re: Nationwide GPRS Next Quarter???
>> VoiceStream CEO Highlights Strength of GSM Wireless Technology in the U.S. and Worldwide
Business Wire
March 27, 2001
Meeting of GSM Executives Worldwide Hosted in Seattle by VoiceStream Showcases GSM's Growth in the United States and Advantage in Introduction of Advanced Wireless Services
Speaking at the 45th Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) Plenary Meeting, VoiceStream Wireless Corporation (NASDAQ:VSTR) CEO John Stanton highlighted the success of GSM in the United States and worldwide, the strength of VoiceStream's GSM nationwide network, and the advantages it offers moving forward with advanced wireless services.
As the only nationwide GSM provider in the United States, VoiceStream Wireless is hosting the worldwide gathering of the GSM Plenary. Fourteen CEOs from U.S. and foreign wireless carriers and more than 500 wireless executives are attending the March 26 - March 29, 2001 meeting in Seattle to discuss issues of crucial importance to the GSM wireless industry.
Stanton said, "Adopted by 158 countries, GSM accounts for approximately 70 percent of the total worldwide digital wireless market today and has long been the premier standard around the world. The growing importance of GSM in the United States is showcased by the fact that GSM industry leaders from around the world are gathering in Seattle, VoiceStream's home market, to discuss the evolution of the technology and the issues relating to the future deployment of 3GSM services."
The last time a Plenary meeting was held in the United States was six years ago, when GSM services were available in only a limited number of areas in the country and provided by several regional operators. Since that time, VoiceStream Wireless and its affiliates have assembled a nationwide GSM network owning licenses covering 97 percent of the U.S. population or 272 million people.
VoiceStream is the only carrier in the United States with a nationwide GSM footprint.
"The strength of VoiceStream's position in the marketplace today comes from our decision on day one - to deploy a single technology and single band GSM based network," said Stanton. "The initial benefit to our customers has been the ability to use one phone/one number as they travel internationally. With the deployment of GSM's high-speed packet data, GPRS customers will soon have access to advanced wireless services providing faster speeds and always on Internet access. While other carriers have announced intentions to deploy a GSM/GPRS network, they are late to the game. Our existing GSM network gives us a tremendous advantage in the rate at which we can introduce advanced services to our customers. VoiceStream plans to have high-speed GPRS fully operational across our entire network in the second quarter of 2001, well ahead of any other domestic wireless carrier," said Stanton.
At the beginning of March 2001, an estimated 475 million customers were using GSM wireless technology, with more than 10 million North Americans using GSM, and three out of every four Americans living in areas covered by GSM. In North America, GSM wireless usage has grown 535 percent annually over the past three years.
About VoiceStream Wireless
Based in Bellevue, Wash., VoiceStream Wireless Corp. is one of the major nationwide providers of wireless communication services in the country. Through pending mergers and recent license purchases, VoiceStream will have a licensed footprint of over 272 million American consumers.
VoiceStream operates and uses the globally dominant GSM technology platform and is a member of The GSM Alliance, L.L.C. that helps provide seamless wireless communications for its customers in more than 6,500 U.S. and Canadian cities and towns, and abroad.
VoiceStream has roaming agreements with more than 164 of the major operators worldwide, allowing customers to use their VoiceStream services while traveling internationally to over 70 countries throughout Europe and Asia. For more information, visit the web site voicestream.com. <<
- Eric - |
