Five Major Hardware/Software Developers and Systems Integrators Announce Support for RAM Mobile Data’s Mobitex Protocol

November 5, 1992 — RAM Mobile Data, a business venture between RAM Broadcasting and BellSouth, has received far-reaching support for its two-way, wireless data communications service, the company announced Thursday.

The key organizations aligning themselves with RAM include leading hardware/software developers and systems integrators such as: Paradyne, with their Keep in Touch PCMCIA card; NCR, with their NCR 3170 notebook computer; Diablo Research, with their lightweight Paradyne-compatible radio; Gandalf, with their Mobitex radio modem controller software and family of radio modems; and Hughes Network systems, a leading supplier of wireless wide area net-works.

Today’s news follows RAM’s announcement last week of a series of partnerships with leading developers of electronic mail and messaging services. The companies announcing support for RAM’s network system included: Ericsson GE, GO Corp., Lotus, Novell, Simware, TEKnique, Telepartner International, and WordPerfect.

Making the widespread support for RAM possible is the announcement today that AT&T Microelectronics will produce a V.32 Mobitex modem chip set that will allow developers of landline, fax and data modems to incorporate wireless capability in a variety of very small form factors. Thus, AT&T, NCR, Diablo Research and Gandalf will be able to design Mobitex-compatible devices that are smaller, less expensive and more portable than anything previously available, making wireless personal communicators a widespread reality.

“The AT&T Microelectronics modem technology dramatically increases the ability to expand RAM’s user base,” said Jon Jevert, manager of network integration at RAM. “This will allow manufacturers of personal computing devices to develop and bring to market products that provide access to RAM’s Mobitex wireless data networks, thus broadening the market for wireless data communications.”

“With more professionals on the road, wireless two-way data communications is becoming a business necessity,” said Haig Sarkissian, manager of data communications market development for AT&T Microelectronics. “AT&T under-stands the importance of this market and the role of Mobitex in developing and expanding it globally. This market’s prospects are so strong that AT&T has developed a V.32 Mobitex modem chip set in addition to a family of Hobbit-based components for the broader PCS market.”

At this month’s Comdex, RAM, at booth No. 6606 in the South Annex, is demonstrating a suite of wireless data communications applications that use Mobitex service.

Additionally, RAM is demonstrating systems using the new AT&T Mobitex chipset between its booth and the NCR/AT&T Mobile Network Computing Room (room N115), in the main convention center. Gandalf and Diablo Research will join RAM in booth No. 6606 and Paradyne is at booth No. 0007 in the main convention center. RAM Mobile Data service will carry the Mobitex messages and data through-out the main convention center and annex facilities.

RAM uses the Mobitex network technology supplied by Ericsson, one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world. Based on non-proprietary, open protocols, Mobitex offers worldwide standards for hardware and software. Mobitex is continuously enhanced under direction from the Mobitex Operators Association (MOA), an international group that manages the Mobitex specification. Mobitex operators are now using Releases 12 and 13 and planning for future releases. Each new release is backward compatible.

Today, RAM is building and operating a series of multi-user, wireless data networks to cover thousands of cities in the top 100 metropolitan statistical areas of the United States and major transportation corridors. These networks will pro-vide service to more than 90 percent of the U.S. urban business population by mid 1993. Companies such as National Car Rental, Conrail, General Electric, MasterCard and British Airways are currently using RAM Mobile Data’s wireless service to increase efficiency in their daily operations.

RAM Mobile Data USA Limited Partnership All Trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

CONTACT:
RAM Mobile Data, New York
Alan Caminiti, 212/373-1943
or
Technology Solutions Inc., New York
Mark Corbae, 212/505-9900