quote.bloomberg.com
Comcast to Build Wireless Network in
Portugal, Paper Says
Philadelphia, Oct. 28 (Bloomberg) -- Comcast Corp. won the
right Tuesday to develop a wireless voice and data network in
Portugal, the Philadelphia Inquirer said. Belgium-based BroadNet,
a company which Comcast owns 63 percent of, will work with Lucent
Technologies Inc. to develop a wireless system throughout Europe.
Comcast won a similar contract in August to develop a network in
Germany, which is expected to cost $1 billion, the paper
reported.
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
FOR RELEASE THURSDAY AUGUST 26, 1999
BONN, Germany - 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 OnDemandTM wireless broadband, voice and data networking solutions. The project also calls for
Lucent NetCare® 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. "OnDemandTM 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 OnDemandTM 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 (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.
Lucent Technologies designs, builds and delivers a wide range of public and private networks, communications systems and software, data networking
systems, business telephone systems and microelectronic components. Bell Labs is the research and development arm for the company. For more
information visit Lucent's website at lucent.com. |
