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Sprint, Kansas City Aviation Department and Ultra Electronics Kick Off Availability of High-Speed Wi-Fi Access for Air Travelers

Posted on: Tuesday, 2 December 2003, 06:00 CST

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Dec. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Passengers flying through Kansas City now have a more productive way to spend time at the airport. Today, Sprint and the Kansas City Aviation Department announced the availability of PCS Wi-Fi Access(SM) at Kansas City International Airport (KCI) as part of a $258 million Terminal Improvement Project. The high-speed wireless technology will enable busy travelers to conduct business that would normally happen back at the office. Travelers at KCI can now enjoy the convenience and productivity benefits of PCS Wi-Fi Access in all airport passenger areas - at speeds up to 100 times faster than standard dialup. Sprint is managing the Wi-Fi service at Kansas City International Airport under contract to Ultra Electronics Airport Systems, Inc. (the KCI system integrator).

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20001013/SPRINTLOGO )

"Following on the heels of our PCS Wi-Fi Access launch in September, we are really excited that our first public Wi-Fi solution in a major airport is in Sprint's backyard at the Kansas City International Airport," said Phil Bowman, vice president, business marketing for the PCS Division of Sprint. "Now, business travelers and passengers at KCI can make the most of their airport time with a simple and easy way to wirelessly access important information at multi-megabit speeds so they can be productive while away from their office or home. We want to give customers the choice of using PCS Vision(SM) data services to stay connected while mobile via the enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS Network, or PCS Wi-Fi Access when they are in key public venues for longer periods of time and need higher data speeds."

PCS Wi-Fi Access is a high-speed wireless data service from Sprint that uses 802.11b technology to enable mobile professionals to replicate their desktop environment and get remote access to the Internet, e-mail and corporate applications on their mobile devices while away from the office. Sprint is focused on providing Wi-Fi services in high traffic areas such as airports, hotels, convention centers and other public venues where customers tend to need it most and can derive the greatest benefit.

As one of the Midwest's largest air facilities, Kansas City International serves more than 10 million air travelers annually. The airport has been implementing a series of innovative changes and improvements over the past three years, and PCS Wi-Fi Access from Sprint is the latest technology upgrade now available throughout the airport's three passenger terminals.

"The new Wi-Fi network is just one of several applications that are supported by one of the most advanced airport networks in the country," said Phil Brown, acting director for the Kansas City Aviation Department. The KCI network architecture will support the airport's electronic communications networks for years to come. The new http://www.flykci.com/ KCI website and real-time airline flight information displays in the airport concourses are two other programs made possible by the new system."

The new high-speed wireless service will allow KCI travelers to conduct business in the public areas throughout the facility. Customers will need a Wi-Fi Internet card or mobile device embedded with Wi-Fi technology in order to take advantage of the service. Users are greeted by the KCI portal page that provides a host of free information, including real-time flight information from the new KCI web site, http://www.flykci.com/. While not required to use PCS Wi-Fi Access at KCI, PCS Connection Manager(SM) Software with Wi-Fi enables laptop users to manage the service in hundreds of other Sprint compatible public Wi-Fi ZONES in a consistent manner. To subscribe to the service, and to download the software, Sprint as well as non-Sprint customers can visit http://www.wifi.sprintpcs.com/. The software includes the ability to detect Wi-Fi in public venues compatible with Sprint service, as well as a directory of all compatible PCS Wi-Fi Access locations, and is automatically updated as new locations are added.

PCS Wi-Fi Access at KCI is available today at an introductory price of $6.95 per connection, for 24 hours of unlimited access. Customers can get information about the service by calling 1-866-PCS-WIFI (727-9434) from any phone or pressing #-W-I-F-I (#9434) from their PCS Phone. Currently, customers must pay for the service using a valid credit card, which is entered during the initial one-time setup of their account. Sprint plans to integrate billing in early 2004 so PCS customers can choose to have charges applied to their wireless statement. For complete information on PCS Wi-Fi Access, PCS Connection Manager Software, tutorials and troubleshooting information, and an online list of compatible locations, visit http://www.sprint.com/pcsbusiness and click on 'PCS Wi-Fi Access.'

Sprint expects PCS Wi-Fi Access to be available in more than 2,100 locations by early 2004 through a combination of Wi-Fi ZONES(TM) built and managed by Sprint such as KCI, and roaming agreements with newly announced Wi-Fi service provider Concourse, as well as Airpath Wireless, Cometa Networks and Wayport.

About Sprint

Sprint is a global integrated communications provider serving more than 26 million customers in over 100 countries. With approximately 68,000 employees worldwide and nearly $27 billion in annual revenues, Sprint is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying state-of-the-art network technologies, including the United States' first nationwide all- digital, fiber-optic network and an award-winning Tier 1 Internet backbone. Sprint provides local communications services in 39 states and the District of Columbia and operates the largest 100-percent digital, nationwide PCS wireless network in the United States. For more information, visit http://www.sprint.com/.

"Wi-Fi ZONE," "Wi-Fi CERTIFIED," "Wi-Fi Alliance," "Wi-Fi Protected Access" and their respective logos are registered trademarks of the Wi-Fi Alliance. To learn more, visit http://www.wi-fi.org/ .

About Kansas City Aviation Department

The Kansas City Airport System is an enterprise fund department of the City of Kansas City, Missouri, and is supported wholly by airport user charges. No general tax fund revenues are used for the administration, promotion, operation or maintenance of the airports in the system.

About Ultra Electronics Airport Systems

Ultra Electronics Airport Systems is the MUFIDS/ System Integrator contractor at Kansas City International Airport. This contract involves the design and implementation of the Terminal wide Multi User Flight Information Display Systems (MUFIDS) and the integration of airport operational systems - consolidating data in a central database known as the Airport Operational Database (AODB). Ultra Electronics Airport Systems (formally Ferranti Air Systems) has a 35 plus year association with the aviation computing and information technology sector and has a reputation as one of the world's leading suppliers of airport and airline IT systems and services. The company is a global provider with list of reference sites that includes more than 70 operational airport and airline systems around the world. For more information, visit http://www.ultra-as.com/ .