LEAP WIRELESS INTERNATIONAL OPERATING COMPANY UNVEILS NEW NAME, STRATEGY AS SMARTCOM PCS IN CHILE'S FAST GROWING WIRELESS MARKET - Innovative Offerings, Strengthened Management Team and Enhanced Network Bring Mobile Communications to a Broader Audience -
PR NEWSWIRE - November 18, 1999 08:01
SAN DIEGO and SANTIAGO, Chile, Nov 18, 1999 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Wireless communications carrier Leap Wireless International, Inc. (Nasdaq: LWIN) today unveiled the new branding strategy of its Chilean operating company, SMARTCOM PCS (formerly called Chilesat PCS). Since April 1999, when Leap bought out former partner long-distance carrier Telex-Chile, the company has invested significant resources in the venture. Leap has strengthened the management team by appointing Latin American wireless industry leaders to key executive positions and enhanced the capacity of the carrier's nationwide network. Now, as SMARTCOM PCS, the wireless carrier is establishing itself as "the Intelligent Choice" for a broader audience in Chile's fast-growing wireless market. SMARTCOM PCS is dedicated to delivering high-quality wireless service that offers simplicity, value and innovation to Chilean consumers.
"The launch of SMARTCOM PCS marks the culmination of the first phase of Leap's investment in this promising wireless carrier," said Harvey P. White, Leap's chairman and CEO. "SMARTCOM PCS is now well-positioned to capture a broader customer base in Chile's fast-growing wireless market."
"We have concentrated on enhancing our network and developing exciting new products and services with a strong emphasis on customer service," said Alejandro Rojas, CEO of SMARTCOM PCS. "We have listened carefully to what Chilean consumers want, and believe that by providing simple, innovative mobile services we are meeting their needs."
SMARTCOM PCS is the country's first wireless carrier to introduce prepaid service with per-second billing, so customers pay only for their connection time, without rounding off to the next minute. The prepaid service, called SmartBox, allows customers to buy a pre-activated, all-digital phone and control their spending through the purchase of prepaid cards. As the country's only carrier that offers per-second billing, SMARTCOM PCS provides savings to both its prepaid and postpaid customers. In addition, to bring greater value to its customers, SMARTCOM PCS is now the only wireless carrier in the market to eliminate domestic long-distance charges entirely, pricing each call as a local call. SMARTCOM PCS is also introducing the first voice-activated handset in the Chilean market. In response to a simple voice prompt, the handset will automatically and conveniently dial a number for the customer.
SMARTCOM PCS first launched service in September 1998 as Latin America's first nationwide wireless network using Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) digital technology. Wireless penetration in Chile grew to 9.8 percent in June 1999, up from 6.4 percent at the end of 1998 and 2.9 percent at the end of 1997. Since Leap took over full control of the company, it has worked to expand capacity and coverage of its nationwide network, supplied by infrastructure vendor Ericsson, to meet the increasing demand for wireless service. Ericsson provided CDMA radio base station products, CMS 11 base station controllers and deployment and network management services. In addition to the new voice-activated Samsung phone, SMARTCOM PCS also offers two models of digital QUALCOMM phones to its customers, including the lightweight Thin Phone.
About Leap Wireless International, Inc. Leap Wireless International, Inc., headquartered in San Diego, Calif., is a wireless communications carrier that deploys, owns and operates wireless networks in domestic and international markets with strong growth potential. Through its operating companies, Leap has launched all-digital wireless service in the United States, Mexico and Chile. Leap is dedicated to bringing the benefits of reliable, cost-effective and high-quality voice and data services to domestic and emerging markets. For more information, please call investor relations at (858) 882-6111 or visit www.leapwireless.com.
This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements, which are based upon certain assumptions and describe future plans, strategies and expectations of the Company, are generally identifiable by use of the words "believe," "expect," "intend," "anticipate," "estimate," "project" or similar expressions. The ability of the Company to predict actual results and other future events is inherently uncertain. Important factors which may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained herein or in other public statements by the Company are described in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 31, 1999 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Those risk factors include the uncertainties relating to costs, profitability and the ability to raise sufficient capital for continued expansion and operation. |
