TCS Joins European Emergency Number Association's Advisory Board

Market Wire, June, 2008

TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TCS) (NASDAQ: TSYS), a leading provider of mission-critical wireless communications, today announced that it has joined the European Emergency Number Association's (EENA) new Advisory Board. The new Advisory Board, which will reinforce the advocacy organization's leading role as the "Voice of 112" in the European Union (EU), will officially be announced today during the joint European Parliament/European Commission media event on the European emergency number 112 and the 112 awards ceremony.

TCS is the only U.S. E9-1-1 service provider among an elite group of major political, association, and industry leaders invited to join the EENA Advisory Board. This new Board is a platform gathering the main stakeholders involved with the implementation and operation of 112 emergency services, namely: politicians, professional user organisations and technology and solution providers. A list of Board members is available at www.eena.org .

Seventeen years after its creation, emergency number 112 still faces several challenges, including the availability and deployment of emergency service technologies. EENA has identified the need for technology-based solutions for some of the very real technical challenges facing emergency responders when dealing with the diverse communication technologies now available to European citizens.

"Large support from the European Parliament to improve the 112 service has provided us with a great opportunity to gather all actors that can contribute to its improvement," said Olivier Paul-Morandini, President and Founder of EENA. "Our whole emergency communications and response service today is facing great challenges. Caller-location is still not available to several emergency services, multilingual calls are not appropriately handled, and the number of false calls to 112 remains very high due to the lack of education campaigns. As a result, intervention times are much too high with regards to what can be expected in the EU."

As part of its EENA membership, TCS will leverage its technology background and experience in emergency services to help address some of these challenges. TCS pioneered the methods by which Public Safety Answering Points in the United States are able to receive a wireless or Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) subscriber's location when placing an emergency call for help. In addition, TCS currently operates the only TL90000-certified Network Operations Center in the world that supports emergency services. TCS has already applied its expertise in public safety and wireless location technology to deploy Enhanced 112 (E1-1-2) solutions for a number of European wireless operators.

"As a company, we have a focus on 'Connections that Matter' and are prepared to assist EENA by providing solutions that address the broad range of technical and operational challenges that are associated with emergency services," said Tim Lorello, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of TCS. "We take our role very seriously and are committed to making 112 a reality for all members of the EU."

In addition to the technology challenges, 112 recognition continues to be a problem. The latest Eurobarometer survey reported that 78 percent of Europeans remain unaware of the three digits that can save their lives everywhere in the EU. Diana Wallis, Vice-President of the European Parliament and Member of the newly formed EENA Advisory Board, admits that she did not know the European emergency number 112 before getting involved with EENA. "We need a large publicity campaign to make sure that all Europeans know this number," she added.

EENA has recognized the lack of 112 awareness to be one of its first challenges to overcome. Through a new committee organisation operating under direction from the Advisory Board, EENA intends to promote the European emergency number 112 by launching a Europe-wide 112 Community Education project, create a network of 112 First Responders active in their countries via EENA 112 Chapters, contribute to official legislative documents related to 112, and improve recognition of and response to 112 calls through a 112 Excellence Centre project.

About EENA

EENA, the European Emergency Number Association, was set up in 1999 as a non-profit association registered in Belgium to serve as a neutral discussion platform for emergency services, industry and informed citizens with the aim of getting efficient, interoperable and harmonised emergency telecommunications in accordance with citizens' requirements. EENA has been advocating to authorities the issues related to the 112 as more and more EU citizens travel for business or leisure. EENA is also promoting the establishment of a general, pan-European, multilingual, accessible, simplified and efficient system for alerting citizens about imminent or developing emergencies.

About TeleCommunication Systems, Inc.

TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TCS) (NASDAQ: TSYS) produces wireless data communications technology solutions that require proven high levels of reliability. TCS provides wireless and VoIP E9-1-1 network-based services, secure deployable communication systems, engineered satellite-based services, and commercial location applications, like traffic and navigation, using the precise location of a wireless device. Customers include leading wireless, cable MSOs, and VoIP carriers around the world, and agencies of the U.S. Departments of Defense, State, and Homeland Security. For more information, visit www.telecomsys.com .