Former McCaw Cellular and NEXTLINK Executives Launch Burst Wireless to Provide Completely Portable, Broadband Internet Access Solution
SEATTLE, Jun 26, 2000 (BUSINESS WIRE) --
The Company Receives an Experimental License From the FCC
Burst Wireless, Inc., founded by telecommunications veterans from McCaw Cellular and NEXTLINK Communications, announced it will introduce its completely portable, broadband Internet access solution to computer users by mid-year 2001.
The company also announced it has obtained an experimental license from the FCC to commence field trials on Washington's Olympic Peninsula this summer.
With an execution oriented management team that includes George Tronsrue as chairman and chief executive officer, most recently the president and COO of NEXTLINK Communications, Mark Hamilton, former president of international development and operations at AT&T Wireless Services, who serves as vice chairman, David Hsiao formerly of Nextel International who is the company's co-founder, Richard Compton from Lucent Technologies, Mark Schultz, a former senior vice president at AT&T Wireless Services, Inc., Steven Pollis, a former vice president at NEXTLINK Communications, Inc. and Susan Salazar, former chief people services officer for NEXTLINK Communications, Inc., Burst Wireless is leading the development of a new and unique industry segment of fast, portable Internet access.
"Burst will provide freedom and control to Internet users -- the biggest thing to hit the Internet or wireless industry since taking the stationary cell phone out of the car and putting it into people's hands," said Burst Wireless CEO and telecommunications industry veteran George Tronsrue.
Burst Wireless will provide facilities-based services, offering portable broadband access to residential and small commercial customers throughout the United States. The company's approach will utilize a "plug and play" wireless modem that allows computer users to access the Internet anywhere within the company's service area. Burst will bridge the "digital divide" to those who cannot be served by other broadband services and provide a differentiated service to those dissatisfied with their current access methods.
"Burst Wireless will revolutionize the way people connect to the Internet by combining existing and innovative technologies," said Tronsrue.
The field trials will take place in Port Angeles, Washington. Burst Wireless will utilize a specially designed truck containing base station equipment to handle wireless signals and network traffic. The trials will also validate deployment, user provisioning and customer experience.
"We are taking proven technology from the lab and building an operational system in the field to demonstrate our unique solution," said Richard Compton, chief technical officer for Burst. "We believe our trial users will enjoy the value of complete Internet portability, making it difficult for them to imagine being tethered to a single location."
Telecommunications industry veterans and the Mayfield Fund founded Burst Wireless in mid-1999. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, Burst Wireless will provide broadband wireless Internet access to laptop and desktop computer users who seek greater portability without compromising on the range and reliability of their Internet connection.
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