Novatel Wireless Establishes Distribution Partner in Belgium

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - December 5, 2002 - Novatel Wireless, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVTL), a provider of wireless data access solutions, today announced a new European distribution partner. Silicon Technology nv/sa, based in Mechelen, Belgium, will sell the Novatel Wireless Merlin G201^TM Wireless PC Card modem to dealers, internet/mail order companies, VARs, retailers, telcos, operators, manufacturers and other distributors in Belgium and Luxemburg.

Silicon Technology is the largest distributor of Toshiba notebooks in Belgium in the first half of 2002 and is a member of Mobile Partners International (MPI), a Pan-European network of independent value-added distributors serving the mobile communications industry. MPI members sell products and technologies such as notebooks, Pocket PC's, PC Cards, USB, WLAN, GPS, Bluetooth, GSM, GPRS and related accessories.

Commenting on the new distribution channel, John Major, chairman and CEO of Novatel Wireless stated, "Our relationship with Silicon Technology is helping to expedite certification of our Merlin G201 with the major wireless operators in Belgium - Proximus, Mobistar and Base - and Luxemburg - P&T, CMD and Tango - and can provide us with access to the entire MPI distributor network across Europe. We believe that Silicon Technology will greatly increase our product exposure within the GPRS footprint."

"The Merlin G201 dual band GPRS modem is an excellent addition to our diverse portfolio of mobile information and communication products," remarked Wim Meulders, director of sales and marketing for Silicon Technology. We expect it to be a strong seller both as a stand-alone purchase, as well as bundled with our Toshiba or Packard Bell notebooks for a complete mobile computing solution."

For a limited time, Silicon Technology is offering the Merlin G201 with a 100 euro instant rebate, when purchased together with any Toshiba Satellite Pro notebook. A combination Compaq^® Expansion Pack and Merlin G201 is also being offered for 345 euros. Product inquiries can be directed to:

Silicon Technology
Wim Meulders
G. De Wittelaan 19/1
B-2800 Mechelen
Tel. 00 32 (0)15 286200
Fax: 00 32 (0)15 273406
Email: [email protected]
www.silicontech.be

ABOUT THE MERLIN G201
The Merlin G201 is a dual band (900/1800) wireless PC Card modem based on GSM/GPRS technology. Slightly larger than a credit card, Merlin G201 fits into a Type II PC Card slot and provides access to email, corporate databases and the Internet at maximum speeds of up to 53.6 kbps over GPRS and 14.4 kbps over GSM. Equipped with a robust removable antenna to enhance portability, the Merlin G201 provides Short Messaging Service (SMS) capabilities allowing users to send and receive text messages for quick person-to-person or group chats from their laptop or handheld device. The Merlin G201 offers voice capability over the GSM network allowing users to make and receive calls from a laptop or Pocket PC device. Merlin G201 is compatible with Microsoft Windows 98, 2000, Millennium Edition, XP and Pocket PC 2000 and 2002 operating systems.

ABOUT NOVATEL WIRELESS, INC.
Novatel Wireless, Inc. is a leading provider of wireless data modems and software for use with handheld computing devices and portable personal computers. The Company delivers innovative and comprehensive solutions that enable businesses and consumers to access personal, corporate and public information through email, enterprise networks and the Internet. Novatel Wireless also offers wireless data modems and custom engineering services for hardware integration projects in a wide range of vertical applications. The Novatel Wireless product portfolio includes the Merlin^TM Family of Wireless PC Card Modems, Expedite^TM Family of Wireless Embedded Modems, Minstrel^® Family of Wireless Handheld Modems, Lancer 3W^TM Family of Ruggedized Modems and Sage^® Wireless Serial Modems. Headquartered in San Diego, California, Novatel Wireless is listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market (Nasdaq: NVTL; NVTLD). For more information, please visit the Novatel Wireless web site: www.novatelwireless.com or call 888-888-9231.

^© 2002 Novatel Wireless. All rights reserved. The Novatel Wireless logo, Minstrel, Merlin, Sage, Lancer 3W and Expedite are trademarks of Novatel Wireless, Inc. Minstrel and Sage are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. All other brands, products and company names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective holders.

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, 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.