They will have trouble to catch the cdma providers who have 2 year head start MHO--
Telesp Celular Launches Wap Service for Mobile
Internet Access
SAO PAULO, Brazil--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 27, 2000--Telesp Celular Participacoes S.A., (NYSE: TCP; BOVESPA:
TSPP3 (Ord), TSPP4 (Pref)) (``TCP'') today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Telesp Celular S.A., the largest
cellular operator in South America, will offer Internet access service based on WAP (Wireless Application Protocol)
technology beginning tomorrow.
Telesp Celular is the first cellular company in Sao Paulo State to offer Internet access from the cellular handset. The service is
called ``WAAAP -- The Pocket Internet,'' a name chosen to convey speed and surprise.
WAAAP allows users to send and receive email, access bank accounts, receive on-line news, traffic conditions, restaurant and
movie recommendations, horoscopes, games and other services designed to facilitate the user's everyday life.
Initially, WAAAP service will be offered to post-paid customers whose handsets are properly equipped with mini Internet
browsers. It will be available throughout Telesp Celular's CDMA digital coverage area in July. The service will be made
available to prepaid ``Baby'' clients shortly thereafter.
The WAP-enabled CDMA handsets of Motorola, Nokia, LG, Gradiente, Samsung, Kyocera/Qualcomm and Ericsson, will be
available in different models in Telesp Celular's own stores and selling points (more than 2,500 points of sale in Sao Paulo
State).
Telesp Celular has entered into agreements with its handset suppliers to keep the cost of WAP-enabled handsets down to
levels that offer value to its customers, and promote the expansion of the ``Pocket Internet'' in the short term. With these
agreements Telesp Celular can offer a variety of handsets with Internet access beginning at R$ 399.00.
With the proper handset, clients can immediately begin using WAAAP. This service has no monthly subscription charges and
the communication cost is the same as the local usage charge (VC1). Subscribers can access a main menu on the handset
screen, and select from several intuitive icons with a simple click.
Clients with WAP-enabled handsets will receive a free email address using their cellular telephone number (i.e.
99999999@waaap.com.br). Each handset will also function as an electronic organizer, allowing users to record appointments,
telephone numbers, email addresses, etc.
Telesp Celular has invested roughly R$ 100 million to launch its WAAAP service, and expects to have more than 500,000
subscribers using WAP-enabled handsets by December 2000.
Over the last few months, Telesp Celular has installed the data transmission network infrastructure necessary to connect
WAP-enabled handsets to Internet service providers. Motorola, NEC and Lucent have been important collaborators in
developing this network infrastructure. In addition, Compaq provided Telesp Celular with an IP data transmission solution,
while Phone.com was contracted to provide the WAP Gateway which converts Internet information into a cellular-compatible
format.
Telesp Celular and PT Multimedia entered into a cooperation agreement aimed at blending synergies. With this agreement,
Telesp Celular's WAAAP service will be powered and supported by Zip.Net, who will also provide most of the content in this
first phase of service, including the following: Agenda, News, Banks, Money, Entertainment, Travel, Shopping, Games,
Communities, Promotions, Services, Favorites and WWW.
The Company believes that WAAAP will allow for a true revolution in the behavior patterns of our clients, who will now be
able to combine cellular mobility with the convenience of the Internet.
Telesp Celular Participacoes, which spun-off from Telebras in May 1998, is the principal cellular telecommunications provider
in the State of Sao Paulo in Brazil. Telesp Celular Participacoes' Common shares trade on BOVESPA, the Sao Paulo Stock
Exchange, and its ADRs, each equal to 2,500 preferred shares, trade on the New York Stock Exchange. Information may be
accessed on Bloomberg under the symbol TCP and on the Reuters 2000 Service under the symbols TSPP3.SA and
TSPP4.SA
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Such statements are not statements of historical fact, and reflect the
beliefs and expectations of the company's management. The words ``anticipates,'' ``believes,'' ``estimates,'' ``expects,''
``forecasts,'' ``intends,'' ``plans,'' ``predicts,'' ``projects'' and ``targets'' and similar words are intended to identify these
statements, which necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, the actual results of operations
of the company may be different from the company's current expectations, and the reader should not place undue reliance on
these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the company
does not undertake any obligation to update them in light of new information or future developments. |
