Novatel Wireless Announces Commercial Availability of Industry's First HSDPA ExpressCard

SAN DIEGO, Oct 11, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Novatel Wireless, Inc. (Nasdaq:NVTL), a leading provider of wireless broadband access solutions, today announced that it has begun commercial shipments of its Merlin(TM) XU870 ExpressCard to leading HSDPA and UMTS carriers worldwide. Designed to operate on both North American and European HSDPA networks, the Merlin XU870 ExpressCard is the first commercially available HSDPA ExpressCard. Initial shipments began in the third quarter to leading carriers in several countries, including Germany, Austria, Spain, Portugal and New Zealand. The Company expects to continue rollouts with both carriers and laptop manufacturers through the end of the year.

"We continue to move aggressively to meet our customers' evolving needs and are demonstrating our leadership position as the only mobile broadband solutions leader with commercial WWAN ExpressCard products on the market," said Rob Hadley, senior vice president of worldwide sales and marketing of Novatel Wireless. "With the introduction of the Merlin XU870 ExpressCard, we now have ExpressCards for both EV-DO and HSDPA networks, serving a fast-growing and unserved market of laptop models that incorporate only ExpressCard slots or both PCMCIA and ExpressCard slots. Our leadership in ExpressCards is further evidence of our commitment to broadening our product line, developing multiple revenue streams and leading the market in innovation."

The Merlin XU870 ExpressCard fits both 34 and 54 size slots and is a tri-band HSDPA/UMTS and quad-band EDGE/GPRS product that allows for worldwide roaming between HSDPA networks in North America and Europe. The Merlin XU870 ExpressCard has been initially configured for 3.6 Mbps data speeds and when mobile operators start providing 7.2 Mbps service, a software utility will be used to upgrade the card and boost its speed to 7.2 Mbps. The Merlin XU870 ExpressCard will allow new notebook platforms, with the ExpressCard slot, to take advantage of its performance and scalability for wireless broadband connectivity.

ABOUT NOVATEL WIRELESS

Novatel Wireless, Inc. is revolutionizing wireless communications. The company is a leader in the design and development of innovative wireless broadband access solutions based on 3G WCDMA (HSDPA & UMTS), CDMA and GSM technologies. Novatel Wireless' Merlin(TM) PC Cards and ExpressCards, Expedite(R) Embedded Modules, MobiLink(TM)Communications Software Suite, Ovation(TM) Fixed Mobile Convergence Products and Conversa(TM) Software Suite enable high-speed wireless access. 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)

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.

(C) 2006 Novatel Wireless. All rights reserved. The Novatel Wireless logo, Merlin, Expedite, MobiLink, Ovation and Conversa are trademarks of Novatel Wireless, Inc. Other product or service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE: Novatel Wireless, Inc.

Townsend Inc. for Novatel Wireless, Inc.
Liya Sharif/Wanda Soler, 858-457-4888
[email protected]

Copyright Business Wire 2006

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