HOUSTON, March 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Compaq Computer Corporation (NYSE: CPQ - news ) and Shipcom Wireless Inc., a global provider of Enterprise Mobility Solutions, today announced a strategic alliance under which Compaq will license, market and distribute Shipcom's CATAMARAN(TM) Multiple Application Connectivity Wireless Software as part of its new strategic Wireless Enterprise Framework.

The Multiple Application Connectivity Software provides a unique competitive advantage in its ability to quickly, easily, and cost-effectively deploy wireless extensions to enterprise applications like Siebel, SAP, and Oracle simultaneously. Companies who have invested heavily in enterprise systems are seeking new ways to improve business performance by leveraging mobile computing and communications. The Wireless Enterprise Framework can help companies get an extremely quick return on investment (ROI) by taking the abstraction, obscurity and complexity out of deploying such solutions. Shipcom, with the industry's first Mobile Business Rules Builder (patent pending), is capable of delivering wireless projects within days and without programming.

Compaq will use Shipcom's Multiple Application Connectivity Software as the core infrastructure for its Wireless Enterprise Framework. Compaq will target Global 2000 organizations who are committed to deploying the most reliable, scalable, standards based, and cost effective hardware/software wireless solutions. Solutions such as these, which normally take between 16-20 weeks to implement, can be integrated within three to four weeks using the Wireless Enterprise Framework.

"With its simplicity and speed of deployment, the Multiple Application Connectivity Software has garnered rave reviews with wireless and Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) experts,'' said Abeezar Tyebji, the CEO of Shipcom, which is headquartered in Houston. "An alliance with a highly dependable and reputed solutions partner such as Compaq would leverage the core strengths of both organizations to become the leader in the Enterprise Wireless Application Gateway (WAG) market space. The ease of integration of our Multiple Application Connectivity Software complements Compaq's strong Global Services organization, which will serve as an excellent delivery mechanism to deploy and support wireless projects globally.''

Jerry Meerkatz, Compaq's vice president and general manager of Enterprise Mobility Solutions, said, "It's all about time and money. The Compaq Wireless Enterprise Framework enables customers to save lots of both. Because it's a pre-integrated pilot package, customers can deploy very quickly -- and at a fraction of the normal cost. And because it's highly scaleable, the pilot can be expanded into full production.''

About Compaq Computer Corporation
Founded in 1982, Compaq Computer Corporation is a leading global provider of information technology products, services and solutions for enterprise customers. Compaq designs, develops, manufactures and markets information technology equipment, software, services and solutions, including industry-leading enterprise storage and computing solutions, fault-tolerant business-critical solutions, communication products, personal desktop and notebook computers, and personal entertainment and Internet access devices that are sold in more than 200 countries directly and through a network of authorized Compaq marketing partners. Information on Compaq and its products and services is available at http://www.compaq.com

About Shipcom Wireless Inc.
Shipcom Wireless Inc. is a Houston-based corporation, which specializes in mobile enabling of Siebel, SAP, Oracle, MFGPro, and MS Exchange with WAP, Windows CE and Palm OS based devices WITHOUT PROGRAMMING. The company is well positioned in the fast growing market of Wireless Enterprise Application Integration (EAI). Shipcom has several large Fortune 500 referenceable customers in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, UK, Ireland, Norway, Hungary, Poland, China, Hong Kong, Korea, and Australia. The company has been profitable in its operation since February 1997, is on a fast growth track, and expects to go public in 2003. For more information, please visit http://www.shipcomwireless.com

Compaq and the Compaq logo are trademarks of Compaq Information Technologies Group, L.P. Product names mentioned herein may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. This document contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include the possibility that the Hewlett-Packard/Compaq merger does not close or that the companies may be required to modify aspects of the transaction to achieve regulatory approval or that prior to the closing of the proposed merger, the businesses of the companies suffer due to uncertainty; the market for the sale of certain products and services may not develop as expected; that development of these products and services may not proceed as planned; that Compaq and Hewlett-Packard are unable to transition customers, successfully execute their integration strategies, or achieve planned synergies; other risks that are described from time to time in Compaq and Hewlett-Packard's Securities and Exchange Commission reports (including but not limited to Compaq's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2001, HP's annual report on Form 10-K, as amended on January 30, 2002, for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2001, and subsequently filed reports). If any of these risks or uncertainties materializes or any of these assumptions proves incorrect, Compaq's results could differ materially from Compaq's expectations in these statements. Compaq assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.

Shipcom and CATAMARAN are trademarks or registered trademarks of Shipcom Wireless Inc. in the United States. Compaq is a registered trademark of Compaq Computer Corporation in the United States and other countries.

SOURCE: Compaq Computer Corporation and Shipcom Wireless Inc.