Socket Announces Digital Phone Card for Nextel's Internet-Ready Phones

CompactFlash Card and Cable Turns Nextel Mobile Phones Into Fast Wireless Modems for Windows-powered Pocket PCs and Notebooks and Apple PowerBooks

At the 2001 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Socket Communications Inc. (Nasdaq:SCKT) today demonstrated a new version of the company's market-leading Digital Phone Card that supports Internet-ready mobile phones for Nextel's nationwide all-digital wireless network. The card, which will be available in February, makes it easy to connect a Nextel handset to a Windows-powered Pocket PC or notebook or Apple PowerBook for wireless email, web browsing, or remote networking.

The new version of the Digital Phone Card supports Nextel's i500plus(TM), i550plus(TM), i700plus(TM) and i1000plus(TM) wireless handsets. The card's CompactFlash form factor allows it to fit in the CompactFlash slot or, via a standard adapter, the PC Card slot of a host mobile computer. A ruggedized cable attached to the card plugs into the data port included on the Nextel phone, making the wireless handset appear to be an ordinary modem to the host computer. Nextel's all-digital packet data network is based on Motorola's iDEN(R) technology so mobile professionals who use Socket's connectivity solution benefit from the only true mobile IP network and the fastest over-the-air performance of any nationwide wireless carrier currently available in the U.S. Socket's connectivity solution may also be used with Nextel Online Dial-Up Service, a circuit-switched wireless data offering.

"We're excited to expand our Digital Phone Card product line to support Nextel's fast and secure nationwide network," said Peter Phillips, director of product marketing for Socket. "We've worked closely with Nextel to ensure compatibility between our new card and popular Nextel handsets."

Socket will offer the Digital Phone Card as part of the Nextel-compatible versions of the Mobile Email PocketPak and the Digital Phone Card Connection Kit. The Mobile Email PocketPak, which has a suggested retail price of $119 US, supports Windows Powered Pocket PCs and includes client software for America Online (AOL) and Microsoft Network (MSN) email programs. The Digital Phone Card Connection Kit, which has a suggested retail price of $139 US, includes a PC Card adapter and software for using the Digital Phone Card with Windows-based Pocket PCs, handheld PCs, pen tablets and notebooks and with Apple PowerBooks. Both products will be available from Socket's resellers in the U.S. and Canada. Customers should contact Nextel for information about applicable charges for Nextel Online(SM) Dial-Up Service, which is required to use a Nextel handset as a wireless modem. For more information about these products and for a complete list of Digital Phone Card connection solutions and compatible phones, visit http://www.digitalphonecard.com.


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