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Sony Ericsson & Cingular Wireless Introduce Z500a Mobile Phone Packed With Multimedia Features

Posted on: Friday, 17 December 2004, 09:00 CST

ATLANTA and RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Dec. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- In time for the holidays, Sony Ericsson and Cingular Wireless today announced the exclusive availability of the Sony Ericsson Z500a for Cingular's EDGE (Enhanced Data for Global Evolution) network. The easy-to-use Z500a clamshell phone allows Cingular customers nationwide to experience advanced functionality at an affordable price.

On the December 17 episode of the "Dr. Phil Show," the studio audience of military families with loved ones serving in Iraq will receive Sony Ericsson Z500a phones and Cingular service, as a way to stay connected.

The Sony Ericsson Z500a also features a built-in digital camera with zoom, a built-in video camera that records still images and video clips with the click of a button, and offers entertainment features such as 3D gaming and music ringtones. With Cingular's Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), consumers can quickly send and share pictures, sounds and video over Cingular's EDGE network.

The Z500a leverages Cingular's EDGE network to provide instant access to e-mail, games and information online. Cingular's EDGE network accelerates the evolution of GSM technology to the next level by providing higher data rates and capabilities. It is available to more than 260 million people in more than 8,500 cities and towns, and in areas along 30,000 miles of interstate highways.

For those customers on Cingular's expanded "mobile to mobile" plan, the new Sony Ericsson Z500a handsets can be used to call any of the 46 million Cingular customers nationwide, for free. Cingular, which now features the largest mobile to mobile calling community of any carrier, also has the largest data and voice network through the Cingular ALLOVER(SM) network.*

"The Sony Ericsson Z500a is the latest handset exclusively available in Cingular's ever expanding portfolio of best-in-class products," said David Christopher, vice president of product management of Cingular Wireless. "The Z500a will allow Cingular customers to take advantage of our high-speed network for data downloads and services."

The Z500a's 65,536-color internal display is ideal for viewing images or games in 3D. Even when closed, the Z500a's external 4,096-color display serves as a viewfinder for capturing images and can display pictures to identify callers.

"Our partnership with Cingular allows us to bring the unique features of the Z500a to consumers who are searching for an affordable mobile phone that delivers all the must-have features in a sleek design," said Urban Gillstrom, president of Sony Ericsson North America. "This is Sony Ericsson's first EDGE-enabled phone and is the first in an exciting product portfolio line-up planned for US consumers."

The Z500a lets Cingular customers express themselves, whether it's through instant messaging with friends or personalizing the phone with a variety of Style up(TM) covers, mobile themes and wallpapers. Subscribers can also store up to 50 MP3 ringtones or create their own with MusicDJ(TM). And, the Z500a synchronizes easily with a PC and has a number of organizer functions so consumers can keep up-to-date with calendar and contacts while they're on-the- go.

Pricing and Availability

The Z500a is available at Cingular Wireless ( http://www.cingularwireless.com/ ) for $79.99, after a $50 mail-in rebate. For more information, please visit http://www.sonyericsson.com/ or http://www.cingular.com/ .

* The ALLOVER(SM) networks covers 268 million people and is growing. Coverage is not available in all areas.

About Cingular Wireless

Cingular Wireless is the largest wireless carrier in the United States, serving more than 46 million customers. Cingular, a joint venture between SBC Communications and BellSouth , has the largest digital voice and data network in the nation. Cingular is the only U.S. wireless carrier to offer Rollover(SM), the wireless plan that lets customers keep their unused monthly minutes. Details of the company are available at http://www.cingular.com/ . Get Cingular Wireless press releases e-mailed to you automatically. Sign up at http://www.cingular.com/newsroom .

About Sony Ericsson

Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications and its affiliated companies serve the global communications market with innovative and feature-rich mobile phones, accessories, PC-cards and M2M solutions. Established as a joint venture by Ericsson and Sony in 2001, with head quarters in London, the company employs 5,000 people worldwide, including R&D sites in Europe, Japan, China and America. For more information, please visit http://www.sonyericsson.com/ and to purchase Sony Ericsson products visit http://www.sonyericsson.com/us/shop

Visit Sony Ericsson at CES 2005 at the Sony booth or the Pepcom event on January 5, 2005.

Cingular Wireless

CONTACT: Jennifer Bowcock of Cingular Wireless, +1-404-236-6319, orjennifer.bowcock@cingular.com ; or Lauren Butler of Ketchum, +1-404-879-9283,or Lauren.Butler@Ketchum.com , for Cingular Wireless; or CorporateCommunications of Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications, +1-919-472-1400, orpress.america@sonyericsson.com

Web site: http://www.cingular.com/http://www.cingularwireless.com/http://www.sonyericsson.com/http://www.cingular.com/newsroomhttp://www.sonyericsson.com/us/shop

Source: PRNewswire

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