[Virgin Mobile and UTStarom introduce Virgin Mobile's first Bluetooth-enabled handset--the Super Slice--a trim candy bar style handset with a 3X zoom camera and measuring 0.4" deep.]

Warren, NJ and Hauppauge, NY -- Virgin Mobile USA customers will soon be feeling blue -- but for all the right reasons. That's because the no annual contract wireless network and handset supplier UTStarcom Personal Communications, a division of UTStarcom, Inc. (Nasdaq: UTSI - News), have introduced Virgin Mobile's first Bluetooth wireless technology-enabled handset -- the Super Slice.

The next generation of last year's highly popular Slice, this Super Slice is a trim, candy bar-style handset that boasts one of the country's slimmest profiles in the no annual contract wireless arena, at 0.4 inches thin. The Super Slice is also Virgin Mobile's first Bluetooth wireless technology- enabled handset, giving customers new levels of flexibility and convenience. Priced at an affordable introductory price of $59.99 and equipped with a VGA camera with 3x zoom and numerous other features, the Super Slice will be available in mid-September at Virgin Mobile's participating retail partners as well as online at www.virginmobileusa.com.

"Giving our customers new features that work for their lifestyle is always top-of-mind for our team. And Bluetooth wireless is one of the functions our customers were most interested in," said Dan Schulman, CEO of Virgin Mobile USA. "The combination of a super-light and super-thin profile, the flexibility of Bluetooth technology, the convenience of a 3X zoom camera, and a competitive price point make this new Super Slice another appealing offer for our entire base."

"Super Slice is not only practical and affordable, but also offers popular extras and a stylish look," said Philip Christopher, president of UTStarcom Personal Communications. "We believe this Virgin Mobile handset has ideal features for Virgin Mobile's more than 4.8 million customers. We are proud of this new update to the already popular Slice."

The Super Slice comes with pre-loaded games and is powered by a strong Lithium Ion battery with up to 270 minutes of continuous talk time (4.5 hours) and stand-by time of 230 hours. It measures just 0.4 inches deep with a height of 4.4" and width of 1.9" -- about the width of a standard business card. Super Slice is light on the pocket as well as the wallet, weighing a mere 2.5 ounces.

In addition to Bluetooth wireless technology, Super Slice has a built- in speaker phone for hands-free talking and can access Virgin Mobile's exclusive music information database, Headliner. The company's new dynamic and intuitive user interface is also on this new handset.

The Super Slice utilizes Qualcomm's CMX(TM)-enabled ring tones and screensavers, which support popular audio (MIDI, QCP, MP3, PMD, CMX) and image (PNG, JPG, GIF87, BMP) formats, all of which can be viewed on this new edition's bright display screen. Virgin Mobile customers can download an array of real-music ringtones, games, screensavers and more at www.virginmobileusa.com.

Virgin Mobile USA's national coverage is powered by the nationwide Sprint PCS network and the company, which launched in 2002, is a joint venture between Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group and Sprint Nextel. Virgin Mobile contributes 5% of profits from downloadable content to The RE*Generation, its pro-social initiative to help homeless teens, through donations to charitable partners or funding of programs that support and raise awareness for young people in need; and provides postage-paid return envelopes in every new package for customers to recycle old phones.

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