GTE and Socket are first to offer one-stop shopping for data paging

IRVING, Texas -- GTE today introduced a new, low-cost way to

deliver up-to-the-minute information to mobile workers or

travelers who carry portable computers. GTE's offering combines

Socket Communications' PageCard with GTE's national paging

network to give customers the traditional advantages of paging plus

the ability to download time-critical data such as sales leads, new real

estate listings, stock quotes, service dispatches or priority e-mail

directly to their Windows notebooks, Newton MessagePads or Apple

PowerBooks.

The PageCard performs double duty - it works as a traditional

standalone pager and as a data pager. Data is transmitted to the slim

2.2 ounce PageCard pager over GTE's paging network. Customers

have the option to be notified automatically by the pager when a data

message is received and ready to be downloaded into their portable

computer. In contrast to traditional text pagers that can store up to 16

short messages, the PageCard can store more than 300 multiple-page

messages.

"GTE has taken the lead in merging wireless communications and

mobile computing by being the first paging carrier in the U.S. to offer

a package that combines traditional paging with data paging," says C.

C. Stephens, general manager, GTE Public Communications. "The

PageCard provides a solution for millions of mobile workers who

travel or work outside of a traditional office and want easy access to

important information."

"There are more than 30 million pager users in the U.S. and at

least 20 million mobile computers with PC Card slots," said Socket's

CEO Martin Levetin. "By combining the PC Card and the pager,

Socket meets the mobile worker's need to receive critical

information while on the road."

Options for GTE's advanced messaging services for text pagers

include an operator-assisted 800 number for translating voice

messages to text, voice mail and fax store-and-forward services with

automatic pager notification. GTE offers local, state, regional or

nationwide paging that covers 90 percent of the U.S. population.

The paging range is extended worldwide with the ability to page

customers via the Internet or the World Wide Web.

Customers who purchase or lease the PageCard pager from GTE

will receive Socket's PageSoft software for sending out messages

through a modem and for downloading data from the PageCard to a

mobile computer. GTE offers a leasing plan that provides the

PageCard pager, software, wireless service and support for a single

monthly fee that starts at less than $30. The PageCard, software and

service are available directly from a GTE account representative or by

calling 1-888-GTE-2100. Later this year, it will be available at the GTE

Phone Marts.

Socket Communications, Inc. develops and sells data

communications solutions for the mobile computer market. Socket

products include PC Card hardware and software for wireless

messaging and the PageCard, PC Card alphanumeric pager. The

PageSoft, messaging library includes development tools and

middleware, send and receive applications, plus rules-based e-mail

forwarding agents. Other Socket products include Serial PC Cards,

wired Ethernet PC Cards and a Global Positioning System PC Card.

With revenues of $20 billion in 1995, GTE is one of the largest

publicly-held telecommunications companies in the world. GTE is

also the largest U.S.-based local telephone company and a leading

cellular-service provider.