In a move to improve the ability of consumers to use personal cell phones in their vehicles, Cellport Systems, a provider of automotive wireless communications technologies and products, has announced that Ford Motor Co. will be the first automaker to offer the Cellport 3000® with Voice Command, a universal, voice-activated hands-free system designed to allow a driver to operate a cell phone while keeping both hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. The new Cellport 3000 with Voice Command product, also announced, uses speaker-independent voice recognition, designed to enable any driver to use simple English commands to place or answer calls on their cell phones without having to look at or touch the phone. The system's patented Universal Docking Station and phone-specific Pocket Adapters accommodate cell phones of various makes and models. This means that drivers can dock different cell phone models to take advantage of voice-activated, hands-free operation. Now all family members can use their own preferred cell phones while driving, without the bother or expense of installing different car kits, according to Cellport. "Ford Motor Company is excited to offer the Cellport 3000 with Voice Command as the only universal, hands-free system that provides consumers with the added flexibility to use their own brand of cell phone," said Janine Bay, managing director, Global Vehicle Personalization, Automotive Consumer Services Group for Ford Motor Company. "Cellport will work with Wingcast, Ford's telematics venture with Qualcomm, to develop future technologies for our customers." Ford Motor Company will begin offering the Voice Command product for many 2002 model year vehicles. "Cellport's business model is built on creating safe in-vehicle hands-free systems," said Doug Daniels, vice president of business development for Cellport Systems. "Our work with Ford is a key part of our goal to address consumers' needs for convenient, hands-free automotive wireless communications by providing a state-of-the-art solution." "Ford's decision to adopt Cellport's universal plug-and-play, hands-free cell phone solution demonstrates Ford's commitment to maximizing customer satisfaction," said Jonathan Lawrence, vice president and senior telematics and location-based services analyst for Dain Rauscher Wessels. "With the majority of the 600 million wireless phones being used today in vehicles, and with the growth in cell phone safety legislation both in the U.S. and abroad, there is an opportunity for the global hands-free market to grow from $3 billion today to over $9 billion in the next five years." About Cellport Systems Cellport Systems provides in-vehicle wireless communications and telematics systems. The company's products include the Cellport 3000, the industry's first universal hands-free platform and the Cellport 3000 with Voice Command. The Cellport Systems Global Partners program is expanding Cellport technology around the globe through strategic partnerships and licensing relationships with partners in Europe, North America and Asia. Investors include AT&T Wireless Services, Cisco Systems and Omron Corporation. The company is privately held, with corporate headquarters in Boulder, Colo., and regional offices in Detroit, Mich., and Tokyo, Japan. For more information, visit www.cellport.com.