William,
I was going to pose a question about the breakout, but I guess this explains it..
(AT) ALLTEL Selects Superconductor Technologies Inc. as Supplier of
Superconducting Receiver Systems
SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Mar 13, 2000 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Superconductor
Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: SCON) ("STI"), a leading developer and manufacturer
of superconducting products for wireless communications and wireless Internet
access, today announced that it has signed a supply agreement with ALLTEL.
Under the terms of the supply agreement, ALLTEL Communications Products will
designate STI as their supplier of High Temperature Superconductor (HTS) base
station receiver solutions for their analog and CDMA cellular and PCS networks.
ALLTEL, a pioneer in the deployment of superconducting technology in a cellular
network, completed extensive evaluations of several cryogenic filter systems in
1999. After reviewing each vendor on product performance, network impact, cost
of ownership, reliability and vendor strength, ALLTEL selected Superconductor
Technologies as their provider of superconducting filter systems. Bob Backus, RF
Engineer for ALLTEL, stated that "The SuperFilter(R) represented the best value
of the systems evaluated. The SuperFilter(R)'s low power DC operation, excellent
RF performance, one man installation, as well as STI's experience in delivering
high volume shipments were key factors in our decision."
Chet Gadola, RF Engineer for ALLTEL, commented: "We have experienced measurable
improvements in coverage, minutes of use, and customer satisfaction since
deploying the SuperFilter(R) in several sites. We are already planning to deploy
new CDMA base stations with the new SuperFilter(R) II to meet the demand of our
growing customer base. STI's SuperFilter(R) II will allow us to deliver an even
higher level of service to our customers."
M. Peter Thomas, president and chief executive officer of Superconductor
Technologies Inc. stated: "We believe this supply agreement is an indication of
the continued acceptance of HTS wireless filters and, in particular, an
acknowledgment of STI's leadership position in this evolving market. As voice
and data traffic over wireless networks continues to increase, enhanced
sensitivity and selectivity become a necessity. SuperFilter(R) systems have
consistently demonstrated the ability to enhance network coverage, call quality,
and overall network performance which is paramount to enhancing both
profitability and customer service."
ALLTEL, headquartered in Little Rock, AR, provides communications services to
more than 8.5 million customers in 25 states and has information services
clients in 55 countries and territories. ALLTEL is a customer-focused,
information technology company that provides wireline and wireless
communications and information services.
STI's SuperFilter(R) system utilizes high-temperature superconducting
technology, along with proprietary cryogenic cooling, to create a front-end
filter and amplifier system utilized in wireless base stations to enhance their
performance. These enhancements include extending the range of the base station,
lowering dropped calls, enabling otherwise difficult handoffs, improving call
quality and, in general, improving customer service and cell site traffic for
the wireless service provider.
Superconductor Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: SCON) is a leading developer and
manufacturer of superconducting products for wireless communications and
wireless Internet access. The Company has additional applications in government
communications and cryogenic markets. With headquarters in Santa Barbara, CA,
Superconductor Technologies Inc. ("STI") designs and manufactures systems for
high-performance wireless applications.
Additional information on STI may be obtained by visiting the company's web site
at suptech.com. |
