Award-Winning Sierra Wireless AirCard Ships Commercially
VANCOUVER, B.C. — April 7, 1997 — AirCard, from Sierra Wireless, is now shipping commercially to law enforcement, medical, field service and government organizations.
At the 1997 Mobile Insights conference in Laguna Nigel, CA, the Sierra Wireless AirCard received a Mobility Award for "Best PC Card". Mobile Insights, an influential Mountain View, CA-based analyst and consulting firm, presents the annual Mobility Awards to products that have helped to change the landscape of mobile computing and wireless data communications.
The first product in Sierra's joint development relationship with Compaq Computer Corporation, AirCard is a new PC Card modem and PC Card cell phone solution which allows notebook computer users to easily implement a wireless computing solution with minimal configuration. The FCC-approved AirCard solution includes a full function 33.6 Kbps wireline and cellular modem featuring MNP10, V.42bis and ETC.
Because Sierra's products support AMPS cellular data, the most widely available wireless delivery service, AirCard operates nationwide – wherever cellular service is available in North America. AirCard also supports Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD), the leading encrypted wireless packet data service now available in over 100 North and South American cities.
AirCard fits into any laptop computer with Type II PC Card slots and is powered directly through the computer's PC Card connector. Nothing protrudes out of the computer except AirCard's retractable, removable antenna. The modem card connects to the AirCard cellular card which includes a complete cellular AMPS and a data transmitter in a Type II format.
"By reducing a complete cellular phone into a Type II PC card with no extensions, Sierra has created a system that is the closet thing yet to a plug-and-play wireless data solution," notes Andrew Harries, Sierra Wireless vice president of marketing, "AirCard features a simple form factor, an installation wizard and complete compatibility with Windows and the Internet."
AirCard provides users the same connections wirelessly through a notebook computer that are available on the company LAN. With AirCard, mobile workers can connect to the Internet using a cellular connection in either CDPD-packet or circuit-switched mode. AirCard takes full advantage of CDPD's Internet capability, allowing users to access email with the same email address that they use in the office. An Internet connection is the only "middleware" that any office needs to connect its mobile workers. A user simply clicks on Netscape or Microsoft Internet Explorer as they would in the office, and they're on the Internet or their company's intranet.
"AirCard sets a new standard – it's simple to install and easy to use," said Mike Franklin, director of wireless data marketing for Bell Atlantic NYNEX Mobile in Bedminster NJ, "I tested and used the AirCard on the CDPD network to do just about everything possible on the Internet wirelessly including Web browsing, e-mail and file transfers." Bell Atlantic NYNEX Mobile will offer the modem as part of its AirBridge wireless data product line.
Easy to Install AirCard Watcher software installs in Win 95 notebooks with an installation wizard that automatically configures the cellular and CDPD features of the modem, including the setup of the TCP/IP stack. AirCard Watcher is the latest version of the graphical user interface common to all Sierra Wireless modems, and is available for Windows '95 and Windows 3.1. AirCard and Watcher have been designed to integrate smoothly with standard Windows 95 applications including Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft Internet Explorer and the standard telephone dialer utility. Users can access CompuServe, AOL, cc:Mail, Netscape, and Lotus notes exactly the same way that they do from their desktop.
System Requirements AirCard will operate with any notebook computer running Windows 3.1, Windows 95 or Windows NT with two PC Card slots.
Price and Availability The AirCard Combo two-card set lists for $ 895, and is available immediately. Users can purchase the AirCard from PCs Compleat: phone 800-351-4727. PC dealers, VARs and System Integrators can establish reseller arrangements through WTI Wireless Telecom Inc.: phone 800-787-9170 or 303-338-4200. Government customers can purchase the AirCard from GTSI: phone 800-999-4874 or 703-631-3333. Or contact Sierra Wireless at (604) 231-1100 to find a participating cellular service provider or reseller.
About Sierra Wireless Sierra Wireless is a leading supplier of cellular data modems. Sierra's product line includes AirCard, the PocketPlus 210 for Windows, Windows CE and Macintosh, the MP200 ruggedized, 3-watt vehicle-based CDPD/cellular modem, the MP200-GPS which include a GPS receiver, and the SB-220 OEM module. For more information contact Andrew Harries, Vice President Marketing of Sierra Wireless, Inc., No. 260 – 13151 Vanier Place, Richmond, BC, V6V 2J2. Phone: (604) 231-1100. Fax: (604) 231-1109. E-Mail: [email protected]. Internet: http://www.sierrawireless.com .
NOTE TO EDITORS: Product names mentioned herein may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Compaq is a trademark of Compaq Computer Corporation. Windows is a trademark of Microsoft, Corp. AirCard and the Sierra Wireless logo are trademarks of Sierra Wireless, Inc.
CONTACT:
Sierra Wireless, Inc.
Andrew Harries, 604/231-1100
[email protected]
or
MorseMcFadden Communications
Lisa Geschke, 206/889-0528
[email protected]