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E-Plus to provide customers with on-the-move high-speed data access to corporate intranet and business applications using Merlin U530(TM) Wireless PC Modem Cards

Lucent Technologies and Novatel Wireless, Inc. today announced that E-Plus in Germany has been supplied with Merlin U530(TM) Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Wireless PC card modems -- jointly developed by Lucent and Novatel Wireless - for the roll out of its third-generation (3G) UMTS network. The cards will enable E-Plus to offer business customers secure enhanced services such as mobile access to e-mail with large attachments and other information stored behind corporate firewalls at speeds of up to 384 kilobits per second. Consumer customers will profit from fast services such as high quality streaming video and audio.

The two companies are supplying E-Plus with Merlin U530 cards, system software and services to support the commercial launch of its 3G service in June 2004. By plugging the PC cards into a laptop and installing the necessary client software, network users will be able to access the UMTS network. The cards also will support customers as they roam between UMTS, GPRS and in future Wireless Local Area (WLAN) or "Wi-Fi" networks.

The commercial roll-out, maintenance and installation will be carried out by Lucent Worldwide Services, the services arm of Lucent Technologies.

"We are delighted to be working alongside E-Plus as they develop their 3G service offerings, " said David Poticny, president Europe, Lucent Technologies. "Our research demonstrates that there is a strong demand for high-speed data services among enterprise customers. Our work and development of Lucent's UMTS offer has demonstrated that the benefits of the high-speed data solution with end users include benefits such as increased customer facing time by 11% an average per week, more effective out of office productivity and increased potential for sales growth and productivity improvement."

"The speed and productivity benefits that 3G UMTS offers for business users is absolutely clear," said Peter Leparulo, CEO of Novatel Wireless. "This agreement with E-Plus further highlights the progress we're making in our effort to help mobile operators in Europe and worldwide leverage the strengths of mobile high-speed data to generate new revenue, and increase customer satisfaction."