Barcelona – Spain, February 13, 2006 – Busy mobile professionals, whether roaming internationally or on a short local journey, need simple and fast mobile access to their email and office intranet applications. With these users in mind, Option (Euronext: OPTI, OTC: OPVY) has developed a world first HSDPA/UMTS/EDGE & Wi-Fi combo data card: the GlobeTrotter FUSION+ HSDPA. The data card is currently shipping to T-Mobile Germany in support of its commercial launch and roll-out plan.
Jan Callewaert, CEO Option: “Our ‘combo’ strategy continues to be very successful. Since we announced our first combo data card in October 2003 at ITU Telecom World Geneva we have launched in total 5 data cards integrating the latest mobile wireless technologies while adding WLAN/Wi-Fi connectivity. Our technology expertise in developing this type of data card is renowned and appreciated by our customers. We continue to see strong demand for this type of products.”
Capable of connecting at speeds of up to 1.8 Mbps over HSDPA and up to 54 Mbps over Wi-Fi the GlobeTrotter FUSION+ HSDPA is the fastest wireless data card commercially available.
In areas where HSDPA coverage may not be available the wireless data card will fall back to 3G UMTS at 384 Kbps; EDGE at 247 Kbps or GPRS. Unique to Option’s range of GlobeTrotter FUSION data cards, when combined with Option’s GlobeTrotter Mobility Manager client software, is the automatic selection of the fastest connection available be it wide area HSDPA or local area Wi-Fi.
With this announcement Option extends its range of Combo data cards to five: GlobeTrotter COMBO, GlobeTrotter COMBO EDGE, GlobeTrotter FUSION QUAD, GlobeTrotter FUSION+ ‘HSDPA Ready’ and GlobeTrotter FUSION+ HSDPA.
In addition to the GlobeTrotter FUSION+ HSDPA wireless data card, Option offers its premier GlobeTrotter Mobility Manager software enabling users of the card to have fast, simple and easy access to wireless data whilst hiding from the user the complexity of underlying wireless 3G UMTS, GPRS and WLAN technologies. In conjunction with Option’s mobile IP solution the user will be able to seamlessly roam between access technologies 3G, 2G and WLAN with automatic authentication using GlobeTrotter FUSION+ HSDPA inbuilt support for PC Smart Card and EAP-SIM.
More product information
Product Datasheet: https://www.option.com/products/globetrotter_fusionhsdpa.shtml
Product Pictures: https://www.option.com/news/6_3_presskit.shtml
For more information please contact
Douglas Ros, Vice President Business Development & Marketing
E-mail: d.ros@option.com
Frederic Convent, CFO
E-mail: investor@option.com
Tel + 32 (0) 16 317 411
For contacts at 3GSM World Congress
Jan Poté, PR & Communication Manager
Tel: + 32 (0) 475 92 55 82
E-mail: j.pote@option.com
ABOUT OPTION
Option NV (www.option.com), the wireless technology company, is a leading innovator in the design, development and manufacture of 3G WCDMA (HSDPA and UMTS), EDGE, GPRS, GSM and WLAN technology products for wireless connectivity solutions. Option has built up an enviable reputation for creating exciting products that enhance the performance and functionality of wireless communications. Option’s headquarters are in Leuven, Belgium. The company has Research & Development in Leuven, a Software and Applications development centre in Adelsried (Germany), a Wireless Router development centre in Stockholm (Sweden) and an ISO 9002 production engineering and logistics facility in Cork, Ireland.