Sprint Unveils Phone Module for The Handspring Visor

The Sprint PCS Wireless Web Digital Link(TM) Will Deliver Clear Calls and Wireless Internet Access and Will Connect Customers to 3G High-Speed Data Aug. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Sprint (NYSE: FON, PCS), which operates the largest 100-percent digital, nationwide PCS wireless network in the United States, and AirPrime, Inc., a leading provider of (CDMA) wireless data and voice products to the OEM market, today announced an agreement to deliver the first CDMA Springboard(TM) module for Handspring(TM) Visor(TM) handheld. The Sprint PCS Wireless Web Digital Link instantly transforms any Visor handheld into a Sprint PCS Phone for clear voice calls and wireless access to the Internet. The Digital Link will be available at sprintpcs.com and in Sprint Stores beginning in September.

The Digital Link slides easily into the Handspring Visor for clear calls anywhere on the Sprint PCS nationwide network and immediate access to the Internet. The Digital Link provides 7 hours of talk time and 300 hours of standby time. At only 3.4 ounces, it is light enough to take everywhere your Handspring Visor goes.

As Sprint PCS implements 3G technology nationwide by 2002, customers can utilize the Digital Link to enjoy a richer data experience with speeds up to 144kbps. A software upgrade for the Digital Link is planned to be available with the Sprint PCS nationwide launch of 3G mid-year, 2002.

"With the Digital Link, Sprint PCS and AirPrime have developed another first and a device that is clearly unique to the industry," said John Garcia, senior vice president of sales and distribution for Sprint PCS. "The Digital Link is the first CDMA phone module for the Handspring Visor and with the planned software upgrade in 2002 to support 3G technology, it will connect Sprint PCS customers nationwide to both clear calls and enhanced speeds."

"AirPrime has worked closely with Sprint PCS over the past year to develop a communications tool that offers Sprint PCS customers all the advantages of full Internet browsing, email access and clear voice calls in a single device," said Anthony Gioeli, president of AirPrime. "The Digital Link will begin to ship ready for Sprint PCS customers to purchase and use today, and with Sprint's network upgrade in 2002, the Digital Link will eventually take full advantage of 3G services."

Equipped with enough spectrum for the next 10 years, Sprint has invested a total of approximately $3.4 billion to date for its nationwide spectrum holdings and plans to invest between approximately $700 million to $800 million to introduce wireless high-speed packet data (3G cdma2000 1x) nationwide in 2002. Deployment of 3G 1x is the first step in Sprint PCS' four- stage 3G migration path. This phase results in the eventual doubling of the voice capacity of the Sprint PCS network; a tenfold increase in data speeds from 14.4 kbps to speeds of up to 144 kbps; and increased battery performance life in standby mode by approximately 50 percent. By late 2003, peak speeds will reach up to 2.4 mbps with 3G cdma2000 1xEV-Data Only (DO) and in early 2004, speeds will reach 3 mbps to 5 mbps with 3G1xEV-Data and Voice (DV).

About AirPrime Inc.
AirPrime Inc. is a leading supplier of high-speed, CDMA (code division multiple access) wireless access solutions to the OEM (original equipment manufacturing) market. Under a full CDMA subscriber license from Qualcomm, AirPrime is focused exclusively on providing optimal current and next-generation wireless access products to OEMs for use in handheld devices, notebook PCs, and Internet appliances. AirPrime's wireless products will also be used in telemetry and emerging applications. A private, venture-backed company, AirPrime is headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., with additional development offices in San Diego and has a sales presence in existing and emerging markets around the world. For more information please visit http://www.airprime.com.

About Sprint
Sprint is a global communications company serving 23 million business and residential customers in more than 70 countries. With more than 80,000 employees worldwide and $23 billion in annual revenues, Sprint is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying state of the art network technologies, including the United States' first nationwide all-digital, fiber-optic network. Sprint's award-winning Tier 1 Internet backbone is being extended to key global markets to provide customers with a broad portfolio of scaleable IP products. Sprint's high-capacity, high-speed network gives customers fast, dependable, non-stop access to the vast majority of the world's Internet content. Sprint also operates the largest 100-percent digital, nationwide PCS wireless network in the United States, already serving the majority of the nation's metropolitan areas including more than 4,000 cities and communities.

For more information, visit the Sprint PCS web site at http://www.sprintpcs.com .

SOURCE Sprint PCS