TeleCommunication Systems Announces Availability of Ultra-Compact BGADrive® in Serial and Parallel ATA Interface Versions

ANNAPOLIS, Md., and NUREMBURG, Germany, Feb. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TCS) (NASDAQ: TSYS), a world leader in highly reliable and secure mobile communication technology, today announced the availability of its ultra-compact BGADrive^® solid-state drive (SSD) in both serial ATA (SATA) and parallel ATA (PATA) interface versions. These new versions are well-suited for applications such as unmanned aerial vehicles, wearable computers and miniature embedded systems.

News Facts:

• Manufactured in America at TCS' AS9100-certified facility, the BGADrive line works across industrial temperature ranges and has been verified by outside laboratories to meet MIL-STD-810 requirements for shock, vibration, temperature range, temperature shock, humidity and altitude.
• Both SATA and PATA BGADrives are ultra-compact and packaged in a 31mm x 31mm ball grid array, which makes them optimal for uses where space is at a premium.
• These drives include an SSD controller which provides complete, on-the-fly error correction and end-to-end error detection through the use of a cyclic redundancy check code to ensure that data is reliably stored and retrieved.
• Both the SATA BGADrive and the PATA BGADrive, which was recently certified to comply with DO-254 Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware at Level C, will be on display at the upcoming Embedded World 2013 Exhibition and Conference, which takes place February 26 – 28, 2013 in Nuremburg, Germany. TCS representatives will be on hand at Stand 125 in Hall 4A to discuss the company's capabilities.

Supporting Quote:

Michael Bristol, senior vice president and general manager of TCS' Government Solutions Group, said, "TCS is continuously looking for ways to improve our best-in-class, solid-state drive product line to better meet the growing and changing demands of our customers. The new serial and parallel interface versions of our BGADrive will help make it the 'go-to' solution for customers needing rugged, reliable data storage in special environments."

TCS' Space & Component Technology division serves the space community with high-reliability components and a broad range of services essential to long-life spacecraft. TCS has performed total parts management for nearly every major space agency worldwide and has supplied components, parts and materials for more than 150 spacecraft manufactured in Europe, Asia and the Americas. TCS specializes in ultra-rugged solid-state drives for the most demanding environments, offering both customized and industry-standard configurations for military, aerospace and industrial applications.

Glossary of Terms:

ATA: AT Attach – an interface originally defined for the IBM PC/AT used for disks, tapes and other storage devices

BGA: Ball Grid Array – a component packaging technology where the interconnections are made through a rectangular grid of solder balls.

SATA: Serial ATA – is the de facto standard for internal storage in today's personal and mobile computers, and is the evolutionary replacement for the Parallel ATA (PATA) interface.

PATA: Parallel ATA – the original 40-pin ATA interface which has been replaced by SATA, but is still in wide use on legacy embedded systems.

AS9100: a widely adopted and standardized quality management system for the aerospace industry.

MIL-STD-810: a U.S. military standard that emphasizes tailoring an equipment's environmental design and test limits and establishing chamber test methods that replicate the effects of different environments on the equipment.

DO-254: a document providing guidance for the development of airborne electronic hardware, published by RTCA, Inc.

About TeleCommunication Systems, Inc.

TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TCS) (NASDAQ: TSYS) is a world leader in highly reliable and secure mobile communication technology. TCS infrastructure forms the foundation for market-leading solutions in E9-1-1, text messaging, commercial location and deployable wireless communications. TCS is at the forefront of new mobile cloud computing services, providing wireless applications for navigation, hyper-local search, asset tracking, social applications and telematics. Millions of consumers around the world use TCS wireless apps as a fundamental part of their daily lives. Government agencies utilize TCS' cybersecurity expertise, professional services and highly secure deployable satellite solutions for mission-critical communications. Headquartered in Annapolis, MD, TCS maintains technical, service and sales offices around the world. To learn more about emerging and innovative wireless technologies, visit www.telecomsys.com.

Except for the historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements as defined within Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and are based upon TCS' current expectations and assumptions that if incorrect would cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Risks include without limitation those detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including the reports on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, and on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2012.

Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise the information in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances, or otherwise.

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SOURCE TeleCommunication Systems, Inc.