Moto Boosts Nigerian CDMA

LAGOS, Nigeria -- Motorola's (NYSE:MOT) Global Telecom Solutions Sector (GTSS) has been awarded a contract worth an estimated $12 million to expand the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) fixed wireless local loop (WiLL) network for Intercellular Nigeria Ltd. The expanded system capacity and coverage will be deployed in the cities of Abuja and Lagos. The system to be deployed in Lagos also includes CDMA2000 1X capability, Motorola's first 3G network in Africa.

Under the terms of the contract Motorola will install 800 MHz CDMA base station equipment and software. In addition, Motorola will supply network services to Intercellular for this contract. Commercial deployment of the system is scheduled to occur at the end of July 2003. This is Motorola's 16th announced 3G CDMA2000 1X contract.

"The expansion of our network will help meet the continually growing demand for wireless service by giving us the potential to handle substantially more wireless subscribers in Lagos and Abuja," said Bashir Ahmad el-Rufai, president and chief executive officer of Intercellular Nigeria Ltd. "Nigeria is the gateway to West Africa and one of the fastest growing telecommunications markets on the African continent. Our relationship with Motorola is helping us to seize the opportunities for revenue growth and provide improved service and convenience to our customers."

Motorola has been delivering WiLL systems to Intercellular Nigeria since 1996, bringing the Intercellular network to customers in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, and Port Harcourt. With this expansion, Intercellular Nigeria will be able to add up to 75,000 additional limited mobility subscribers to its network and will be providing advanced CDMA network capability to customers in Lagos.

"Motorola has a long-term relationship with Intercellular Nigeria and this expansion is a strong validation of the growing market for telecommunications services in the Africa region," said Jeff Cherif, vice president and general manager for Motorola GTSS's Middle East and Africa region. "With the 3G CDMA2000 1X overlay in Lagos, customers also will be able to take advantage of higher data speeds, Internet access, and a growing array of 3G applications."

Motorola's 3G CDMA2000 1X architecture builds upon existing 2G or 2.5G networks by adding packet based network elements. For the Intercellular network, these network elements include the access node from Motorola's global strategic alliance partner Cisco Systems, Inc. that enables the radio access network to be Internet Protocol (IP) capable. With Cisco's access node, Motorola's 3G CDMA2000 1X radio network offers a standards compliant solution that offers incremental features such as enhanced availability, scalability and increased data capacity.

WiLL is a fixed wireless system that connects subscribers to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) using radio signals as a substitute for copper for all or part of the connection between a subscriber and a switch. CDMA is often regarded as the most suitable standard for WiLL applications. It offers a higher capacity than other digital standards, plus high-quality voice and a high level of privacy.

Motorola Inc.