Aether Systems and Neomar Partner to Provide Secure Wireless Access To Enterprise Data and Applications

Business Wire, June 6, 2001

Business Editors/Hi-Tech Writers

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 6, 2001

Enterprise Customers Can Now Securely Deliver and

Manage Enterprise Applications and Data to Handheld

Devices From Behind the Corporate Firewall

Aether Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:AETH), a leading provider of wireless data products and services, and Neomar, Inc., a leader in enterprise wireless management and delivery software, today announced a partnership to provide a new service to securely extend information and applications from behind the corporate firewall to any wireless handheld across any wireless network.

Under the terms of the agreement, Aether will combine the BlackBerry(TM) by Aether(TM) wireless email solution with Aether's Enterprise Data Server powered by Neomar(TM), a behind-the-firewall wireless server that allows for secure wireless access to, and management of, enterprise data, applications, and devices.

BlackBerry is an end-to-end wireless email solution developed by Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM). The combination will allow companies to provide employees and customers with wireless access to secure Internet and Intranet information, as well as enterprise applications, via wireless handheld devices.

The new service will be marketed to enterprise customers as Aether's Secure Enterprise Management Solution Powered by Neomar(TM). Aether will provide device fulfillment, network connectivity, and end-user support. The solution will be available initially on BlackBerry Wireless Handhelds(TM) and eventually on Palm(TM) and other platforms.

Aether's Secure Enterprise Management Solution powered by Neomar is comprised of three components:

-- Aether's Enterprise Data Server powered by Neomar - Typically deployed
behind the corporate firewall, the Enterprise Data Server allows for secure
delivery and management of enterprise applications and data;

-- Aether's Microbrowser powered by Neomar - Software installed on smart
wireless devices, including those based on RIM's BlackBerry, PalmOS, PocketPC
and J2ME, that allows users secure WML access to enterprise data and
applications.

-- Aether's Access Control Module powered by Neomar - Administration software
that allows an enterprise's IT organization to manage and monitor all
information and user access for enterprise wireless applications.

"Neomar brings to Aether an outstanding secure enterprise wireless solution that, when bundled with BlackBerry by Aether, provides enterprise customers with secure and reliable wireless access to corporate data and enterprise applications from behind the firewall," said John Clarke, Aether vice president, wireless services. "This partnership is also an excellent complement to our Aether Fusion(TM) foundation, which provides scalable wireless solutions for any enterprise need."

"We are thrilled to be partnering with Aether, one of the leading players in wireless technology and services," said William R. "Butch" Winters, CEO of Neomar, Inc. "Aether's strong presence and customer base in the enterprise combined with Neomar's `behind-the-firewall' solution will enable us to deliver secure, reliable wireless access to the most demanding, security-conscious enterprises."

The Aether and Neomar partnership will also address the consumer market by packaging the BlackBerry by Aether wireless email solution with Aether's Wireless Internet powered by Neomar(TM) for access to any website. Consumers will be able to surf the web in a secure fashion, providing the freedom and flexibility to conduct financial and other sensitive transactions wirelessly.

About Aether Systems, Inc.

Aether Systems helps enterprise customers improve efficiency and profitability by providing the services, software and support necessary to extend existing and future business applications from the desktop to any wireless device.

Through Aether Fusion(TM), Aether's wireless enabling technology foundation, Aether develops, deploys and manages wireless solutions built on industry standard technology and backed by Aether's expertise in wireless hosting, software and services. Aether provides the business world with a single-source for reliable, scalable and cost effective wireless solutions.

About Neomar

Neomar develops wireless enterprise software for Fortune 1000 companies. Neomar's solutions optimize performance, enable secure delivery, and provide systems management functionality for data, applications, and wireless devices in an enterprise mobile computing environment.

Neomar partners with premier systems integrators, wireless carriers, and technology companies to bring a full suite of wireless services to business customers. Neomar's key channel partners include 724 Solutions, Aether Systems, Bell Mobility, Cingular Interactive, MDSI, Motient Corp. and Palm, Inc.

Neomar, a privately-held company based in San Francisco, California, was founded in July 1999. For more information, please call 415-403-7300 or visit Neomar's web site at www.neomar.com.

This press release includes forward-looking statements based on current expectations and projections about future events. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions about Aether that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements.