News

KYOCERA Wireless Corp. to Open Regional Office in Miami to Serve Latin America and Caribbean

Miami Office Will Provide Sales and Marketing Support to Rapidly Expanding Region for CDMA

 MIAMI -- Dec. 8, 2003 -- Kyocera Wireless Corp., a leading global manufacturer of CDMA wireless phones, today announced plans to open a new regional office in Miami to further strengthen the company's presence in Latin America and the Caribbean. The new office will include sales, marketing and service support for Kyocera Wireless' Latin American and Caribbean customer base, which has grown more than 100 percent in the last year. Kyocera Wireless' Miami office will be responsible for serving more than 30 operators in 19 countries in the region.

"The establishment of a Kyocera Wireless office in Miami is an important milestone in the company's expansion plans for the region, an important sector for the continued deployment of CDMA technology worldwide," said Lee Ittner, vice president of International Sales, Latin America for Kyocera Wireless Corp. "Miami serves as an epicenter for the wireless industry in Latin America and the Caribbean, and Kyocera looks forward to strengthening its relationships with local companies as well as expanding its customer base and market share within the region."

Fueled by its growing Latin American customer base, Kyocera increased handset shipments in Latin America by 231 percent during fiscal year 2002, resulting in 171 percent sales growth across the region. The rapid expansion in Latin America has been complemented by substantial increases in marketing activity and sales support services in the region, and Kyocera expects to double its sales growth in fiscal year 2004.

Growing confidence in the Kyocera brand among CDMA carriers, along with Kyocera's most comprehensive and diverse product line of wireless phones to date, have led the company to greatly expand its product portfolio in the Latin American and Caribbean regions. Kyocera has recently launched several new products in Latin American markets including Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico and Venezuela.

Kyocera Wireless currently offers a wide variety of products in the region to address various stylistic preferences and affordability concerns of Latin American and Caribbean consumers. Most recently, the company launched its highly anticipated Slider™ SE47, the company's first entry into the fashion-forward handset market with a style and sensibility not yet seen in CDMA handsets. Kyocera is also in the process of bringing its Phantom™ and Blade™ phones to consumers in the region, combining enhanced feature sets with bold new looks. Other Kyocera offerings in Latin America and the Caribbean include the Kyocera 7135 smartphone for the corporate high-end market, the Opal™ series and 3200 Series for the mid-level market, and the 2300 and 1100 Series for the entry-level market.

"Kyocera has been working very diligently in Latin America to provide attractive and affordable wireless phones to consumers of all types with varying needs," said Don McGuire, vice president of global marketing for Kyocera Wireless Corp. "Localizing Kyocera in Miami will reinforce our ability to serve our existing customers as well as focus on closing toward total saturation within the CDMA operators community in Latin America and Caribbean."

About Kyocera Wireless Corp.
Kyocera Wireless Corp. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kyocera International Inc., which acquired QUALCOMM Incorporated's CDMA consumer wireless phone business in February 2000. Kyocera Wireless Corp. is a leading supplier of innovative, feature-rich CDMA handsets and accessories for customers worldwide. Based in San Diego, the company is ISO-14001 and ISO-9001 certified and has won city, state and federal awards for its environmentally friendly manufacturing and recycling practices. For more information, please visit www.kyocera-wireless.com.

Kyocera Corporation, the parent and global headquarters of the Kyocera Group, was founded in 1959 as a producer of advanced ceramics. By combining these engineered materials with metals and plastics, and integrating them with other technologies, Kyocera has become a leading supplier of telecommunications equipment, semiconductor packages, electronic components, cameras, laser printers, copiers, solar energy systems and industrial ceramics. During the year ended March 31, 2003, Kyocera Corporation's consolidated net sales totaled approximately US$9 billion (JP¥ 1,069,770 million) with net income of approximately US$348 million (JP¥ 41,165 million).

Copyright 2003 by Kyocera Wireless Corp. Kyocera is a registered trademark of Kyocera Corp. All other trademarks and product names are the property of their respective owners.

CONTACTS:

Valerie Christopherson or Kirsten Brundahl
Bock Communications, Inc.
Kyocera Media Relations, Latin America
phone: 1-(714) 540-1030 ext. 14 or 24
e-mail: vchristopherson@bockpr.com
e-mail: kbrundahl@bockpr.com

Natasha Marvin
Kyocera Wireless Corp.
phone: 1-(305) 468-8366
e-mail: nmarvin@kyocera-wireless.com