NEC America and SunCom Deliver Mid-Tier Mobile EDGE Phone; NEC's a232

    Business Editors/Technology Writers

    IRVING, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 7, 2005--NEC America, Inc. (NEC), a leading provider of innovative communications products, solutions and services, announced today the availability of the NEC a232 High Definition Mobile+ (HDM(TM)) handset. The phone normally retails for $149, but is now available for only $29 through April 30, 2005, at all SunCom retail stores throughout the Southeastern United States.
    A GSM/EDGE++ device, the NEC a232 HDM phone delivers wireless data access speeds of up to 384 kilobits per second; allowing users easier and faster access to downloadable content and mobile information.

For the a232 HDM phone, NEC formed strategic arrangements to deliver superior functionality, including:

-- Enhanced Voice Features

Through an agreement with ScanSoft, NEC's a232 HDM phone offers advanced voice-enabled features such as name dialing, continuous digit dialing, command and control, and trainable continuous digit dialing for custom languages.

-- Browser and Messaging Capabilities

NEC collaborated with Openwave Systems Inc., to integrate its Openwave Phone Suite Version 7 to deliver an improved user experience through tightly integrated data applications -- resulting in fewer clicks to send a message or browse the mobile Internet.

-- PC-to-Handset Synchronization

Looking to extend user functionality, NEC offers PC-to-handset synchronization software as a downloadable accessory. This software, provided by Extended Systems, can be downloaded from NEC's Website - www.nechdm.com - and requires the purchase of a USB cable, available via NEC's Web site or SunCom. With the phone's EDGE-capabilities, users can efficiently sync some versions of PC applications like contacts, calendar and tasks at a faster speed.

    In addition, the NEC a232 HDM phone features a lightweight, sleek clamshell design with a 300,000-pixel VGA-camera with zoom, 10-second self-timer and mobile flash, a 65,536-color screen and a 40-note polyphonic ringer.
    "NEC's a232 High Definition Mobile handset is a great addition to our current product lineup," said Suzanne Lowry, director of Product Management, SunCom. "At such an affordable price, we believe our customers will enjoy its small form factor, camera, enhanced voice and messaging capabilities, as well as its seamless experience in moving data between their desktop and phone."
    "We recognize that SunCom has a strong reputation for its commitment to deliver great products and high-quality service to its customers," said Noboru Sakata, general manager, Wireless Division, NEC. "We look forward to a successful launch of our new a232 High Definition Mobile phone - one that will grab greater mass-market attention and drive innovation into the hands' of SunCom subscribers."

    Editors Note: A different form of NEC's a232 HDM phone, the 232E HDM fitness phone, was announced in CY Q4/2004. The 232E HDM fitness phone includes all the above-mentioned features and functionality of the a232 HDM phone, as well as DoJa(TM), a version of Java(TM), created specifically for the mobile environment by NTT DoCoMo, Inc. (NTT DoCoMo) and Sun Microsystems. The 232E HDM fitness phone also comes pre-loaded with mobile-fitness applications, supplied by fitness magazine, Telescope and Sponge. For additional information on both of these handsets, please visit NEC's Web site at: www.NECHDM.com.
    +HDM (High Definition Mobile) is not meant to imply compliance with any HDTV (High Definition Television) or similar high definition standards.
    + + (enhanced data rates for global (or GSM) evolution)

    About SunCom

    SunCom is an award-winning wireless carrier operating in the Southeast. The company provides digital wireless communications services in an area covering 14.3 million people in the Southeastern United States and 4.0 million people in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For more information about SunCom products and services, visit http://www.SunCom.com or call 1-877-CALL-SUN.

    About NEC America, Inc.

    NEC America, Inc., headquartered in Irving, Texas, is a leading provider of innovative communications products, solutions, and services. NEC America serves all communications industries from carriers, to enterprise, to wireless and is an affiliate of NEC Corporation (Nasdaq:NIPNY), a Global Fortune 500(R) company and one of the leading patent producing enterprises in the world. For more information about NEC America, visit its website at http://www.necamerica.com.

--30--MJR/da*

CONTACT: NEC America, Inc. Brian Arend, 214-262-4117 barend@necam.com or Ruder Finn for NEC America, Inc. Chris Foster, 212-715-1691 fosterc@ruderfinn.com

KEYWORD: TEXAS INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HARDWARE COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS TELECOMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE NETWORKING PRODUCT MARKETING AGREEMENTS SOURCE: NEC America, Inc.

Copyright Business Wire 2005