Sierra Wireless announced the commercial availability of the Voq Professional Phone™. The handset runs on Microsoft's Windows Mobile for Smartphones platform. The Voq is available today in the Netherlands, and will be available in North America in July, distributed by Brightpoint and CellStar. The Voq is expected to be released on the AT&T Wireless network.

Global first as KPN delivers Voq Professional Phone™ to enterprise customers through 'Plug and Work' program


VANCOUVER, Canada and AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands - July 6, 2004 - Sierra Wireless and KPN today announced a global first with the commercial availability of the Voq Professional Phone, a Microsoft Windows Mobile-based Smartphone with full QWERTY thumbpad. The Voq is being delivered throughout the Netherlands by KPN via its distribution channels at a retail price of €99 in combination with a two-year Business Select subscription and a 5Mb GPRS data package.

Designed for business professionals, the Voq Professional Phone is a new class of mobile phone that offers the best features of a mobile phone, a personal messaging device, and a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant). The product offers a flip-open QWERTY thumbpad and easy-to-use software solutions, including out-of-the-box personal and corporate e-mail. The unique, easy and powerful myVoq™ software enables predictive search, storage, and sending of information.

"Enterprises worldwide are looking to mobilize their workforces, but often cannot find a mobile device with the right combination of usability, data security and portability," said Derek Evans, Vice President & Managing Director, EMEA for Sierra Wireless. "The Voq Professional Phone is built to keep mobile workers fully connected and in touch, and we’re delighted that KPN is now delivering the phone."

"Our customers look to us to provide innovative, robust solutions to their mobile communications needs," said Brian Stout, Director Business Line Business market, for KPN. "The Voq Professional Phone offers comprehensive voice and data functionality - something we believe our customers will find very attractive. Working with Sierra Wireless to deliver this phone in the Netherlands has enabled us to offer our customers a total mobility solution with attractive pricing."
The new Voq Professional Phone operates over KPN’s GSM (Global System for Mobile communication) and GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) network, and offers global roaming through KPN’s partners in 165 countries around the world, with seamless data connectivity in 35 countries in and outside Europe.

"The Voq Professional Phone is a great proposition for mobile professionals and testament to the type of hardware and design innovation made possible on the Windows Mobile platform," said Annemarie Duffy, Senior Marketing Manager, Mobile and Embedded Devices Division, Microsoft Corp. "Demand for mobile business applications is growing in the enterprise and we support Sierra Wireless and KPN in addressing this important market."

Powered by an Intel Xscale processor, the Voq Professional Phone is based on Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003 software and offers a rich telephony experience with the addition of a unique flip-open QWERTY thumbpad. The Voq Professional Phone provides:

• Phone-first capabilities with the power of a PDA and ability to synchronize contacts, calendars, and tasks to a Windows-based computer;
• The best features of a mobile phone, messaging device, and PDA in a single phone – resulting in lower cost, ease-of-use, and need for fewer devices;
• Out-of-the-box personal and corporate e-mail solutions, including POP3, IMAP4, and Microsoft ActiveSync for wireless synchronisation to Microsoft Exchange 2003;
• Powerful search, send and storage capabilities with myVoq, which also offers the ability to enhance business applications and mobile web services.