General Motors and Motorola Team to Bring Mobile Office on Wheels
11 January 2000
General Motors and Motorola Team to Bring Mobile Office on Wheels; GMC Terradyne Concept Vehicle Features Motorola iDEN Handsets
DETROIT--Jan. 10, 2000--General Motors today unveils at the Detroit Auto Show the Terradyne Concept Vehicle which incorporates a mobile office environment featuring the Motorola i1000plus(TM) integrated digital wireless handset with service from the Nextel National Network. Boasting features such as an on-board console-mounted laptop and printer, the professional-grade Terradyne truck incorporates the Motorola i1000plus handset because of the exceptional utility it offers to mobile professionals through a combination of voice and wireless Internet communications. The phone and computer are controlled by a dash-mounted LCD touch screen display.The i1000plus handset integrates the capabilities of a digital cellular phone, digital two-way radio, and alphanumeric pager with data capabilities (to be offered by Nextel later this year) such as Internet microbrowser, two-way e-mail and wireless modem functionality, to provide mobile professionals with flexible and efficient communications solutions. With the palm-size i1000plus handset, mobile workers, such as surveyors, architects and contractors, can access the Internet to send and receive e-mail messages, find driving directions to various job sites, check weather forecasts, search for inventory from suppliers, fax job quotes and specifications using the wireless modem capabilities, and hold impromptu conference calls with clients or team members using the phone's built-in hands-free speakerphone.
Using the two-way radio function, users can instantly communicate with one or more colleagues at the push of a button and at a fraction of the cost of a traditional cellular call. Using one of the Nextel Business Network(sm) subscriptions, such as the BuildersNetwork intercompany subscription service, a user can contact builders, contractors, plumbers, carpenters and more in the subscriber's area. For example, construction companies, lumber yards and wholesale distributors can instantly access each other to place orders, inquire about inventory or check on deliveries.
"Motorola is providing the complete wireless digital solution that affords mobile professionals the ultimate in efficiency and productivity," said Bill Werner, corporate vice president and general manager of Motorola's iDEN Subscriber Group. "The i1000plus is a natural fit for the GMC Terradyne concept vehicle because of the superior, cost-effective solution it provides to mobile professionals who require convenient and reliable access to people and information to conduct business efficiently from anywhere."
"Thousands of mobile professionals have experienced the efficiency of Nextel Business Networks, taking advantage of the convenience the service provides," said Tim Donahue, president and CEO of Nextel Communications, Inc. "Having the service built in to the Terradyne will only increase the productivity of mobile professional by delivering instant access to others on their network."
About Motorola
Motorola is a global leader in advanced electronic systems and services. It liberates the power of technology by creating software-enhanced products that provide integrated customer solutions and Internet access via wireless and satellite communications, as well as computing, networking, and automotive electronics. Motorola also provides essential digital building blocks in the form of embedded semiconductors, controls and systems. Sales in 1998 were $29.4 billion. Visit www.motorola.com/iden for more information.
About Nextel
Nextel Communications Inc., headquartered in Reston, Va., is a leading provider of fully integrated wireless communications and has built the largest guaranteed all-digital wireless network in the United States that covers thousands of communities across the United States. Nextel and Nextel Partners, Inc. currently serve 92 of the top 100 U.S. markets. The Nextel National Network offers a fully integrated wireless communications tool with digital cellular, text/numeric paging and Nextel Direct Connect(R) - a digital two-way radio feature. In addition, through Nextel International, Inc., Nextel has wireless operations and investments in Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, the Philippines, Peru, Japan and Shanghai, China. Please visit our Web site at www.nextel.com.
About General Motors
General Motors Corp. is the world's largest vehicle manufacturer. GM designs, manufactures and markets cars, trucks, engines, transmissions and locomotives worldwide. GM produces 8.6 million engines and 7.4 million transmissions annually. GM vehicles are sold in nearly 190 countries and the company has manufacturing operations in more than 50 countries, employing about 391,000 people worldwide.
Motorola and iDEN are registered trademarks of Motorola, Inc. i1000plus is a trademark of Motorola, Inc. Nextel, Nextel Business Networks and Nextel Direct Connect are trademarks and or service marks of Nextel Communications, Inc
Network and subscription dependent feature