or less watts), hand-held wireless phones being used by most cellular subscribers today results in significant geographical areas without adequate coverage unless the original network is enhanced.

The SuperFilter AMPS/B 2 and AMPS/B 3x2 systems provide more base station coverage enhancement than any conventional filter and low noise amplifier (LNA) unit by integrating a thin-film superconductor filter with an optimized cooled LNA to achieve an ultra low noise figure. The field-proven, highly-selective AMPS/B systems can also offer significant coverage expansion in new cellular networks.

The SuperFilter AMPS/B 2 Systems are designed for omni-directional cell sites with diversity, typically used in rural cellular networks. The AMPS/B 2 includes two highly-selective thin-film superconducting bandpass filters, two cooled LNA's, proprietary cryopackaging, and STI's compact cryocooler with high-precision temperature controller.

The SuperFilter AMPS/B 3x2 Systems are designed for high-capacity sectored cell sites with diversity, often used in suburban networks. The AMPS/B 3x2 contains six bandpass filters, six cooled LNA's proprietary cryopackaging, and two proprietary cryocoolers with high-precision temperature controllers. The AMPS/B 3x2 consists of two complete systems to provide redundancy for each sector.

The AMPS/B systems are also available as an industry standard rack system or a tower mount system. The tower mount system integrates the same hardware components as the rack unit into a tower mount configuration including a weatherproof, bulletproof enclosure and a ground-mounted power distribution unit including power supply.

STI's compact Stirling cryocooler allows both the cold head and compressor to be mounted on the antenna tower, eliminating the need for undesirable refrigerant lines. Industry standard lightning arrestors for both input and output ports and radio frequency bypass lines are optionally available.

All four AMPS/B systems come with optional band reject filters that provide interference protection without compromising coverage, dynamic range or physical filter size. Managing interference today requires conventional filters which can be as large as a file cabinet, and which can take up to 30 percent of the volume of the entire base station.

The SuperFilter system with band reject filters can reduce the receiver filter size by 75 percent or more, while minimizing interference.

Pricing for the four AMPS/B systems range from $18,000 to $39,000 depending on options. STI will provide a firm quote and delivery schedule upon request.

The company will be showing the SuperFilter system family at the Personal Communications Industry Association (PCIA) PCS 97 trade show at the Dallas Convention Center in Dallas, Sept. 10-12, booth number 12268.

Superconductor Technologies is a leader in the development and manufacturing of advanced radio frequency filter systems for the wireless communications market.

Using patented superconducting materials and cryogenic technologies, the SuperFilter system reduces interference and increases range in a compact package for wireless OEM's and service providers.

The company has additional applications in the high-speed computing, medical and government communications markets. STI has headquarters in Santa Barbara.

CONTACT: Superconductor Technologies Inc., Santa Barbara

Seana Wagner, 805/683-7646

www.suptech.com