Sony Ericsson Adds a New Automotive-Grade, Quad-Band GSM/GPRS Radio Device

BIRMINGHAM, England, April 7 -- The Commercial Vehicle Telematics Conference -- Sony Ericsson, a leading provider of wireless machine to machine technology, will start showcasing today the GA64, its latest addition to the M2M line-up of Quad-Band, GSM/GPRS radio devices based on the GX64 Family Core announced last month at 2005 CeBit in Hannover, Germany. The GA64 is a stand out product because it meets the very specific regulatory and rugged industrial requirements for automotive, fleet and industrial devices. Three distinct advantages to the GA64 include meeting a parts per million quality metric, assured long term product availability for five years, and adherence to lead-free regulatory requirements.

Many of today's automotive, fleet and industrial radio integrators and manufactures are tasked with designing devices that address a variety of technology, environmental, industry and regulatory needs. Using the Sony Ericsson GA64 gives M2M developers a best in class product because it delivers the latest in wireless, telematics technology and considers the back-end design requirements. Those back-end requirements include offering the parts per million TS16949 quality metric, long term supply to ensure availability for automotive life-cycles, rugged operating functionality in extreme temperatures of -40 to +85 degrees Celsius, and being fully compliant with lead-free standards.

Developers will find the GA64 incorporates benefits that enhance the overall device performance and available wireless features. Those benefits include USB functionality, on-board Bluetooth and GPS technology (in variants following the launch variant), and a powerful processor. Integrators can also look forward to TCP/IP kernel for increased power, on-board SIM card holder, low-loss RF connectors and a reduction in size of over 50 percent of its predecessor.

Anders Franzen, corporate vice president and head of Sony Ericsson machine to machine communication said, "The automotive, fleet and industrial M2M business is a sleeping giant in terms of market opportunity, however it demands a specific skill set to succeed. Sony Ericsson is proud to be a leading provider to our integrators and automotive customers who look to us for superior wireless technology and some very specific design requirements. We think the new GA64 reflects the best in its class for providing the features, technology and varied manufacturing elements for the latest M2M communication applications."

With mechanical samples available now, and integration samples in third quarter 2005, integration of the GA64 is simplified by a Sony Ericsson developer's kit and our world-class support, shortening both design time and time to market. Volume availability is scheduled for early 2006.

For more information about Sony Ericsson's comprehensive M2M communication product family or for additional details on the GA64, visit Sony Ericsson at the Commercial Vehicle Telematics Conference, in booth 15, in Birmingham, UK from April 7 to 8, 2005.

Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications serves the global communications market with innovative and feature-rich mobile phones, accessories, PC-cards and M2M solutions. Established as a joint venture by Ericsson and Sony in 2001, with headquarters in London, the company employs 5,000 people worldwide, including R&D sites in Europe, Japan, China and America. For more information, please visit http://www.sonyericsson.com/ .