Novatel Wireless to Supply Vodafone with 3G Wireless PC Card Modems

SAN DIEGO - October 28, 2004 - Novatel Wireless, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVTL), a leading provider of wireless broadband access solutions, today announced that it will provide 3G wireless data products to Vodafone, the world's largest mobile community.

Novatel Wireless will supply Vodafone with its Merlin 3G Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Wireless PC Card Modems for high-speed access to Vodafone's 3G network.

The Novatel Wireless Merlin 3G PC Card will be integrated with the Vodafone Mobile Connect software, which manages user-friendly access to the network. Once the Merlin 3G PC Card is inserted into a laptop, Vodafone subscribers will be able to send and receive emails, browse the Internet and download attachments at speeds of up to 384 kilobits per second. The Merlin 3G PC Card enables secure wireless access to corporate databases and data stored behind firewalls. High-speed access over 3G networks enables mobile workers to access information, stay connected to partners and clients and remain productive when out of the office, providing a critical competitive advantage.

"The Merlin 3G PC Cards will enable Vodafone's customers to take advantage of the high-speed mobile data services that Vodafone's 3G network makes possible," said Peter Leparulo, CEO of Novatel Wireless. "We are pleased to support Vodafone's 3G services."

ABOUT NOVATEL WIRELESS

Novatel Wireless, Inc. is a leading provider of wireless broadband access solutions. Novatel Wireless' MerlinTM PC Cards, ExpediteTM Embedded Modems, Freedom Box Ruggedized Modems, and MobiLink Communications Software Suite enable high-speed wireless access to personal, corporate and public information via portable computers, handheld devices and vertical market applications. 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.

© 2004 Novatel Wireless. All rights reserved. The Novatel Wireless logo, Merlin, Expedite, Freedom Box, and MobiLink are trademarks of Novatel Wireless, Inc.

© Vodafone Group 2004. Vodafone and Vodafone Mobile Connect are trade marks of the Vodafone Group. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trade marks 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, 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.

Contacts:
Kim K. Haneke
Novatel Wireless
(858) 812-0621
[email protected]

Katie Assar / Noah Dye
LEWIS PR
(619) 516-2559
[email protected]