Beceem Provides 4G Chip for New Sierra Wireless AirCard® W801 Mobile Hotspot

New 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot from Sierra Wireless, powered by Beceem’s 4G WiMAX solution, set to launch with Sprint

Las Vegas, NV -- Beceem Communications, the leading provider of mobile WiMAX chips, and Sierra Wireless (TSX: SW – NASDAQ: SWIR) announced today that Sierra Wireless has chosen Beceem’s BCSM250 4G-WiMAX single chip solution for the new Sierra Wireless AirCard® W801 mobile hotspot. The AirCard W801 mobile hotspot will be unveiled today at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and will be available from Sprint as the Overdrive 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot by Sierra Wireless, starting January 10.

The Sierra Wireless AirCard W801 mobile hotspot combines the functions of a mobile broadband modem and a portable WiFi hotspot in one device. It is a battery powered device that fits into the palm of your hand and establishes a mobile broadband connection to access the internet while using WiFi and is able to share the connection among up to five users.

The Sierra Wireless AirCard W801 is the first mobile hotspot that provides dual-mode 3G and 4G connectivity. The AirCard W801 will sense which 4G and 3G networks are available and automatically select the best connection, a key factor in providing a positive customer experience as 4G networks roll out.

“Mobile hotspots are redefining the utility of mobile broadband connections, and Sierra Wireless, a proven innovator in mobile broadband connectivity, is again driving wireless technology forward by being the first to introduce a 3G/4G dual-mode mobile hotspot,” said Didier Dutronc, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Sierra Wireless. “Building best-in-class products requires the selection of best-in-class components, and that made Beceem’s WiMAX solution a natural choice.”

“Our chips are powering every 4G-WiMAX device in the Clearwire and Sprint ‘Now’ networks, but none matches the unique and disruptive potential of the Sierra Wireless AirCard W801 mobile hotspot,” said Lars Johnsson, Vice President of Marketing for Beceem Communications. “Working with a top tier OEM like Sierra Wireless has given us a view of the future of what mobile broadband devices can do, and we are very excited that our 4G-WiMAX solution has been selected as part of this pioneering product category.”


About Beceem Communications
Beceem is the leading provider of mobile WiMAX semiconductors with proven over-the-air data speeds exceeding 30 Mbps. Beceem offers a number of single chip solutions optimized for mobile devices and CPE markets, and Beceem’s products are WiMAX certified, XOHM qualified and are validated against the WiMAX base stations from all major OEMs. http://www.beceem.com

About Sierra Wireless
Sierra Wireless (NASDAQ: SWIR – TSX: SW) products connect people and machines to wireless networks around the world. We offer an advanced, comprehensive product line, addressing consumer, enterprise, original equipment manufacturer, and specialized vertical industry markets. We also offer a wide range of professional and operated services. Our solutions are used for mobile computing, transportation, industrial M2M (machine-to-machine), enterprise, residential and consumer communications applications. For more information about Sierra Wireless, please visit http://www.sierrawireless.com.

“AirCard” is a registered trademark of Sierra Wireless. Other product or service names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Sierra Wireless Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, plans and timing for the introduction or enhancement of our services and products, statements about future market conditions, supply conditions, channel and end customer demand conditions, revenues, gross margins, operating expenses, profits, and other expectations, intentions, and plans contained in this press release that are not historical fact. Our expectations regarding future revenues and earnings depend in part upon our ability to successfully develop, manufacture, and supply products that we do not produce today and that meet defined specifications. When used in this press release, the words “plan”, “expect”, “believe”, and similar expressions generally identify forward-looking statements. These statements reflect our current expectations. They are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, changes in technology and changes in the wireless data communications market. In light of the many risks and uncertainties surrounding the wireless data communications market, you should understand that we cannot assure you that the forward-looking statements contained in this press release will be realized.