Novatel Wireless and Mobitel Partner to Deliver Slovenia's First Quad Band UMTS PC Card; Novatel Wireless Merlin U630(TM) to Provide Mobitel Customers with Wireless, High-Speed Broadband Access Worldwide

SAN DIEGO & LJUBLJANA, Slovenia, Sep 19, 2005 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Novatel Wireless, Inc. (Nasdaq:NVTL), a leading provider of wireless broadband access solutions, today announced a supply agreement to provide its Merlin U630 PC Data Cards to Mobitel, a national mobile telecommunications carrier in Slovenia. Novatel Wireless will offer Mobitel's subscribers the country's first quad band Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service (UMTS) PC Card, enabling worldwide access to wireless high-speed broadband.

Using the Merlin U630, Mobitel's 3G customers can access data on UMTS 2100 MHz bands in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East and GSM/GPRS 900/1800/1900 MHz bands across the globe. The PC Card allows mobile workers to wirelessly access email, the Internet and corporate networks stored behind firewalls. With speeds up to 384 kilobits per second, users can remain in contact with customers, partners and co-workers while out of the office. The Merlin U630 enables businesses to increase productivity and efficiency, while gaining a competitive advantage.

"As an early adopter in building Mobitel's 3G network, we are once again taking the lead in offering Slovenia's first worldwide PC Card," said Danilo Tomsi, Head of Corporate Market Division at Mobitel. "Novatel Wireless is a pioneer in developing advanced, high-speed wireless PC Cards, and we are pleased to work with the company to increase our subscribers' mobile connectivity options. The Merlin U630 makes broadband access from any location at any time a reality for Mobitel customers."

"Mobitel is truly a 3G leader when it comes to building a comprehensive network and providing cutting-edge data services," said Rob Hadley, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Marketing at Novatel Wireless. "This partnership further extends Novatel Wireless' global reach, enabling remote workers to use a single card for access to UMTS services across multiple networks and continents. Novatel Wireless is the first and only PC Card provider to offer quad band connectivity worldwide."

Mobitel has a 73 percent market share in the Slovenian mobile telecommunications industry. It is the only Slovenian carrier to introduce 3G UMTS services. Novatel Wireless is the global leader in UMTS PC Card sales with Merlin UMTS PC Cards available from 23 operators in 27 countries throughout Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East and North America.

ABOUT MOBITEL

Mobitel is a national mobile telecommunications carrier in Slovenia, offering state-of-the-art services to both domestic and foreign users and a selection of high-quality mobile handsets. The Slovenian mobile telecommunications market is one of the most developed in the European Union, with 94 percent of the population using some form of mobile communication. Satisfied customers, employees and owners of the company are at the center of Mobitel operations. Mobitel is committed to social responsibility, working closely with the community as well as providing stimulating working environment to its employees.

Mobitel provides a full scope of mobile telephone services for its 1.34 million users, including the digital GSM/GPRS, public WLAN and the latest UMTS, which launched on Dec. 12, 2003, and was among the first in the world. Also available from Mobitel is the mobile multimedia portal Planet(R), providing a wide selection of information and entertainment services and becoming increasingly popular with more than 50 percent of Mobitel's users. In addition the mobile payment service Moneta(R) enables secure and easy payments using a handset on Web pages, mobile multimedia portal Planet(R), POS terminals, vending machines and in phone sales. Moneta service is available on more than 4,000 sales points including Slovenia's McDonald's restaurant franchises. As one of the most technologically advanced operators and the market leader in Slovenia, Mobitel has a strategic collaboration with Microsoft Slovenia, committed to developing the next-generation of mobile multimedia portals. For more information visit www.mobitel.si/eng.

ABOUT NOVATEL WIRELESS, INC.

Novatel Wireless, Inc. is a leading provider of wireless broadband access solutions. Novatel Wireless' Merlin(TM) PC Cards, Expedite(TM) Embedded Modems, Freedom Box(TM) Ruggedized Modems, MobiLink(TM) Communications Software Suite, Ovation(TM) 3G Multimedia Application Consoles and Conversa(TM) Software Suite enable high-speed wireless access to personal, corporate and public information. The company delivers innovative 3G solutions to operators, distributors and vertical markets worldwide. Headquartered in San Diego, California, Novatel Wireless is listed on NASDAQ: NVTL. For more information visit www.novatelwireless.com. (NVTLG)

(C) 2005 Novatel Wireless. All rights reserved. The Novatel Wireless logo, Merlin, Merlin U630, Expedite, Freedom Box, MobiLink, Ovation, and Conversa are trademarks of Novatel Wireless, Inc. Other product or service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.

This release may contain forward-looking statements, which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended to date. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements contained herein. These factors include risks relating to technological changes, new product introductions, continued acceptance of Novatel Wireless' products and dependence on intellectual property rights. These factors, as well as other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, are discussed in more detail in Novatel Wireless' filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (available at www.sec.gov) and other regulatory agencies.

SOURCE: Novatel Wireless, Inc.

LEWIS PR for Novatel Wireless
Katie Assar/Noah Dye, 619-516-2559
[email protected]

Copyright Business Wire 2005

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