Canada : Sierra Wireless AirCard 850 and AirCard 860 will take full advantage of faster speeds offered by the HSDPA standard to deliver compelling wireless data solutions

Sierra Wireless today announced that the Company has selected QUALCOMM's MSM6275 Mobile Station Modem chipset and system software solution for the development of Sierra Wireless products supporting High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) networks, the next generation of the WCDMA (UMTS) technology standard.

The first Sierra Wireless products to feature the MSM6275 chipset will be two new additions to the award-winning AirCard(R) product line, the AirCard 850 and the AirCard 860 wireless wide area network cards. The AirCard 850 utilizes the 2100 MHz WCDMA frequency band and is targeted primarily for use in Europe, while the AirCard 860 operates on the 850 and 1900 MHz WCDMA frequency bands and is designed for North American users. Both cards will also be compatible with EDGE and GSM/GPRS networks on all four GSM frequency bands (850, 900, 1800, and 1900 MHz), for use in areas where a WCDMA network is not available. The AirCard 850 and AirCard 860 wireless network cards are scheduled for delivery in the second half of 2005.

"Sierra Wireless is pleased to continue our longstanding partnership with QUALCOMM to bring high-performance wireless solutions to market," said Jason Cohenour, Chief Operating Officer for Sierra Wireless. "The integrated MSM6275 chipset will enable Sierra Wireless to be early to market with leading-edge wireless connectivity products that take advantage of the most advanced wireless networks as they become available."

"QUALCOMM is supporting the global commercialization of HSDPA by providing its customers with a fully tested, integrated solution that expands the use of next-generation WCDMA wireless products," said Dr. Sanjay K. Jha, president of QUALCOMM CDMA Technologies. "We are pleased to support Sierra Wireless' HSDPA device based on the MSM6275 and look forward to developing this exciting new market for wireless data technology."

Sierra Wireless will show the AirCard 850 and AirCard 860 wireless wide area network cards at 3GSM World Congress in Cannes, France, February 14 to 17.