Asia's Largest Hypermarket Retailer Installs Symbol Technologies Wireless Mobile Computing Solution

Asia's Largest Hypermarket Retailer Installs Symbol Technologies Wireless Mobile Computing Solution

1999-9-21 HOLTSVILLE, N.Y.

Symbol Technologies today announced that Carrefour, an international retail group based in France and the largest hypermarket operator in Asia, is rolling out Symbol's industry-leading Spectrum24® wireless local area network (LAN) infrastructure and hand-held computers to its 68 stores in Asia. The initial contract is valued at several million dollars.

Spectrum24 is installed at thousands of customer sites throughout the world including: The New York Stock Exchange, Air France, Ford Motor Company, the U.S. Department of Defense worldwide, Boeing and Marks & Spencer.

Carrefour has already installed Symbol's wireless and mobile computer solution to enhance customer service, productivity and inventory management in more than 50 stores in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and China; Symbol is set to deliver the Spectrum24-based solution to Carrefour stores in Thailand and Korea.

Carrefour, which has expanded its investment and operation in Asia, has 14 stores in China and is planning to open seven more soon. Its largest store in Asia covers 15,000 square meters in Taiwan. There are 350 Carrefour stores in France, Europe, Asia and the U.S.

Carrefour workers use Symbol's PDT 3140 hand-held computer, which communicates to the host store computer via the Spectrum24 network, to manage everyday store operations including shelf price audit, inventory, merchandise receiving, returns and order entry. The Symbol technology solution replaces a manual, paper-based operation where workers would keypunch in hand-written records.

"We chose Symbol because of its financial stability, company scale, technical innovation and solution capability. Another important component was Symbol's ability to provide good service support through its network of business partners in Asia," said Eva Cheung, IT manager, Carrefour Asia. "Symbol has the technological strength, retail experience and wireless network capabilities which met our rigorous selection standard. Since the installation, I have seen a tremendous improvement in both productivity and inventory management."

"Symbol has established relationships with key business partners, set up regional and country offices and has ideal technology solutions to expand our business in Asia," said Tomo Razmilovic, president and chief operating officer, Symbol Technologies. "We see large-scale infrastructure investments and companies investing in technology for competitive advantage where Symbol's Spectrum24 and mobile computers are playing an important role.

"We're pleased to partner with Carrefour, which joins other leading global retailers who now count on Spectrum24."

About Spectrum24

Spectrum24, Symbol's open-architecture wireless network, provides high-performance data and voice-over-IP communications with excellent immunity to interference. Its frequency hopping technology ensures robust and reliable data throughput. Spectrum24 also features selectable power management for application optimization, as well as encryption capabilities to ensure data security.

Spectrum24 is designed to support the IEEE802.11 wireless LAN standard. Operating in the 2.4 GHz band using spread-spectrum modulation, Spectrum24 allows fast, seamless roaming with load balancing among cells. Its capacity and range are expandable through the use of multiple access points.

About Symbol Technologies

Symbol Technologies, Inc., The Enterprise Mobility Company™, is a recognized worldwide leader in enterprise mobility, delivering products and solutions that capture, move and manage information in real time to and from the point of business activity. Symbol enterprise mobility solutions integrate advanced data capture products, radio frequency identification technology, mobile computing platforms, wireless infrastructure, mobility software and world-class services programs. Symbol enterprise mobility products and solutions are proven to increase workforce productivity, reduce operating costs, drive operational efficiencies and realize competitive advantages for the world's leading companies.

For press information:

Symbol Technologies, Inc.

Erin Farrell: farreler@symbol.com
+1.631.738.4068

Bill Abelson: abelsonb@symbol.com
+1.631.738.4751

Patricia Hall: hallp@symbol.com
+1.631.738.5636

Joey Marquart: joey.marquart@edelman.com
212-704-8133

Elizabeth Blicharz: elizabeth.blicharz@edelman.com
212.704.4484

Symbol Technologies Europe, Middle East, Africa:

Helen Rigby: helen.rigby@symbol.com
+44 118 945 7527

Symbol Technologies Asia Pacific:

Tze Hui Low: Lowt@symbol.com
+65 6796 9621

For financial information:

Symbol Technologies, Inc.

Erin Farrell-Talbot
+1.631.738.4068

Lori Chaitman: chaitmal@symbol.com
631.738.5050

For industry analyst information:

Symbol Technologies, Inc.

Shirley Schroedl: schroeds@symbol.com
631.738.4388