AKRON, OH June 20-- Quatech, a leading supplier of data communication and acquisition products for PC-based systems, today announced it had joined the Bluetooth™ Special Interest Group (SIG) as an associate member, signifying Quatech's commitment to developing expertise in the emerging Bluetooth short-range wireless protocol.

The Associate Membership is offered to qualified companies that wish greater participation in defining the Bluetooth specifications. As an associate member, Quatech is eligible to join SIG technical working groups, expert groups, and marketing subgroups.

Early access to new developments in Bluetooth wireless technology will help Quatech design systems that tightly comply with standards for seamless communication with all Bluetooth enabled PCs and peripherals. Quatech is moving aggressively to support wireless connection for PC-based systems, including Bluetooth and 802.11-based technologies. The company's first Bluetooth products, to be released later this year, will enable OEMs, systems integrators, and average PC users to add Bluetooth wireless communication to PCs.

The Bluetooth standard is poised to free PCs and their peripherals from the need for cumbersome cable connections, by providing a low-cost, chip-based radio link for communications. The standard also extends wireless communication to LANs, mobile phones, digital cameras, and other handheld devices.

About Quatech: Quatech, Inc. is an ISO-9001 registered manufacturer of data communication and data acquisition products for Windows, Linux, and OS/2 based systems.  Its customer base includes Fortune 500 companies, government agencies and major universities, as well as many small companies and individual users involved in diverse industries including banking, aerospace, industrial monitoring and control, medical testing, automotive testing, and airport management; and in applications such as POS, ATM, and navigation.  Founded in 1983, and headquartered in Akron, OH, the company has a worldwide presence, selling its products through a network of North American sales representatives and international distributors.  Website: www.quatech.com.

##

Bluetooth and the Bluetooth logos are trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc., U.S.A. and licensed to Quatech, Inc.