SALT LAKE CITY, Feb. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Athletes competing in
the Olympic Winter Games here have been connected for the first time with
heroes facing even greater challenges: U.S. and coalition forces based in
Kandahar, Afghanistan. Olympians and soldiers have begun exchanging video
e-mail messages using the Gateway CyberSpot Powered by AT&T, a temporary
network of computer kiosks initially set up to connect Americans with Olympic
athletes that now has been extended to Kandahar Air Base via satellite, with
extensive cooperation from the U.S. Department of Defense and the State
Department.
Members of the 101st Airborne -- 3,000 of whom are on the ground in
Kandahar -- began recording and sending video e-mails yesterday. As part of
the Gateway CyberSpot connection, the 101st Airborne is welcoming back one of
its own: one of two Gateway technicians who traveled from South Dakota to
Kandahar served with the 101st Airborne in the Gulf War 10 years ago. In
addition to the 101st Airborne, coalition forces representing Germany, Canada,
Norway, Finland and Jordan are based in Kandahar and will have access to the
Gateway CyberSpot Powered by AT&T.
U.S. Olympic Team members Picabo Street and Eric Bergoust were among the
first athletes here to view video e-mail messages bringing good wishes from
U.S. troops at Kandahar Air Base.
"It really puts what we're doing here in perspective," said Bergoust, who
competed in the men's freestyle aerials finals Tuesday. "We may feel like
we're under pressure here at the Olympics, but these people are risking their
lives every day so we can enjoy the freedom we tend to take for granted. I'm
flattered they took the time to cheer me on, and I'm sending a message back
telling them who the real heroes are."
In addition to sending video e-mails to Olympians, U.S. soldiers are able
to use the Gateway CyberSpot Powered by AT&T to send messages to their loved
ones back home through February 24. Until now, U.S. troops have had limited
access to a PC with a dial-up connection for standard text e-mails only.
Gateway -- with some 5,300 PCs powering the Olympic Winter Games --
operates more than 325 Gateway CyberSpots Powered by AT&T across the nation,
in addition to the outpost at Kandahar Air Base. The Gateway CyberSpots are
just one aspect of Gateway's multiyear effort as the Official Computer
Hardware Sponsor of the Olympic Winter Games.
"U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan can't be here to enjoy the Games, so we
wanted to give them the opportunity to connect with the athletes in a personal
way," said Gateway CEO and chairman Ted Waitt. "At the same time, we're able
to connect Olympic athletes with people whose bravery can inspire them as they
compete in Salt Lake City."
"Establishing this link between U.S. athletes and our troops in
Afghanistan wouldn't have been possible without the incredible help we've
gotten from the U.S. Department of Defense, the State Department, the Central
Command for Operation Enduring Freedom and congressional leaders," Waitt
added.
"AT&T has a long history of supporting the U.S. Olympic Team and providing
communications solutions to the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces,"
stated Joe Ramondini, director of Olympic sponsorship for AT&T. "Our mission
is to provide anytime/anywhere communications and with our partner, Gateway,
we're proud to connect America's heroes with America's team."
The Gateway CyberSpot Powered by AT&T allows anyone in the U.S. to record
a video message and e-mail it to an individual Olympian or an entire team,
free of charge. Creating a message is easy: just visit any Gateway store and
follow the simple instructions at the Gateway CyberSpot kiosk. In each store,
a listing of U.S. Olympic athletes will be posted, with local athletes
highlighted. Gateway representatives will be on hand at all kiosks to help if
needed. For a listing of all Gateway stores, visit http://www.gateway.com and click
on "Find a Store." Olympic fans also can go to http://www.att.com/olympics / to send
an e-mail message to an athlete.
In Salt Lake City, two Gateway CyberSpots Powered by AT&T (a total of
50 kiosks) are located inside the Olympic Village on the University of Utah
campus, where athletes are housed during the Games. Another Gateway
CyberSpot, with a total of 16 kiosks, is located at the Main Media Center in
downtown Salt Lake City where more than 9,000 journalists from around the
world are reporting on the Games. Each Gateway CyberSpot features
cutting-edge Gateway personal computers and high-speed broadband connectivity
provided by AT&T. Athletes can send and receive e-mail, access the Internet,
enjoy digital music and play interactive games.
About Gateway
Gateway, Inc. (NYSE: GTW), a personal technology company, improves
people's lives through a combination of the latest and best hardware,
communication tools, applications, training and service, all wrapped in a
custom financing package. The company takes a localized approach, utilizing
its Web site, call centers and nationwide network of Gateway retail stores to
build direct relationships with consumers, small and medium businesses and
government and education institutions. A Fortune 500(R) company founded in
1985, Gateway is ranked as the most admired American company in the Computers
and Office Equipment industry in a Fortune magazine survey (1) and is the top
brand in customer loyalty and for first-time home computer purchases of
Wintel-based PCs(2). For more information, visit Gateway's Web site at
http://www.gateway.com .
(1) Fortune Magazine, "America's Most Admired Companies,"
February 19, 2001.
(2) From the Harris Interactive Consumer TechPoll(SM) study of 140,000 PC
owners who use the Internet, released March 5, 2001.
About AT&T
AT&T ( http://www.att.com ) is among the world's premier voice, video and data
communications companies, serving consumers, businesses and government.
Backed by the research and development capabilities of AT&T Labs, the company
runs the world's largest, most sophisticated communications network and is the
largest cable operator in the U.S. The company is a leading supplier of data,
Internet and managed services for the public and private sectors, and offers
outsourcing, consulting and networking-integration to large businesses and
government. AT&T also is the market leader in consumer communications
services and operates AT&T WorldNet Service, a leading Internet access service
that has garnered several awards for outstanding customer service.
SOURCE Gateway, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.gateway.com
CONTACT:
Brad Williams, +1-858-848-2511,
brad.williams@gateway.com, or Greg Lund, +1-801-215-4741,
greg.lund@gateway.com, both of Gateway; or Erin Weinberg, AT&T,
+1-801-647-0570, erin@alantaylor.com
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