SOFTBANK Joins Forces with Motorola to Launch 2.5GHz WiMAX Mobility Trial in Japan

25 July 2006

Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) today announced that the company has reached agreement with SOFTBANK Group for the deployment of a WiMAX (IEEE 802.16e-2005) trial network in Tokyo.

Motorola is supplying an end-to-end trial system including access points, an access network, and prototype WiMAX mobile handheld devices. The trial will enable SOFTBANK Group to assess the effectiveness of WiMAX as a wireless broadband technology, and its potential as an integrated part of SOFTBANK's growing portfolio of telecommunications services.

SOFTBANK Group aims to offer seamless mobility to customers in Japan with its mobile communications, fixed-line telecommunications and fixed-line broadband services. The company acquired Vodafone K.K., which is the third largest mobile service operator in Japan, in April 2006. SOFTBANK Group currently has more than 26 million fixed-line and mobile communications customers in Japan.

Expected to begin in September 2006, the five-month trial will focus on performance of WiMAX in the 2.5GHz spectrum with regards to throughput and range, as well as the speed of network handovers between access points.

Motorola will be deploying five WiMAX access points and 25 prototype WiMAX mobile handheld devices. The trial will also showcase MIMO (multi-input, multi-output) capabilities of Motorola's WiMAX solutions in supporting multi- antenna telecommunications systems as well as enabling greater data throughput and range. Motorola will also lend its wireless broadband expertise by providing technical support and consulting throughout the WiMAX trial.

Motorola is driving the development of WiMAX through collaborative agreements with other industry-leading companies, research and development, trials and deployments. The company recently won a nationwide contract to deploy a WiMAX 802.16e network in Pakistan.

"Forward-looking service providers today clearly see the potential of WiMAX as a viable and crucial wireless broadband technology to deploy seamless mobility services. As a pioneer in WiMAX, Motorola is committed to providing such innovative technology to fast growing telecommunications markets such as Japan," said Dr. Simon Leung, regional president, Asia Pacific, Motorola.

"The SOFTBANK Group has been preparing to provide innovative new services to launch full-scale wireless broadband services and to realize a true ubiquitous society. We are confident that our new cooperation with Motorola, a company capable of providing optimal solution proposals for the demonstration of WiMAX, will enable us to further improve communication technologies and to take another big step toward commercialization," said Junichi Miyakawa, executive officer, executive vice president, Vodafone K.K.

MOTOwi4(TM) is a portfolio of wireless broadband solutions and services that creates, complements and completes IP networks. Delivering coverage to virtually all spaces, MOTOwi4 includes wi4 WiMAX, wi4 Fixed Broadband, wi4 Mesh, and wi4 Broadband over Power Line solutions for private and public networks. For more information about Motorola's MOTOwi4 solutions, please visit: http://www.motorola.com/wi4 .

About SOFTBANK Group

The SOFTBANK Group has been promoting broadband businesses under the unwavering conviction that broadband technologies will be the key accelerator of the IT revolution in the 21st century. Since its launch of the Yahoo! BB ADSL service in September 2001, the cumulative number of lines connected for this comprehensive wired broadband service topped 5.04 million as of the end of March 2006. As such, it has been contributing to the creation and expansion of the broadband environment that offers the affordable and fastest services in the world. In July 2004, the group acquired JAPAN TELECOM CO., LTD. and also Vodafone K.K. in April 2006, evolving into a comprehensive telecommunications carrier with approximately 26 million fixed and wireless subscribers, thereby providing extensive broadband contents services. More information on SOFTBANK group is available on the web at http://www.softbank.co.jp .

About Motorola

Motorola is known around the world for innovation and leadership in wireless and broadband communications. Inspired by our vision of Seamless Mobility, the people of Motorola are committed to helping you get and stay connected simply and seamlessly to the people, information, and entertainment that you want and need. We do this by designing and delivering "must have" products, "must do" experiences and powerful networks -- along with a full complement of support services. A Fortune 100 company with global presence and impact, Motorola had sales of US $35.3 billion in 2005. For more information about our company, our people and our innovations, please visit http://www.motorola.com .

MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are registered in the US Patent & Trademark Office. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners.

Source: prnewswire