Ricochet Unleashed in Atlanta, Setting Mobile Professionals Free
Atlanta Among First in Nation to Get 128 kbps High-Speed Wireless Internet
LOS GATOS, Calif., Jul 31, 2000 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Metricom, Inc. (NASDAQ: MCOM chart, msgs), an industry leader in high-speed wireless mobile access, today announced the launch and availability of Ricochet(TM) in Atlanta.
Ricochet provides the advantage of high-speed access with the freedom of wireless mobility, allowing people to work outside the confines of their office at speeds of 128 kbps or greater. The Atlanta market joins recently launched San Diego as the nation's first major areas able to take advantage of a true wireless Internet.
"Atlanta is a booming metropolitan center that has among the highest rates of job growth and technology graduates in the country, and is a natural choice as our second Ricochet high-speed market," said Tim Dreisbach, chairman and CEO of Metricom. "As a thriving, technologically-enlightened business community, Atlanta is home to mobile professionals who will appreciate the freedom Ricochet delivers."
Ricochet allows anyone to increase balance between work and home life and be more productive. Whether a 9-to-5-office worker or a consultant based from home, Ricochet changes the way work can be done. Mobile professionals using notebook computers can access information online exactly as if they were at their desktop. They can view and download full Web content, send and receive email with attachments, link to corporate intranets through Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), and use the applications, information and services they're accustomed to without needing to be in their office.
Awarded "Best Internet Service" in June at PC Expo, Ricochet is the industry's first mobile information access solution to duplicate high-speed wired access. Ricochet sets people free from the office with always on, high-speed, flat rate access to the Internet and company networks at performance speeds that rival landline connections. This high-performance system allows users to access the Internet from anywhere within coverage areas--whether at the office or home, at a client site, on a park bench, in the back of a taxi (up to 70 mph), at the airport, or on the road--anytime being connected is important.
The national launch of Ricochet on July 21 signaled the beginning of a new era in mobile wireless access. Today that true freedom is extended to the Atlanta market. San Diego and Atlanta will be followed by additional major markets in late September as Metricom aggressively deploys its network across the country.
Ricochet is available through Authorized Service Providers. Users can learn about availability through these providers by visiting www.ricochet.com (http://www.ricochet.com).
About Metricom and Ricochet
Metricom, Inc. is a leading provider of mobile data networking and technology. With its high-speed Ricochet mobile access, Metricom is making "information anytime" possible--at home, at the office, on the road, and on many devices. Founded in 1985, Metricom has spent more than 15 years on the development of its distinctive MicroCellular Data Network. That experience enables Metricom to develop the fastest wireless mobile data networking and technology available today. Ricochet has been operating since 1995 in three markets at speeds up to 28.8 kbps. The new Ricochet, delivering user speeds of 128 kbps and greater, is currently available in San Diego and Atlanta, and is under construction in 19 additional major markets across the U.S., and right-of-way efforts are underway in an additional 25 markets that will ultimately make Ricochet available to over 100 million people.
Metricom and Ricochet are registered trademarks of Metricom, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Statements made in this press release that are not historical facts, including those related to future market conditions, future competitors, future partners, market rollouts and future technology, are forward looking and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties which may cause results to differ materially from those set forth in these statements. Among other things, additional competition from existing and future competitors may impact the market. Projections of market size, partners, market acceptance, technological rollout and competition are estimated based on preliminary information as well as certain assumptions which management believes to be reasonable at this time. All forward looking statements are subject to the successful completion of the actions described in this press release. In addition to the factors set forth elsewhere in this press release, the economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors identified in Metricom's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission could affect the forward looking statements contained in this press release.
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Contact:
Fleishman-Hillard
Sarah Molinari, 404/659-4446
molinasa@fleishman.com
or
Metricom Inc.
Sarita Kincaid, 408/399-8410
sarita@metricom.com |
