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To: Bernie Diamond who wrote (8207)	11/14/1998 6:30:00 AM
From: Paul Smith	Respond to of 10227

I'm not sure that they are keeping that low a profile. I don't think being a hype machine would add credibility but it would be nice to know at least the basics of what is happening. I think Arnie is being a little too defensive. The first version of iDEN failed and the company was careful when rolling out the second version. Aren't they now at the point where the second can be considered a success? If not, this may be a more risky investment than we think it is. I think there are problems being worked out and it will be hard to find any company that will publicize their problems and struggles. What puzzles me is what Bernie hit upon. There seem to be contradictions in the small bits and pieces of information that we see. I hope all are rowing in the same direction.

To: Bernie Diamond who wrote (8207)	11/14/1998 8:23:00 AM
From: Arnie Doolittle	Respond to of 10227

"As shareholders, we are entitled to better than, "Capex will not be zero."" I agree that the "will not be zero" answer is disingenious at best but I'm convinced that PB is following orders when he says that. NXTL is run by DA, not PB and ex-marine officers don't allow mavericks to run rampant in their midst. PB is not a maverick. I find it interesting that baseball announcers are thought to be excellent by fans when their team is winning and only so-so when the team is in the cellar. That's exactly the light in which PB is currently being held by NXTL "fans". He doesn't deserve it. "What makes you believe that they will do what's good for YOU and ME, ipso-facto?" A few press releases are not going to change what CM or DA will do in their own self interest. Besides, since CM and DA are also shareholders, what can they do that would not benefit other shareholders? BerniE, put on your thinking cap and put your emotional cap in the drawer. With MOT, Nippon T&T, and Panasonic all represented on NXTL's board, what can CM and DA do to negatively impact shareholders' interests while enriching their own? Pay themselves a few more bucks? Issue themselves some new stock options? And what do these items have to do with IR, PR and press releases? Answer: Zero, nana, zilch, nothing. You're up in arms because you think that the stock should be higher. Relax, buy some more stock and vent your frustrations on other stocks that have mature business with undervalued assets. No one ever said that NXTL would be a 90 day wonder and it isn't. But it will succeed in the long run based on fundamentals, not hype and/or press releases. "We are well past the necessity of keeping a low profile for the reasons you suggest. If, as you state, "NXTL has all the growth they can currently handle", why are they dramatically increasing their advertising budget in places like NYC with its "system problems"?" No, we're not past the low profile stage. The low profile relates to consumer-commodity biz, not the targeted markets that NXTL currently seeks. The NYC advertising is a continuation of their current plan, as is fixing and growing the NYC system. If you're the 800 pound gorilla (T and, to some extent, FON) with gobs of $$ and CF from other businesses, you beat your chest and scream from the rooftops every time you introduce something new. On the other hand, if you're NXTL, you remain stealth as long as possible because you don't have the financial resources to fight the same battle as the big boys. The goal is for NXTL to get as large as possible before taking on T head to head. That time will come and when it does, it will be a donnybrook marketing war. T and FON are fighting a conventional war (commodity biz) while NXTL is fighting a guerilla war (targeted high end biz). BTW do you know what T's and FON's current status is regarding capex? Have they slowed, expanded or stayed the same? Frankly, I can't even figure out T's MOU and they're mucho bigger than NXTL. Why don't they give us that basic info? For the benefit of insiders? Nah, it's simpler than that - competitive reasons. Arnie