Wavecom to Design WISMO-Based GSM System for Automotive Industry; Integrated Voice and Data Communications System Will Be Available in 2000 - Company Business and Marketing

Cambridge Telcom Report, Feb 21, 2000

Wavecom S.A., a leading developer of digital Wireless Standard Modules (WISMO), Monday announced it has signed a general purchase agreement with automotive instrumentation giant, Mannesmann VDO, the world's leading maker of fully integrated car information systems. Mannesmann VDO will be employing Wavecom's WISMO GSM technology in systems to be integrated in cars beginning this year.

"We are pleased with how quickly major auto manufacturers have recognized the advantages offered by our GSM technology," said Aram Hekimian, CEO of Wavecom. "The automobile market is ripe for GSM capability, and WISMO gives dual-band capability, to cover a maximum range of GSM networks."

Wavecom's GSM solutions for Mannesmann VDO, to begin production in 2000, will enable European motorists to receive a host of road and travel information via a computer screen right on their dashboards. At the touch of a button, remote servers will provide drivers with information on traffic conditions, emergency assistance, routing, hotel and restaurant possibilities, and more.

The Mannesman VDO general purchase agreement involves second-generation dual-band GSM WISMO modules, the latest addition to the WISMO product family. WISMO, which stands for Wireless Standard Module, is a highly compact, fully integrated device containing all of the software, hardware and other technology needed to implement a wireless telecommunications standard.

Automatic vehicle location (AVL) systems are one of the four market sectors Wavecom is targeting for its WISMO modules. The other sectors are Multimedia (personal digital assistants, notebook computers, smartphones), Telemetry (remote data measurement) and Telephony (mobile phones and fixed terminals).

Founded in 1993 and headquartered near Paris in Issy-les-Moulineaux, Wavecom designs, develops, manufactures and sells a range of fully integrated plug-in modules for GSM communications. Divided into three distinct lines -- WISMO modules, external modems and integrated modems -- all Wavecom products are based on its unique WISMO technology. WISMO, which stands for Wireless Standard Module, is a compact, fully integrated device containing all of the software, hardware and other technology needed to implement a wireless telecommunications standard. Designed for use in a wide variety of systems and wireless terminals, WISMO modules constitute complete implementation of the GSM Phase 2 standard in the 900, 1800 and 1900 MHz bands. Company revenues totaled 19.6 million euros in 1998 and 36.6 million euros in 1999. Wavecom is publicly traded on the Nouveau Marche exchange in Paris and the NASDAQ exchange in the US.