BlueLinx's Q-Zone Paves Way for Courteous Cell Phone Usage

Charlotte,N.C. (Feb. 4, 2000)-- Cell phone users may soon be more courteous due to a new tool that prevents phones from ringing loudly in churches, theaters and restaurants. BlueLinx Inc., a wireless innovator based in Charlotte, N.C., has introduced Q-Zone, a patent-pending system that creates specific areas where electronic devices ring, beep, and ding at lower volume levels.

Q-Zone automatically changes settings on cell phones and other small electronic devices to use lower ring volumes or silent vibration upon entering specified areas, and re-applies their previous settings after leaving. It operates through a series of small "nodes" installed throughout the quiet zone that form a short-range wireless network, allowing seamless communication between the different devices.

"There are more than 80 million cell phone subscribers in the U.S. alone," said Jeff Griffin, president of BlueLinx. "With that many mobile phones in use, it is inevitable that some will ring during meetings, religious services and entertainment events causing disruptions. With this technology, users can keep their phones handy without compromising their good manners while theaters and meeting planners can provide the quiet atmosphere their patrons demand." The technology is based on Bluetooth, an emerging common radio frequency wireless communication standard that creates short-range radio links between electronic devices.

Bluetooth is led by a special interest group of leaders in the telecommunications and computing industries that are driving development of the technology and bringing it to market. For more information on Bluetooth, visit the official web site at www.bluetooth.com.

BlueLinx Inc., is a wireless innovations company based in Charlotte, N.C. BlueLinx identifies and develops emerging markets in consumer electronics based on wireless personal area networking (PAN).

For more information, please contact www.bluelinx.com.