Verizon Wireless and U.S. Wireless Corporation Announce Successful Testing of CDMA Location System for Emergency 911 Caller Location
Verizon Wireless and U.S. Wireless Corporation Announce
Successful Testing of CDMA Location System
for Emergency 911 Caller Location
May 10, 2000-BEDMINSTER, New Jersey and SAN RAMON, Calif.-Verizon
Wireless, the nation's largest wireless carrier, and U.S. Wireless
Corporation (Nasdaq: USWC; Frankfurt: USP) today announced the successful completion of
technical field trials in Baltimore of U.S. Wireless' cellular location
technology, CDMA RadioCamera(TM) system.
The technology trial was conducted over a nine month period and
encompassed a comprehensive four-stage field test program that included real-time
processing of live AMPS and CDMA callers, covering substantially all of the downtown
locations.
U.S. Wireless Chief Executive Officer Dr. Oliver Hilsenrath said, "The
Baltimore trial results continue to validate our technology, illustrating
that the RadioCamera(TM) system is one of the most accurate, real-time, wireless
location systems available today. During trials the RadioCamera(TM) system
consistently pinpointed the location of a wireless caller well within the
requirements imposed by Phase II of the FCC E-911 Mandate."
Based on thousands of test calls, the location fixes were sufficiently
accurate and timely, in both stationary and vehicular applications, to
support advanced services including providing subscribers with turn-by-turn
directions. Additionally, the system can continuously monitor a caller's location, if
desired, a critical safety feature for some E-911 situations and other added
value location sensitive services. Further improvements in location
accuracy were demonstrated to be achievable with slight increases for call set-up
times.
U.S. Wireless' RadioCamera(TM) system provides wireless carriers with
continuous real-time location data needed to meet Phase II of the FCC E-911
mandate. Location information provided by the RadioCamera(TM) system also
enables other services, including highway traffic control and planning,
enhanced directory assistance, localized traffic condition reports and fleet
location. The advanced CDMA location capability was enabled through a joint
development and cross-licensing agreement between U.S. Wireless and Qualcomm, Inc.
"We were very pleased with the performance of U.S. Wireless' system," said
Ted Hoffman, Vice President of Technology Development for Verizon Wireless. "We
conducted our testing in Baltimore, a challenging urban radio propagation
environment, and the results are encouraging. We will continue to work with
U.S. Wireless and are evaluating the company's location offering."
Hilsenrath added, "We are excited to be working with Verizon Wireless, who
has taken a leadership role in the CDMA carrier community, investing substantial
resources in developing and evaluating location technologies that benefit
the entire cellular community. We are very happy that this joint effort resulted
in an effective and cost-efficient caller location solution that performs
reliably in the most challenging conditions of the Baltimore metro area."
U.S. Wireless Corp. also noted that it will conduct an Operation Readiness
trial in Washington, DC to help wireless carriers further evaluate the
RadioCamera(TM) network, technology, scalability and commercial readiness to
meet the FCC mandate.
About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless is the largest wireless communications provider in the US
with over 16 million wireless voice and data customers and nearly four
million paging customers. The new, coast-to-coast wireless provider was formed by
the combination of the US wireless businesses of Bell Atlantic Corp. (NYSE: BEL)
and Vodafone AirTouch Plc. (NYSE: VOD; London) The new company includes the
assets from Bell Atlantic Mobile, AirTouch Cellular, PrimeCo Personal
Communications and AirTouch Paging. Verizon Wireless will be further strengthened by the
addition of the US wireless assets of GTE Corp. (NYSE: GTE) when it
completes its merger with Bell Atlantic. When the merger is complete, the new company
will have a footprint covering nearly 90 percent of the US population, 49 of the
top 50 and 96 of the top 100 US markets. Verizon Wireless, headquartered in New
York City and Bedminster, NJ, is 30,000 employees strong. Visit the company at
www.verizonwireless.com.
About U.S. Wireless
U.S. Wireless is powering the next generation of instant wireless
information services and mobile content. Through a national network of wireless location
systems, based on the company's proprietary RadioCamera(TM) system, U.S.
Wireless will enable wireless carriers and others to offer a rich blend of
location-enhanced services including life-saving 911 caller pinpointing,
localized news and traffic updates, enhanced directory assistance, vehicle
and asset tracking, and carrier network management services.
U.S. Wireless plans to build and operate its nationwide location service
bureau in 100 major markets across the United States, beginning with the
Washington, D.C./Baltimore metro area. For more information about U.S.
Wireless and its RadioCamera(TM) network, please visit the Web site at
www.uswcorp.com.
NOTE: RadioCamera(TM) and the U.S. Wireless logo are trademarks of U.S.
Wireless Corporation.
Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: A number of statements
contained in this press release which are not historical in nature are
forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and uncertainties that
could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in
the applicable statements, including, among others, the size and scope of the
geo-location services market, the timing of governmental requirements and
the success of the company in this market. A description of these and other
risks and uncertainties can be found in the companies' filings with the Securities
and Exchange Commission.