RESTON, Va.–(HISPANIC PR WIRE)–August 11, 2003–Nextel Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: NXTL) today announced a concentrated marketing and sales initiative that caters to the unique wireless voice and data needs of the U.S. Hispanic community. Initial markets launching the new initiative include Chicago, San Diego and San Antonio. Nextel plans to roll out services to all top U.S. Hispanic markets over the next year.
As part of its efforts to effectively reach U.S. Hispanics, Nextel recently appointed Miguel Avila to senior director Hispanic segment marketing and Beatriz Helguero to senior program manger to lead this new initiative.
Avila’s career spans over 20 years of directing and developing U.S. Hispanic businesses for a number of Fortune 500 companies including Procter & Gamble, Miller Brewing Company and most recently, for Capital One in the financial services industry.
Helguero comes to Nextel from America Online (AOL), with more than 13 years of experience in sales, marketing and product management. She served as Hispanic spokesperson and developed the first AOL Spanish language registration process and directed partner-marketing work within Mercedes-Benz of NA.
Nextel provides smart wireless solutions that complement the way the Hispanic community communicates, allowing instant contact with the people who matter most – anytime and anyplace. Nextel services, such as Direct Connect™, the long-range digital walkie-talkie feature, have proven to be a cost-effective wireless solution for Hispanics looking for instant and frequent communication with business colleagues, families and friends.
Recent studies show that members of the Hispanic community currently spend more on monthly cellular phone bills than non-Hispanics in the United States. This is largely attributed to factors such as roaming and long distance charges.
Nextel’s recently launched Nationwide Direct ConnectSM walkie talkie service is a perfect fit with the wireless needs of Hispanic users as it provides instant communication with business colleagues, family and friends from coast- to-coast without using cellular minutes or incurring roaming charges on monthly rate plans.
“Given the great value Hispanic consumers place on spontaneous communication with business partners, friends and relatives, Nationwide Direct Connect is the perfect solution for enhancing their connectivity to their personal and professional inner circles,” said Pat Garner, senior vice president emerging markets at Nextel. “In an effort to earn the loyalty and business of the Hispanic community, Nextel will continue to identify opportunities to offer differentiated products and services that uniquely address the needs of this growing market segment.”
Many Hispanic business professionals in vertical industries, as well as Hispanic small business owners, already understand the benefits of the Push To Talk™ digital walkie-talkie technology as an integral part of everyday business. For example, in transportation and construction, Direct Connect is the communication vehicle of choice for conveying and receiving instant, business-critical information.
New Advertising Campaign and Sponsorship To extend its brand awareness among the Hispanic community, Nextel has launched its first ever Spanish-language advertising campaign in broadcast television, radio, billboard and print media. The campaign reinforces the importance of instant communication as an integral part of everyday family, community and business life.
Nextel is also making additional investments to increase its visibility throughout the Hispanic community. For example, the company was recently the official wireless sponsor for Copa Oro, an Americas soccer tournament that took place July 12 to July 27 in Miami, Florida, Foxboro, Massachusetts and Mexico City, Mexico.
Comprehensive Wireless Solutions
Nextel is the only wireless communications provider that offers an integrated solution for today’s mobile needs – all at a great value:
Nationwide Direct Connect
Nextel’s revolutionary PUSHTOTALK™ walkie-talkie feature is built into every Nextel phone from Motorola and provides the fastest way to connect to the people callers need to contact most often. It gets the caller right through with calls set up in less than one second and delivers sharp, clear voice quality. Direct Connect has built a strong presence in the business community serving markets including construction and transportation. Nationwide Direct Connect provides coast-to-coast service, allowing families and business travelers to stay in touch with other family members and colleagues across the country
Digital Cellular Voice Service
Nextel handsets are powerful wireless phones, allowing customers to call any mobile or landline phone in the U.S. and worldwide. Nextel service includes call waiting, three-way calling, call forwarding and voice mail.
Wireless Data Services
Nextel provides wireless data services to stay connected with clients, co-workers, friends and family – even when a customer can’t make or take a cellular or PUSHTOTALK™ digital walkie-talkie call. The capabilities include two-way messaging, text and numeric messaging, and AOL Instant Messenger as well as Internet access and e-mail.
Spanish language customers can sign up for Nextel service by calling 1-888-NEXTEL5, contacting their local area Nextel representative, or visiting nextel.com or a Nextel retail location. All Nextel Retail Stores and Authorized Dealers currently have Spanish language Nextel products and services collateral to better serve customers.
About Nextel
Nextel Communications, a Fortune 300 company based in Reston, Va., is a leading provider of fully integrated wireless communications services and has built the largest guaranteed all-digital wireless network in the country covering thousands of communities across the United States. Nextel and Nextel Partners, Inc., currently serve 293 of the top 300 U.S. markets. Through recent market launches, Nextel and Nextel Partners service is available today in areas of the U.S. where approximately 241 million people live or work.
“Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. A number of the matters and subject areas discussed in this press release that are not historical or current facts deal with potential future circumstances and developments. The discussion of such matters and subject areas is qualified by the inherent risks and uncertainties surrounding future expectations generally, and also may materially differ from Nextel and Nextel International’s actual future experience involving any one or more of such matters and subject areas. Nextel and Nextel International have attempted to identify, in context, certain of the factors that they currently believe may cause actual future experience and results to differ from Nextel’s and/or Nextel International’s current expectations regarding the relevant matter or subject area. Such risks and uncertainties include the economic conditions in our targeted markets, performance of our technologies, competitive conditions, market acceptance of our services, access to sufficient capital to meet operating and financing needs and those that are described from time to time in Nextel and Nextel International’s reports filed with the SEC, including Nextel and Nextel International’s annual reports on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000. This press release speaks only as of its date, and Nextel disclaims any duty to update the information herein.
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CONTACT:
Chris Grandis
Nextel Communications
703-433-3625
or
Isabelle Guerin
Porter Novelli PR
954-745-3813
or
Investors: Paul Blalock
Nextel Communications
703-433-4300
