CSI Wireless secures international distributors for new GSM fixed wireless phones
Share:
Three firms will distribute CSI's new phones
BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 14, 2006 - (TSX:CSY) - CSI Wireless Inc., a
designer and manufacturer of advanced wireless and GPS products used in more
than 50 countries, today announced from the 3GSM World Congress here in
Barcelona that it has secured experienced international distributors for CSI's
new fixed wireless phones featuring GSM technology.
Access Telecom Inc., Anglo-Nordic and Wireless Market Rendszerhaz Kft
(WM) have all agreed to distribute CSI Wireless new 405 Series and 415 Series
GSM phones. Access Telecom will distribute the phones in the Americas starting
in April, Anglo Nordic will distribute them in Finland starting immediately,
and WM will distribute them in Hungary starting immediately.
Access Telecom is a distribution provider to the wireless communications
industry in North America and Latin America. It has client list that features
some of the largest and best-known telecommunications manufacturers including
Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Panasonic, Motorola, Kyocera, Siemens, and
Handspring. Access Telecom distributes their products - and now CSI Wireless'
products - through its global contacts with network operators, agents,
resellers, dealers and retailers.
Anglo-Nordic, established in 1935, is a privately owned Finnish
distributor that represents a wide variety of globally recognized brands
including NOKIA, Hitachi, Clarion, CASIO, Cross, KODAK, HEAD, Pentel and
Rapid. Finland boasts one of the world's highest wireless telephone
penetration rates, with fixed wireless phones becoming increasingly popular in
home and office environments as replacements for traditional landline phones.
WM is a Hungarian distributor specializing in wireless mobile data
communication products. It maintains very close contacts with Hungary's GSM
network operators, system integrators and application developers, and is able
to provide GPRS communication devices for various information technology
interfaces. Hungary has become a popular test market for many major wireless
hardware and service providers, including T-Mobile and Vodafone.
"We enthusiastically welcome these distribution partners," said Stephen
Verhoeff, CSI Wireless' President and CEO. "Access Telecom, Anglo-Nordic and
Wireless Market Rendszerhaz Kft are leading international distributors that
will help us continue to aggressively expand the market reach of our GSM and
TDMA fixed-wireless product lines."
CSI Wireless new 405 Series phone is an entry-level fixed wireless
product for consumers wanting superior voice and text-messaging services at a
very affordable price. The new 415 Series phone is for consumers wanting not
only superior voice and text-messaging, but Internet and email (via a PC
connection) and speaker phone capability too. Both phones are designed and
built by CSI Wireless, and available to cellular carriers and retailers for
their customized branding.
CSI Wireless offers two versions of its 405 Series phone - the 405a
Series for the Americas, and the 405e Series for Europe and the rest of the
world. CSI also offers two comparable versions of its 415 Series phone - the
415a Series and the 415e Series.
The 405a Series and 405e Series phones feature:
A high-performance receiver and as much as two-watt output power
to ensure maximum operational range, including cellular networks'
"fringe" areas
A strong back-up battery to provide three hours of emergency talk
time and 48 hours of emergency stand-by time during power outages
SMS text-messaging
Four-digit PIN security to limit who can make outgoing non-
emergency calls
LCD back-lit screen, tilted for easy viewing
Memory capacity for 250 phone numbers
A user-friendly interface designed specifically for fixed wireless
telephones
Multiple languages
Attractive styling
The 415a Series and 415e Series phones offer all of the same outstanding
features, plus:
- GPRS wireless technology to enable data transmissions - Internet
and email
- A large, tilted LCD back-lit screen for even easier viewing
- Speaker phone
- Memory capacity for 1,000 phone numbers
CSI Wireless is one of the world's leading suppliers of fixed wireless
telephones - offering both GSM-based and TDMA-based models. CSI's Motorola-
branded Motorola FX800t product is the largest-selling TDMA fixed wireless
phone in Latin America.
CSI Wireless entered the enormous India market last month, becoming one
of three suppliers to India's largest cellular carrier, which has initiated a
national launch of fixed wireless telephones. CSI has purchase orders for an
initial shipment of 30,000 GSM phones. India is the world's fastest-growing
market for fixed wireless phones, with more than 200,000 new subscribers being
added each month, says the Association of Unified Telecom Service Providers of
India.
Fixed wireless phones enable rapid, low-cost telecommunications for
millions of consumers in regions of the world where traditional copper-wire
landline phone service is unavailable or unaffordable. Compared to portable
cellular phones, fixed wireless phones provide much broader signal range and
voice quality. They don't require battery recharging because they plug into
standard electrical outlets.
Cellular carriers, distributors and anyone else interested in CSI's
Series 405 and Series 415 phones, or CSI's other fixed wireless products, can
email 3gsm@csi-wireless.com and/or make an appointment with CSI
representatives at the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona (Room HS6.24 in the
Fira de Barcelona Exhibition Centre) from February 13 to 16.
About CSI Wireless
CSI Wireless designs and manufactures innovative, cost-effective,
wireless and GPS products for mobile and fixed applications in the
agriculture, marine, automotive and other industries. CSI is a leader in
several high-growth markets including Precision Guidance in Agriculture,
Telematics and Desktop Cellular Telephones. The Company, through its Wireless
and its Hemisphere GPS divisions, owns numerous patents and other intellectual
property. It has licensed its cellular technology to GPS, cellular handset,
and chipset manufacturers. CSI's common shares trade on The Toronto Stock
Exchange under the trading symbol "CSY", with approximately 46 million
outstanding. The company's head offices are in Calgary, Alberta, and it has
major product development, sales and marketing facilities in California's
Silicon Valley, Texas, Arizona and Kansas. For more information about CSI, go
to www.csi-wireless.com.
The above disclosure contains certain forward-looking statements that
involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. These forward-
looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of
which are beyond CSI Wireless' control, including: the impact of general
economic conditions, industry conditions, increased competition, the lack of
availability of qualified personnel or management, fluctuations in foreign
exchange or interest rates, stock market volatility and market valuations of
companies with respect to the announced transactions and the final valuations
thereof, and obtaining required approvals of regulatory authorities. CSI
Wireless' actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially
from those expressed in, or implied by these forward-looking statements and,
accordingly, no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by
the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do
so, what benefits, including the amount of proceeds, CSI Wireless will derive
therefrom.
For further information: please contact:
- Dirk Devisch, European Sales Dir., Fixed Wireless, CSI Wireless Inc., +32-498-703223, ddevisch@csi-wireless.com;
- Stephen Verhoeff, President & CEO, CSI Wireless Inc., (403) 259-3311;
- Cory Pala, Investor Relations, E-vestor Communications Inc., (416) 657-2400, cpala@evestor.com;
- Jeff Adams, Public Relations Manager, CSI Wireless Inc., (403) 259-3311, 615-8747 (cell), jadams@csi-wireless.com
