Seems like a pretty big news day. Too bad the market is tanking.
Metricom Forms Alliance Partner Program
Kick-Off Scheduled in Conjunction with CTIA's Wireless IT Conference in October
SAN JOSE, Calif., Aug 3, 2000 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Metricom, Inc. (Nasdaq: MCOM chart, msgs) today announced the formation of its Alliance Partner Program designed to foster solutions that leverage the Ricochet(TM) technology and help channel partners bring additional Ricochet-enabled offerings to market. The program will officially launch on October 18 and 19 at the first annual Alliance Partner Program Conference, co-sponsored by Metricom and CTIA (Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association) immediately following the Wireless IT tradeshow.
"As a leader in high-speed mobile wireless access, we are in a position to build relationships that benefit our channel partners," said John Wernke, senior vice president, Marketing and Sales, Metricom. "By building a community of technology partners with various areas of expertise, we can provide an added value for our channel partners as they bring Ricochet to market."
Serving as a forum and community for the advancement of mobile computing based on Ricochet technology, the program will join together a variety of firms that can provide added ingredients to enhance Metricom Channel Partners' Ricochet offerings. Given that Metricom channel partners each have differing areas of expertise, Metricom will use the Alliance Partner Program to certify a host of options, providing its channel partners additional tools to advance the adoption of Ricochet in the marketplace.
Metricom's Alliance Partner Program is comprised of two groups: Technology partners and "Ingredient" partners. Technology partners license or use Ricochet technology to develop end-user devices (e.g., modems and Information Appliances). Metricom will certify services offered by Ingredient partners to help channel partners enhance the Ricochet customer experience with VPNs, email, hosting, portals, and other application services.
Potential Alliance Partners include companies specializing in security, outsourced email, hosting, specialty portals, mobile operating systems, information appliances, integration services and application services. Initial members include Be, Inc., Commtouch, Cylink Corporation, National Semiconductor, Novatel Wireless, PacketVideo Corporation, and Sierra Wireless.
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, is currently available in San Diego and Atlanta, and is under construction in major markets across the U.S., ultimately making Ricochet available to over 100 million people. For more information, visit Metricom at www.ricochet.com.
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.
Note to Editors: Metricom and Ricochet are registered trademarks of Metricom, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
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Contact:
Metricom, Inc.
Sarita Kincaid, 408/399-8410
sarita@metricom.com
or
Fleishman-Hillard
Erin Butler, 415/356-1024
butlere@fleishman.com |
