Socket's Digital Phone Cards Now Available for GSM Phones in Europe - Company Business and Marketing

Cambridge Telcom Report, Nov 22, 1999

Socket Communications Inc. Monday announced the first European shipments of the GSM version of the Digital Phone Card Data Connection Kit.

The Digital Phone Card is an ultra-low-power plug-in card that offers instant connectivity between a GSM cellular phone and any mobile computer powered by Microsoft's (Nasdaq:MSFT) Windows CE operating system. Mobile professionals within the worldwide GSM coverage area can use the Digital Phone Card Data Connection Kit to convert their GSM phone into the equivalent of a wireless modem that can send and receive e-mail, access the Internet or connect to their corporate network. GSM versions of the Digital Phone Card Data Connection Kit are currently available for the most popular phones from Ericsson and Nokia. Support will soon be available for other GSM handsets such as the Siemens S25 phone.

The Digital Phone Card offers significant advantages over other connectivity options for attaching GSM phones to mobile computers:

-- Universal Connectivity -- The card's CompactFlash Type I form factor allows users to insert it into the CompactFlash slot of any Windows CE-based Palm-size PC. A CompactFlash-to-PC Card adapter included with the kit allows users to plug the card into the PC Card slot of any Windows CE-based Handheld PC or pen tablet or any Windows 9x/NT-based notebook.

-- Low Power -- Socket's Battery Friendly design allows mobile users to stay connected longer. Ordinary hardware modems consume over 20 times more power from a mobile computer than the Digital Phone Card. Socket's connection kit also conserves a mobile phone's batteries. Users can operate their handsets for more than twice as long as is possible with other cabling solutions.

-- Simplicity and Convenience -- A short cable plugs straight into the mobile phone, making Socket's kit easy to carry and leaving no exposed connectors or dangling cables. Conventional connection kits for Windows CE-based devices require two cables and a special adapter, making them inconvenient for mobile professionals to carry and configure.

-- Windows CE Support -- Includes Windows CE software from MTDS OY that allows users to send and receive faxes wirelessly and features SMS send/receive messaging software integrated with Windows CE e-mail. Software for Windows 9x/NT notebooks is available separately.

"GSM is a worldwide standard for mobile phones and supports more subscribers than all other cellular phone networks combined," said Peter Phillips, director of product marketing for Socket. "Shipping the GSM version of our Digital Phone Card Connection Kit is a major milestone for Socket and a great connectivity option for mobile professionals across the globe who want immediate access to e-mail, the web and their corporate data."

"Socket's Digital Phone Card takes advantage of the standards-based interfaces built into mobile computers powered by Windows CE," said Greg Levin, group product manager for Windows CE marketing in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) at Microsoft Corp. "Socket's focus on low power and universal compatibility is a great benefit for mobile users who travel with more than one computer and who want to maximize the amount of time they stay wirelessly connected."

The GSM version of the Digital Phone Card Data Connection Kit is available from Socket's European distributors and has an estimated street price ranging between $129 to $139 US. For a current list of compatible mobile phones, visit www.DigitalPhoneCard.com.

The GSM Association reports that as of October, 1999, GSM networks worldwide support more than 215 million subscribers.

Socket Communications, Inc. sells connection products for Windows CE-based computers and other devices. Socket's products include the Battery Friendly family of plug-in cards for enhancing Windows CE-based computers by adding networking, bar code scanning, data communication, and wireless Internet connectivity. Socket's products utilize the company's low power chip technology, making them ideal for battery-operated mobile computers. Information about Socket's complete range of products is available on the company's web site at www.socketcom.com.