[BroadNet to Become Largest Broadband Wireless Operator in Germany Following Award of 42 Largest City Licenses]
Lucent Technologies Named Preferred Supplier for BroadNet's Wireless Broadband Access Network Throughout Europe
BroadNet and Lucent to deploy network across Western Europe by 2001
BONN, Germany --(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 26, 1999--BroadNet today named Lucent Technologies as its preferred technology partner in the rollout of its pan-European broadband wireless access network. Yesterday BroadNet was awarded 42 city licenses by Germany's regulator covering all the major financial centres, potentially making BroadNet Germany's second largest operator in the "local loop".
These are the first wireless broadband network licenses to be awarded in Europe. BroadNet plans to bid for licenses in up to 19 European markets. BroadNet plans to rollout its network in Germany with Lucent's support by the middle of 2000.
BroadNet, a pioneer wireless broadband access provider, intends to offer small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) high-speed, competitive, wireless access services in 19 European countries. Through its flexible bandwidth-on-demand ATM solution, BroadNet will provide wireless broadband capacity and promote applications that will revolutionise the way SMEs operate. Particular focus will be put on multi-media collaborative working tools such as videoconferencing, electronic commerce development and interactive customer support.
"BroadNet's vision is to bring broadband services - including voice, data, ATM, frame relay, and Internet access - within reach of the smaller enterprise," said Robert Condon, BroadNet's cofounder & CEO. "We're particularly targeting small to medium sized enterprises and home office markets. With Lucent we will help eliminate the bottleneck in the local loop and bring the information superhighway directly to the customer. The world-wide-wait is over."
Lucent is expected to provide BroadNet with a complete network covering the design, building and deployment of a pan-European wireless broadband access network, using end-to-end solutions from its portfolio of OnDemand(TM) wireless broadband, voice and data networking solutions. The project also calls for Lucent NetCare(R) Services - which include network planning, design and management - to assist BroadNet in business, network and radio-frequency planning; marketing research and project management. Lucent's NetCare portfolio can help BroadNet rapidly deploy services so they can start generating revenue. It can also evolve its networks to grow with customer demand.
"This is a big step forward in bringing choice to the local loop," said Eric van Amerongen, president and CEO, Lucent's, Europe, Middle East and Africa region. "OnDemand TM wireless network access solutions provide network operators the multiple benefits of incremental investment and time-to-market advantages in delivering high speed data and multimedia services."
Lucent's OnDemand(TM) wireless broadband access system uses radio microwave transmissions instead of fibre optic cables as a cost-effective means of delivering voice, high speed Internet and multimedia services to business customers. The technology is based on an advanced ATM cell technology over the air interface to make the most efficient use of the spectrum for today's and future broadband services. The network design meets the quality of service and reliability levels required by competitive access providers, with the additional benefit of overcoming the physical constraints of copper wires or costs of fibre installation in the "last kilometre" to the customer location.
"Wireless broadband access is a great investment opportunity in Europe where cable penetration is low due to costs and restrictions in build out," said Brian L. Roberts, president of Comcast Corporation. "This is therefore part of our wider broadband access strategy."
BroadNet, "the wireless broadband network", is 63% owned by Comcast International Holdings and based in Brussels, Belgium. BroadNet is committed to deploying and operating broadband wireless access networks throughout Europe, providing the business community with innovative and competitive telecommunication services in the local loop.
Comcast Corporation (http://www.comcast.com) is principally engaged in the development, management and operation of broadband cable networks and in the provision of content through principal ownership of QVC, Comcast-Spectacor and Comcast SportsNet, a controlling interest in E! Entertainment Television and through other programming investments. Comcast's Class A Special Common Stock and Class A Common Stock are traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbols CMCSK and CNCSA, respectively. |
