Leading Paging Carriers in Mexico and Central America
Join 'The PageMart Network' to Offer Subscribers
NAFTA-wide and Beyond Footprint
PageMart Executes International Expansion Strategy To Create Single-
Frequency Messaging Network Throughout Most of North America
DALLAS, Feb. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Pagemart Wireless Inc , one of the industry's
fastest-growing providers of wireless messaging services, announced today it is expanding the
footprint of The PageMart Network to include the NAFTA* trading block countries and most of
Central America. The company has entered long-term strategic alliances with Telefonos de
Mexico (TelMex) paging subsidiary, Buscatel, and leading carriers in Central America to ensure
The PageMart Network will operate over the same 900 MHz frequency PageMart currently
operates throughout Canada, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The
PageMart Network will offer subscribers a coverage footprint that now stretches from Canada to
the Panama Canal.
"These strategic alliances culminate a plan to expand The PageMart Network that began in 1993,"
said John D. Beletic, president and CEO of PageMart Wireless, Inc. "Our primary goal was to
create a NAFTA-wide network to serve expanding trade and travel across the continent. The
successful execution of our plan provides us an important marketing advantage. Subscribers to The
PageMart Network will be able to use the same pager to receive messages in Canada, the United
States, Mexico and most of the principal cities in Central America. One pager, no borders, it's that
simple."
According to Beletic, PageMart's strategy for international expansion stresses the value of creating
a coherent network. "We are implementing a logical expansion of our network where each
addition adds incremental value to all the other components of The PageMart Network. We also
have the added benefit of in-country experts marketing the entire network."
PageMart's Mexican affiliate is Buscatel, a subsidiary of TelMex, Mexico's largest
telecommunications company. Securing this strategic partner provides PageMart the critical link
necessary to offer coverage throughout most of North America. Under the terms of the ten-year
agreement, the two companies will jointly expand coverage, particularly along the 2,000-mile
U.S./Mexico border.
"NAFTA has created a flow of trade valued at over $31 billion dollars since it was enacted in
1994, and that's just one measure of its impact," said Beletic. "It's creating other synergies that are
being felt throughout the Americas. Trade in Central America, for example, increased a healthy 15
percent since NAFTA's implementation." To take advantage of this market expansion PageMart
has aligned with Radio Mensajes in Costa Rica, Tele Vip in El Salvador, Tele Escucha and Tele
Mensajes in Guatemala and Mobilphone de Panama in Panama.
PageMart began assembling The PageMart Network in 1993 with the construction of its extensive
nationwide network in the United States. In 1995, the company formed PageMart of the Bahamas
and initiated service in the Virgin Islands. In April of 1996, PageMart teamed with Canadian equity
partners to launch PageMart Canada Limited, and, last November, entered a long-term strategic
alliance with Puerto Rico Telephone Company. All affiliate companies within The PageMart
Network operate compatible FLEX(TM) networks.
"We initially built a nationwide network where one pager works anywhere we offer coverage -
now the same pager will work NAFTA-wide and beyond," said Beletic. "We've added real value
to the service we offer subscribers because we've logically expanded the network to contiguous
countries that have common interests."
PageMart Wireless, Inc. is a leading provider of wireless messaging services. Currently, the
Dallas-based company uses direct broadcast satellite technology to provide numeric and text
messaging services in all 50 states, Canada, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Bahamas.
PageMart serves more than 1.8 million U.S. customers via its own 900 MHz nationwide
frequencies. The company currently employs over 1,900 people and sells its products and services
through its own direct sales force, strategic alliances, leading U.S. retailers and selected resellers.
The class A common stock of PageMart Wireless, Inc. is traded on the Nasdaq National Market
System under the symbol PMWI.
Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this press release
are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties and the other risks detailed
from time to time in the company's SEC reports including its annual report on Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 1995 and the registration statement on Form S-1 with respect to its
initial public offering consummated in June 1996. Actual results may differ materially from those
projected. These forward-looking statements represent the company's judgment as of the date of
this release. The company disclaims, however, any intent or obligation to update these
forward-looking statements.
* North America Free Trade Agreement
FLEX(TM) is a registered trademark of Motorola, Inc. SOURCE PageMart Wireless, Inc. |
