NII Holdings Announces Launch of Next Generation Network in Mexico with Push-to-Talk (PTT) Services

RESTON, Va., Sept. 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- NII Holdings, Inc. [NASDAQ: NIHD], a provider of differentiated mobile communications services under the Nextel brand in Latin America, announced today that its operating subsidiary, Nextel Mexico, has launched its next generation network in Mexico. The new network provides a robust technological platform that offers a full array of wireless products and services, including a differentiated Push-to-Talk (PTT) service and high-speed data capabilities, incorporated into Android-based smartphones. 

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"We are extremely excited about the launch of our next generation network in Mexico and providing our customers with innovative and differentiated solutions, including our high performance Push-to-Talk and broadband data services," said Greg Santoro, NII's executive vice president and chief marketing and strategy officer. "The deployment of this new network further solidifies our positioning in one of our most important markets, while strengthening our commitment to delivering high quality wireless products and services with unparalleled customer service." 

The new high performance PTT services are tightly integrated with the mobile broadband data services available on the network and deliver an instant PTT experience that meets the expectations of Nextel Mexico's customers for best-in-class instant communications. In this first phase of the deployment, the next generation offerings will be available in 34 cities in the country, including Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Puebla and Cancun. A second phase expansion expected to cover all of the main cities in Mexico is scheduled to launch in 2013.

"The launch of our next generation network along with the new high performance PTT experience in Mexico is both an exciting and highly anticipated milestone for our employees and our customers," said Peter Foyo, president of Nextel Mexico. "Our customers have come to expect quality and cutting-edge services from us, and we are proud to provide these enhanced offerings, which will allow us to provide more options and benefits for our customers." 

The addition of the new PTT service, combined with the capabilities of the next generation network, positions Nextel Mexico to offer customers several unique value-added features, including:

• Direct Connect high performance PTT service that allows users to instantly connect to each other at the push of a button;
• seamless connectivity for voice and PTT customers on Nextel Mexico's iDEN^® network;
• high speed Internet browsing, including the ability to use the phone as a modem;
• group calling capabilities to other PTT users on the next generation network;
• PTT and group call alert notifications that notify users that someone is trying to reach them, including when they are on another call; and
• business and consumer applications, such as business productivity solutions, multimedia and social media services, as well as advanced 'Push-to' capabilities.

The development and launch of NII's next generation solutions in Mexico was made possible by the Company's strong relationship with a number of key technology partners, including Motorola Mobility, RIM and Huawei. The new high performance PTT service is powered by the QChat® platform supplied by Qualcomm Incorporated.

About NII Holdings, Inc.

NII Holdings, Inc., a publicly held company based in Reston, Va., is a provider of differentiated mobile communication services for businesses and high value consumers in Latin America. NII Holdings, operating under the Nextel brand in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Peru and Chile, offers fully integrated wireless communications tools with digital cellular voice services, data services, wireless Internet access and Nextel Direct Connect^® and International Direct Connect^SM, a digital two-way radio. NII Holdings is a Fortune 500 and Barron's 500 company, and has also been named one of the best places to work among multinationals in Latin America by the Great Place to Work^® Institute. The company trades on the NASDAQ market under the symbol NIHD. Visit the company's website at www.nii.com.

Nextel, the Nextel logo and Nextel Direct Connect are trademarks and/or service marks of Nextel Communications, Inc.

Visit NII Holdings' news room for news and to access our markets' news centers: nii.com/newsroom.

Safe Harbor Statement

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  This news release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the securities laws. The statements in this news release regarding products and services, network coverage and performance, the business outlook and future performance, as well as other statements that are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements.  The words "estimate," "project," "forecast," "intend," "expect," "believe," "target," "plan," "providing guidance" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.  Forward-looking statements are estimates and projections reflecting management's judgment based on currently available information and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking statements.  With respect to these forward-looking statements, management has made assumptions regarding, among other things, network usage, customer growth and retention, pricing, operating costs, the timing of various events, the economic and regulatory environment and the foreign exchange rates that will prevail during 2012.  Future performance cannot be assured and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Some factors that could cause actual results to differ include the risks and uncertainties relating to the impact of more intense competitive conditions and changes in economic conditions in the markets we serve; the risk that our network technologies will not perform properly or support the services our customers want or need, including the risk that technology developments to support our services will not be timely delivered; the risk that customers in the markets we serve will not find our services attractive; unexpected results of litigation; and the additional risks and uncertainties that are described from in NII Holdings' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011, as well as in other reports filed from time to time by NII Holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This press release speaks only as of its date, and NII Holdings disclaims any duty to update the information herein.

Media Contacts

NII Holdings, Inc.
1875 Explorer Street, Suite 1000
Reston, VA. 20190
(703) 390-5100
www.nii.com

Investor Relations:
Tim Perrott
(703) 390-5113
[email protected]

Media Relations:
Claudia Restrepo
(786) 251-7020
[email protected]

SOURCE NII Holdings, Inc.