SAN FRANCISCO - September 19, 1996 - Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM)today announced its QCMobility Pilot Beacon unit, offering CDMA serviceproviders a cost-effective method for seamless hard handoff within orbetween operating wireless networks. Serving as a trigger mechanism forCDMA-to-AMPS as well as CDMA-to-CDMA hard handoff, the Pilot Beacon unitcan be deployed in any CDMA market to maximize coverage and capacity.
When deployed in perimeter analog cell sites bordering CDMA coverage areas,the Pilot Beacon unit sends out a pilot channel, which is detected by theCDMA mobile phone, and reports it back to the base station. The CDMA basestation then ensures that the call is successfully handed off from the CDMAsystem to the analog system. Similarly, the Pilot Beacon unit can alsoinitiate handoff from one CDMA carrier's network to another networkoperating in either the same or different frequencies.
"Qualcomm recognized the need for a product that will allow CDMA serviceproviders to offer superior, seamless service to their subscriberstraveling outside of their home CDMA network ," said Chris Simpson, seniorvice president of worldwide sales and marketing for Qualcomm's CDMAWireless Infrastructure group. "The QCMobility Pilot Beacon unit has beenspecifically developed to respond to this market need."
Interoperable with all CDMA digital cellular (IS-95A) or PersonalCommunications Services (J-STD-008) infrastructure, CDMA service providerscan now offer their subscribers a ubiquitous coverage area, whiledecreasing equipment expenditure. Replacing a minimally configured CDMAbase station with the QCMobility Pilot Beacon unit where pilot assistedhandoff is required, allows CDMA operators to immediately realize costsavings while optimizing the footprint of their CDMA network.
Headquartered in San Diego, Qualcomm develops, licenses, manufactures,markets and operates advanced communications systems and products based onits proprietary digital wireless technologies. The Company's primaryproduct areas are the OmniTRACS® system (a geostationary satellite-based,mobile communications system providing two-way data and position reportingservices), CDMA wireless communications systems and products and, inconjunction with others, the development of the Globalstar® low-earth-orbit(LEO) satellite communications system. Other Company products includeEudora Pro® electronic mail software, ASIC products and communicationsequipment and systems for government and commercial customers worldwide.For more information on Qualcomm products and technologies, please visitthe Company's web site athttp://www.qualcomm.com/
QCMobility is a trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated. OmniTRACS is aregistered trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated. Globalstar is a trademark ofGlobalstar, L.P. Eudora is a registered trademark of the University ofIllinois, Board of Trustees, licensed to Qualcomm Incorporated.
