MAURITIUS TELECOM AWARDS QUALCOMM CONTRACT TO SUPPLY 50,000-SUBSCRIBER CDMAONE WIRELESS LOCAL LOOP NETWORK FIRST CDMAONE NETWORK IN MAURITIUS WILL PROVIDE WIRELESS TELEPHONE SERVICE NATIONWIDE SAN DIEGO, Dec. 8 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- QUALCOMM Incorporated (Nasdaq:QCOM), demonstrating its leadership position as the premier supplier ofcdmaOne(TM) Wireless Local Loop (WLL) networks worldwide, today announced asigned contract with Mauritius Telecom, an established wireline and mobilewireless service operator. Mauritius Telecom has contracted QUALCOMM tosupply and install a cdmaOne (IS-95 Code Division Multiple Access) WLL network to initially add 50,000 subscribers nationwide to Mauritius Telecom's modern and 100 percent digital wireline network, which already supports 240,000direct exchange lines. "Mauritius, which has experienced phenomenal growth rates intelecommunications development in recent years, has the highest telephonepenetration of any African state, with a teledensity of 22 phones per 100people for fixed telephony. The introduction of cdmaOne fixed wirelessservice is indicative of Mauritius Telecom's continuing commitment to bringing the most advanced, reliable and cost-effective technologies to the country," said Megh Pillay, chief executive officer of Mauritius Telecom. "We selected QUALCOMM, the pioneer of CDMA, for this important project because of their proven cdmaOne WLL platform, their advanced products and services, and their ability to maximize the performance of CDMA technology -- providing customers with exceptional voice quality, dependable service and advanced features." "As a gateway nation to both Africa and the Indian Ocean, QUALCOMMrecognizes the strategic importance of our project in Mauritius, and we areproud to be participating in Mauritius Telecom's vision fortelecommunications," said Marshall Towe, Jr., vice president of operations for QUALCOMM Wireless Systems. "We intend to establish a strategic presence and to train local professionals to support every aspect of the Mauritius Telecom project." QUALCOMM will provide Mauritius Telecom with its 800 MHz QCell(TM) basestations, QCore(TM) switching and base station controller equipment, andwireless local loop telephones. The CDMA system will provide coverage toMauritius' varied communities -- oceanside cities, towns in volcanic andmountainous terrain, and remote island populations -- complementing Mauritius Telecom's existing landline network. The system will be designed using QUALCOMM's industry-leading network planning software tool, QEDesign(R). QUALCOMM will also provide a range of deployment services, including installation, commissioning and optimization. "Mauritius Telecom's selection of QUALCOMM CDMA wireless local looptechnology puts them at the forefront of wireless communications in theregion, offering their customers the most modern and cost-effective telephony services available," said Charles Oshunremi, regional vice president of Africa for QUALCOMM Wireless Systems. "We look forward to a successful launch of this network in the first half of 1999, and to expanding our strategic relationship with Mauritius Telecom in the future." QUALCOMM has emerged as the leader in cdmaOne WLL, with deploymentsunderway throughout Asia, Africa, the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Americas. As the pioneer of CDMA technology, QUALCOMM designs andmanufactures products that optimize cdmaOne technology to its greatestpotential, providing high-performance networks to operators all over theworld. QUALCOMM Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM) is a leader in developing anddelivering innovative digital wireless communications products and servicesbased on the Company's CDMA digital technology. The Company's major business areas include CDMA phones; Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs); wireless infrastructure; technology licensing; and satellite-based systems including OmniTRACS(R) and portions of the Globalstar(TM) system. QUALCOMM is headquartered in San Diego, Calif. QUALCOMM's fiscal 1998 revenues exceeded U.S. $3 billion. For more information, please visit the Company's web site at http://www.qualcomm.com. Except for the historical information contained herein, this news releasecontains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks anduncertainties, including timely product development, the Company's ability to successfully manufacture significant quantities of CDMA or other equipment on a timely and profitable basis, and those related to performance guarantees, change in economic conditions of the various markets the Company serves, as well as the other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including the report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 27, 1998, and most recent Form 10-Q. QUALCOMM, OmniTRACS and QEDesign are registered trademarks of QUALCOMMIncorporated. QCore and QCell are trademarks of QUALCOMM Incorporated.Globalstar is a trademark of Loral QUALCOMM Satellite Services, Incorporated. SOURCE : QUALCOMM Intercorporated CONTACT: Michelle French, Media Relations for QUALCOMM Wireless Systems,619-651-2366, or fax, 619-651-2622, [email protected], Christine Trimble,Corporate Public Relations, 619-651-3628, or fax, 619-651-2590,[email protected], or Julie Cunningham, Investor Relations,619-658-4224, or fax, 619-651-9303, [email protected], all of QUALCOMMIncorporated Web site: http://www.qualcomm.com