SkyTel and Philips Electronics Announce Wireless Messaging Alliance
LAS VEGAS — November 18, 1996 — SkyTel Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Mobile Telecommunication Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ: MTEL), Jackson, Miss., today announced an agreement to jointly market SkyTel Messenger for Windows CE, a software messaging application, and SkyTel 2-way services with the Philips Velo a handheld PC being manufactured by the Philips Mobile Computing Group.
Scheduled to be available in late 1996, SkyTel Messenger offers unprecedented convenience, versatility and portability for exchanging messages wirelessly with Internet users and other SkyTel paging subscribers. The software messaging application integrates SkyTel 2-Way paging and wireless messaging services with the Inbox and Contacts applications included with Windows CE which provide universal messaging and address book functions.
Users can create, send, receive, reply to, file and forward brief text messages wirelessly to and from Internet e-mail addresses and other SkyTel 2-Way products (or originate messages to SkyTel one-way pagers).
SkyTel Messenger and the SkyTel 2-Way services and pagers offer consumers a broad range of options in portability and functionality. For maximum portability, users can rely solely on SkyTel 2-Way devices, or they can use SkyTel 2-Way units in conjunction with the Philips Velo, which is based on Microsoft Windows.
SkyTel Messenger then gives users access to a feature-rich Windows messaging application (Inbox), full keyboard, large viewing screen and more storage capacity to support their messaging needs.
"Since the initial NPCS licenses were granted two years ago, the wireless messaging industry has grown at a phenomenal rate spurring the development of numerous form factors for NPCS devices," said John T. Stupka, president and chief executive officer, Mtel. "With the continued evolution of new software applications like SkyTel Messenger and form factors such as the Philips Velo, we are able to integrate many of the benefits of e-mail with the convenience of paging, taking wireless messaging to a whole new level of functionality."
"Combining the SkyTel Messenger with Windows CE provides the type of application that will drive the market beyond those wanting to replace their notebooks or PDAs," said Alan Soucy, general manager, Philips Mobile Computing Group. "Connecting the SkyTel Messenger with the Philips Velo handheld PC will allow users access to two-way wireless messaging without disabling their modem or reducing their memory upgrade options, providing a complete solution for wireline and wireless communications."
SkyTel Messenger services will be demonstrated at Fall COMDEX '96 in the Philips Electronics booth (L2625).
SkyTel Corp. provides advanced paging and advanced messaging services, including wireless Internet messaging, in thousands of cities worldwide. SkyTel introduced the first-ever alphanumeric one-way service, as well as the first two-way paging and messaging service, which allows users to send messages and respond to messages directly from their pagers.
Based in Washington, D.C., SkyTel is a subsidiary of Mobile Telecommunication Technologies Corp., Jackson, Miss. (NASDAQ: MTEL), the pioneer in wireless messaging technology.
The Philips Mobile Computing Group, with headquarters in Sunnyvale, Calif., in the Silicon Valley, is one of the first new multimedia initiatives from Philips Electronics. Philips Electronics (NYSE:PHG) is one of the world's largest consumer electronics companies with annual sales of $ 40 billion.
Its products include: consumer electronics, lighting, components, semiconductors, communication systems, multimedia systems and software, domestic appliances, professional solutions, medical systems and personal care products.
Microsoft and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
CONTACT:
SkyTel Corp.
Johnny Hales, 601/944-7046
[email protected]
or
GCI Group
Chris Clark, 212/546-2607
[email protected]
or
Philips Electronics
Lisa Schiltz, 408/523-2874
[email protected]