AT&T Wireless Services and Nokia Agree to
Develop and Test
Advanced Enhancements to All IP-Edge Network
Business/Technology Editors
REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 26, 2000--
Companies Will Conduct Joint Testing Using Emerging 3GPP Release 2000
International Standards To Advance
General Wireless Industry Knowledge and Consumer Applications
AT&T Wireless Services, Inc. (NYSE:AWE) and Nokia (NYSE:NOK) have
agreed to jointly develop and test enhancements to the Third Generation (3G)
wireless standard EDGE that will enable simultaneous delivery of voice and
data, as well as advanced multimedia applications such as real-time
streaming media.
"The most important outcome of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
between AT&T Wireless Services and Nokia is demonstrating the incredible
breadth the EDGE standard affords for a vast array of new applications,"
remarked Roderick Nelson, senior vice president and chief technology officer
for AT&T Wireless Services. "Further, in the process of testing and
demonstrating the combined delivery of voice and multimedia applications,
AWS and Nokia will provide general industry knowledge from which everyone
benefits."
The first EDGE networks will provide high-speed Internet and email access.
The MoU entered into by AWS and Nokia will lead to such exciting new
applications as Voice Over IP, audio and video streaming, and real-time
conversational services such as video conferencing. The companies will be
working under what is emerging as the new 3GPP Release 2000 International
Standards to bring simultaneous transmission of voice (over IP) and web
browsing or e-mail by the first quarter of 2001.
"Nokia's commitment to jointly test 3G enhancements further bolsters the
case for EDGE within the wireless industry, and supports the next steps in
the evolution of AT&T Wireless's network. In addition, this collaboration will
help us to more quickly deliver 3G products to other GSM and TDMA carriers
around the world," said Dr. J.T. Bergqvist, Senior Vice President, Nokia
Networks. "This collaboration supports the Nokia 3G All-IP Core network
strategy, which is based on IPv6. Customers will benefit from this with
technology that will allow them to better manage their busy and complicated
lives. This represents just another chapter in our long strategic technology
partnership with AT&T Wireless."
EDGE combines two of the world's leading digital wireless standards, TDMA
(Time Division Multiple Access) and GSM (Global System for Mobile
Communications). TDMA is currently the most widely deployed technology in
the Americas while GSM has marketshare across Europe, Asia and the
Americas. Together, GSM and TDMA report more than 250 million customers
around the world.
"AT&T Wireless has been a leader in advanced technology thanks in part to
working with innovative companies like Nokia," said Nelson. "Nokia has helped
us develop TDMA IS-136 technology quickly and efficiently. Nokia's
commitment to jointly develop and test the next enhancements to EDGE
suggests that they will do the same for EDGE.
"This collaboration will help AT&T Wireless Services speed our time to market
with advanced products and services customers will demand in the future."
About AT&T Wireless
AT&T Wireless Services, Inc. (NYSE:AWE), a wholly owned subsidiary of
AT&T Corp. (NYSE:T) operates one of the largest digital wireless networks in
North America. With more than 10 million subscribers, AT&T Wireless is
committed to being the premier provider of high-quality wireless
communications services, whether mobile or fixed, voice or data, to
businesses or consumers, in the U.S. and internationally.
About Nokia
Nokia is paving the way to the mobile information society with its innovative
products and solutions. The company is the leading mobile phone supplier
and a leading supplier of mobile, broadband and IP networks, related services
as well as multimedia terminals. In 1999, Nokia's net sales totaled EUR 19.8
billion (USD 19.9 billion). Headquartered in Finland, Nokia is listed on the New
York (NOK), Helsinki, Stockholm, London, Frankfurt and Paris stock
exchanges and employs more than 56,000 people.
The foregoing are "forward-looking statements" which are based on AT&T
management's beliefs as well as on a number of assumptions concerning
future events made by and information currently available to management.
Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such forward-looking
statements, which are not a guarantee of performance and are subject to a
number of uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside AT&T's
control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from such
statements. For a more detailed description of the factors that could cause
such a difference, please see AT&T's filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. AT&T disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise
any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future
events or otherwise.
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