BW1334 MAY 04,1999 8:01 PACIFIC 11:01 EASTERN
( BW)(NY-AMERICAN-MOBILE-2)(SKYC) American Mobile Unveils Breakthrough Two-Way Wireless Messaging Solution
Business/Technology Editors
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 4, 1999--
One of the Nation's Leading Messaging Companies - SkyTel -
First To Integrate New eLink Service Offering
Into its Portfolio of Services
At a press conference here, American Mobile Satellite Corporation (NASDAQ:SKYC) today announced its eLink(SM) wireless email service, a breakthrough two-way wireless data messaging solution. American Mobile also announced that one of the nation's leading messaging companies, SkyTel (NASDAQ:SKYT), will integrate eLink into its portfolio of services and offer it nationwide.
In addition to delivering interactive, two-way communications services, eLink is the first solution that provides mobile professionals with integrated wireless access to a broad range of corporate and Internet email and Personal Information Manager (PIM) applications. The service operates on American Mobile's ARDIS network, which has the largest breadth and depth of coverage of any nationwide wireless packet data network.
"By integrating PIM functionality with wireless access to popular Internet email services, eLink puts the power of the desktop into a hand-held device," said Walter V. Purnell Jr., president and CEO of American Mobile. "Based on 10 years of experience meeting the real-time communications needs of the nation's leading businesses, American Mobile has created a wireless email service that sets new standards for ease-of-use and mobile information access. Working with SkyTel, American Mobile expects to significantly expand the market for real-time, wireless messaging services."
"The eLink service is ideally suited for longer two-way messaging and the ARDIS network has the largest coverage footprint of all nationwide wireless data packet networks," said John T. Stupka, president and CEO of SkyTel. "As a result, American Mobile is an ideal strategic partner. Our alliance will allow both of us to offer a full range of messaging choices to best serve our customers."
"We believe that American Mobile's eLink solution addresses the needs of a very important and growing market segment; wireless integration with POP 3 Internet mailboxes represents a significant opportunity," said Jim Balsillie, chairman and co-CEO of Research In Motion (NASDAQ:RIMM). "The RIM Inter@ctive Pager 850 is optimized for mobile email access and will provide a powerful, reliable and portable device for eLink customers."
A Breakthrough Combination of Functionality
The eLink service delivers a breakthrough combination of mobile computing functionality. Users can select from two eLink services, enabling either an integrated wireless/corporate or Internet POP 3 mailbox or a stand-alone wireless mailbox. That powerful communications capability is complemented by wireless access to popular corporate PIM applications, ranging from Microsoft Outlook and Schedule+ to Lotus Organizer. Maximizing convenience and productivity away from the office, the PIM functionality is tightly integrated with eLink's wireless email capabilities. In addition, the eLink cradle synchronizes the PIM data with the desktop PC while simultaneously recharging the battery.
About SkyTel
SkyTel (www.skytel.com) is a leader in wireless messaging, serving more than 1.6 million customers. Since 1989, SkyTel has led the industry toward true nationwide messaging through a series of innovations that culminated in SkyTel two-way interactive messaging service. This enables customers to exchange messages with the Internet and other pagers, receive messages via email and the Internet, and send messages to any telephone in the United States. SkyTel is headquartered in Jackson, Miss., and had 1998 revenue of $518 million.
About Research In Motion
Research In Motion (RIM) (www.rim.net) is a leading supplier of innovative wireless solutions for the mobile communications market. RIM provides solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications. RIM technology also enables a broad array of third-party developers and manufacturers to enhance their products and services with wireless connectivity. RIM is based in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada and is also listed on The Toronto Stock Exchange (TSE:RIM).
About American Mobile
American Mobile (www.AmMobile.com) owns and operates an integrated terrestrial/satellite network and provides a wide range of mobile communication services, including digital voice dispatch, data communications, dual-mode mobile messaging, position reporting services, and satellite telephone to the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and hundreds of miles of U.S. coastal waters. American Mobile services are used in the transportation, field service, maritime, two-way messaging and telemetry markets. The company's major shareholders include Hughes Communications, Inc., Motorola, Inc., Singapore Telecom, and AT&T Wireless Services.
Factors that could cause forward-looking statements in this news release to differ materially from actual results are discussed in American Mobile Satellite Corporation's Form 10K for the year ended December 31, 1998, and other periodic filings the company has made with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of the filings are available upon request from American Mobile Satellite Corporation's investor relations department.
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CONTACT: American Mobile, Corporate Communications
Donald L. Campbell
703-629-2721
don.campbell@ammobile.com
or
American Mobile, Investor Relations
Eric Swank
703-758-6121
eric.swank@ammobile.com
or
Jennifer Riggle / Albie Jarvis
Copithorne & Bellows
703-313-4142 / 617-450-4300
jennifer.riggle@cbpr.com
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