Follow-on US West release on Thin Phone availability/features:
<Company Press Release
SOURCE: U S WEST
U S WEST Launches New 'Thin Phone' - Nation's First Wireless Phone Integrating On-The-Go Web Surfing with Local Phone/Internet Service
- QUALCOMM 'Thin Phone' Delivers on U S WEST Plan to Extend Internet Beyond Computers to Phones; 'Web-to-Go Technology' Already Built In; Will Enable Wireless Web Surfing by Year End -
DENVER, May 11 /PRNewswire/ -- U S WEST is launching a new advanced PCS wireless phone this month that will be the first in the nation to fully integrate wireless Internet access with local wireless phone service, allowing Internet customers to stay connected with everything from Web pages to voice and email -- all while they're on the move.
''This is a first. The new 'Thin Phone' finally joins together the mobility of your wireless phone, the convenience of your home or office phone and the power of the Internet -- all in the palm of your hand,'' said Peter Mannetti, president, U S WEST Wireless. ''Heavy data users won't have to race back home or to the office just to check email or access Internet sites. With our new advanced PCS phone, customers later this year will have the full power of 'Web-to-Go' communications with them at all times.''
At launch this month, the QUALCOMM 'Thin Phone' will offer U S WEST's exclusive one-number service, letting customers request the same number for their wireless phone as their existing home or office phone. Customers can also check a single voice mailbox for messages instead of sorting through multiple mailboxes. At launch, the phone will also access text messages, pages and email headers.
Wireless Internet Access
By the end of the year, U S WEST wireless customers will be able to use the 'Thin Phone' to access the Internet via U S WEST.net. The new 'Web-to-Go' service, enabled by technology already built into the phone, will allow customers to access text-based Internet information wirelessly.
Users will have access to the following features:
-- A mailbox that can receive, display and store email. The mailbox will
be able to receive and store faxes, allowing wireless customers to
forward the data to any fax machine for easy printing.
-- The U S WEST Dex online directory that gives customers instant
access to Yellow Page as well as business and white pages listings.
Users can scroll through key words to search for listings by geographic
location or name. As numbers are located, users simply press "Send" to
make the call.
-- Internet sites offering business and financial news, sports headlines,
weather information, local event information and travel tips. With the
assistance of built-in technology, users later this year will be able
to access text-based information ranging from Web sites such as
Bloomberg business wire, ABC News, ESPN as well as other Internet
sites. Customers using business or personal Web sites designed by
U S WEST !NTERPRISE and U S WEST Dex will be able to use their wireless
phones to access their own company intranet or personal Web sites -- a
first in the industry.
-- An online "Help" service offering answers to frequently asked
questions. Customers also will be able to request online assistance or
service from U S WEST directly from the wireless phone.
''QUALCOMM's new 'Thin Phone' is the industry's first digital CDMA phone that is shipped data-ready, allowing consumers to surf the Internet right out of the box,'' said David McDowell, senior vice president of sales and marketing for QUALCOMM Consumer Products. ''The 'Thin Phone' combines an ultra-thin, sleek design with intelligent battery options for extended talk times and standby times to provide users the performance they demand.''
Because U S WEST Advanced PCS employs CDMA digital wireless technology, customers enjoy a higher level of security and protection from eavesdropping, which is important in maintaining the privacy of both voice calls and data transmissions.
QUALCOMM 'Thin Phone' Features
The new QUALCOMM handset is so thin and light -- weighing in at just over 4 ounces -- that it is as comfortable in your hand as it is in your pocket. The phone, model 1960, incorporates QUALCOMM's latest integrated CDMA Mobile Station Modem (MSM) chipset, providing talk times of up to 10 hours and standby times of up to 17 days with external battery options.
The 'Thin Phone' operates as a 1900 MHz single-mode wireless device and supports state-of-the-art phone, paging, voice mail and data transfer features. It offers a five-line backlit LCD display and has two smart keys that enable easy navigation through the user interface menu. The phone includes a customizable phone directory with 99 memory and storage locations. New technology called Enhanced Variable Rate Coder (EVRC) is included to support increased network capacity so that wireless customers enjoy higher quality calls and more reliable call connections.''
The 'Thin Phone' will be available later this month at U S WEST Wireless and other retail stores in major markets in Arizona, Colorado, Minnesota, Oregon and Washington. The phone will sell for $99 with a $10 vehicle power adapter option and can be purchased with any U S WEST Advanced PCS calling plan. Customers also can order the service by calling 1-800-ACCESS2. The service will be available later this year in Salt Lake City, Utah, and other U S WEST markets in the year 2000.
When U S WEST launches wireless access to the Internet at the end of the year, customers need only subscribe to the service. Wireless phones purchased beginning in May will be equipped with all the necessary data-ready software to take advantage of the Internet access features available later this year.
About QUALCOMM
QUALCOMM Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM - news) is a leader in developing and delivering innovative digital wireless communications products and services based on the Company's CDMA digital technology. The Company's major business areas include CDMA phones; integrated CDMA chipsets and system software; technology licensing; and satellite-based systems including OmniTRACS® and portions of the Globalstar(TM) system. Headquartered in San Diego, Calif., QUALCOMM is a FORTUNE 500® company with fiscal 1998 revenues in excess of U.S. $3 billion. For more information, please visit the Company's web site at qualcomm.com.
About U S WEST
U S WEST (NYSE: USW - news) provides a full range of telecommunications services -- including wireline, wireless PCS, data networking, directory and information services -- to more than 25 million customers nationally and in 14 Western and Midwestern states. More information about U S WEST can be found on the Internet at uswest.com.
Safe Harbor Statement: This document contains statements about expected future events and financial results that are forward-looking and subject to risks and uncertainties. For these statements, we claim the safe harbor for ''forward-looking statements'' within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Factors that could cause actual results to differ from expectations include: (i) greater than anticipated competition from new entrants into the local exchange, intraLATA toll, wireless, data and directories markets, causing loss of customers and increased price competition; (ii) changes in demand for U S WEST's products and services, including optional custom calling features; (iii) higher than anticipated employee levels, capital expenditures and operating expenses (such as costs associated with interconnection and year 2000 remediation); (iv) the loss of significant customers; (v) pending and future state and federal regulatory changes affecting the telecommunications industry, including changes that could have an impact on the competitive environment in the local exchange market; (vi) a change in economic conditions in the various markets served by U S WEST's operations; (vii) higher than anticipated start-up costs associated with new business opportunities; (viii) delays in U S WEST's ability to begin offering interLATA long-distance services; (ix) consumer acceptance of broadband services, including telephony, data and wireless services; and (x) delays in the development of anticipated technologies, or the failure of such technologies to perform according to expectations. These cautionary statements should not be construed as exhaustive or as any admission regarding the adequacy of disclosures made by U S WEST. U S WEST cannot always predict or determine after the fact what factors would cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements or other statements. In addition, readers are urged to consider statements that include the terms ''believes,'' ''belief,'' ''expects,'' ''plans,'' ''objectives,'' ''anticipates,'' ''intends,'' or the like to be uncertain and forward-looking. All cautionary statements should be read as being applicable to all forward-looking statements wherever they appear. U S WEST does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
SOURCE: U S WEST
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•Qualcomm Inc (Nasdaq:QCOM - news)•US West Inc (NYSE:USW - news)
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