New wireless internet access services offered by JWEB. Very cool:
(COMTEX) B: (JWEB) Juno to Offer Wireless Broadband Internet Access T
B: (JWEB) Juno to Offer Wireless Broadband Internet Access Through Metricom;
Revolutionary High-Bandwidth Ricochet Technology Enables High-Speed Web Access
NEW YORK and LOS GATOS, Calif., Apr 10, 2000 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Juno Online
Services, Inc. (Nasdaq:JWEB) announced today that it will offer Metricom's
(Nasdaq:MCOM) revolutionary Ricochet mobile access solution to its millions of
subscribers nationwide, enabling Juno users to access the Internet via laptop or
portable computer from anywhere within the Ricochet coverage area -- even while
in transit.
Wireless access through Ricochet represents a new way for consumers to access
Juno Express(SM), Juno's recently launched high-speed broadband service. Juno
Express also offers DSL access through a relationship with Covad Communications.
Under the terms of its agreement with Metricom, Juno will become one of the
first Internet access providers to offer full Web access through the Ricochet
network. Initial deployment of Metricom's service is currently underway in 21
market areas covering 80 million people, with commercial availability scheduled
to begin in late summer. Metricom expects to grow Ricochet to cover 100 million
people by the summer of 2001. Users will be charged a flat-rate subscription fee
for the 128 Kbps service, with no roaming charges or other costs involved.
"We are excited to be working with Metricom to expand the ways our subscribers
can use Juno," said Charles Ardai, Juno's president and CEO. "Our goal is to
make it possible for anyone to access Juno anywhere, at a speed tailored to
their own requirements. This relationship is an important step toward that
objective. Ricochet opens the door to options never before available with
high-speed, always-on connections that let people break free from the confines
of a single location."
Ricochet will use a network of microcell radios that are typically attached to
streetlights or utility poles to deliver a mobile information solution at more
than twice the speed of a standard 56K dial-up connection. Users will simply
attach a small wireless modem to their laptop; the Ricochet radio network will
then detect and route signals coming from the laptop into its microcellular
meshed network, and then out to the Internet.
"Juno will be an important part of the Ricochet roll-out," said John Wernke,
Metricom's senior vice president for marketing and sales. "Juno has one of the
largest Internet audiences and a terrific reputation for reliability and speed,
two of the primary considerations we kept in mind through the more than 200
man-years of development that went into Ricochet's creation. The combination of
Ricochet's completely mobile access and Juno's popular Internet service is one
we think will excite a lot of people."
Ricochet's frequency-hopping technology, packet-switched networking, and mesh
architecture are designed for robustness and reliability, as well as a high
level of security for information traveling over the network. As a result of
this architecture, Ricochet will offer the fastest mobile wireless access
speeds, always-on connections, flat-rate pricing, no metered roaming fees, and
true mobility to 70 mph. At performance levels rivaling wired connections,
Ricochet will set you free from your desk.
About Metricom
Metricom, Inc. is a leading provider of mobile data networking and technology.
The Company's Ricochet service provides mobile professionals with
high-performance, cost-effective untethered access to the Internet, private
Intranets, local-area networks, e-mail and other online services. Metricom plans
to launch its new higher-speed Ricochet network, at the end of summer 2000,
ultimately deploying a network covering population of 100 million by the summer
of 2001. For more information, visit Metricom's Web site at
metricom.com.
About Juno
Juno Online Services, Inc. is a leading provider of Internet-related services to
millions of computer users throughout the United States. The company offers
several levels of service, ranging from basic dial-up Internet access -- which
is provided to the end user for free -- to high-speed broadband access
(currently being tested in selected markets). Juno's revenues are derived
primarily from the subscription fees charged for its billable premium services,
from the sale of advertising, and from various forms of electronic commerce.
Based on its total of 9.4 million registered subscriber accounts, Juno is
currently the world's largest provider of free dial-up Internet services, as
well as the second largest provider (after AOL) of dial-up Internet services
overall. The company had more than 3.0 million active subscribers during the
month of March, including more than 2.3 million active Web-enabled subscribers
and approximately 0.7 million who were able to use only Juno's original e-mail
service.
For more information about Juno, visit www.juno.com/corp. To get a free copy of
the Juno software, go to www.juno.com or call 800/TRY-JUNO.
Statements in this press release regarding Juno Online Services, Inc. that are
not historical facts are forward-looking statements and are subject to risks and
uncertainties that could cause such statements to differ materially from actual
future events or results. Any such forward-looking statements are made pursuant
to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. The following factors, among others, could cause Juno's actual results to
differ materially from those described in a forward-looking statement: limited
history of offering Juno's billable premium services and free basic service in
its current form; history of losses; failure to retain or grow Juno's subscriber
base; increasing competition from existing or new competitors; inability to
sustain current levels of subscriber acquisition or retention; failure of free
Web-enabled subscribers to actually make use of the Web and/or limited levels of
use by such subscribers; inability to successfully migrate free subscribers to,
or to retain subscribers in, Juno's billable premium services; increased
telecommunications costs resulting from the expansion of Juno's free basic
service; rapid technological change; possible unavailability of financing as and
if needed; decreases in the popularity of the Internet among consumers or as an
advertising medium; dependence on a limited number of vendors, including without
limitation Metricom, for the provision of the mobile service described in this
press release; dependence on strategic marketing alliances as a source of
revenues; inability to achieve substantial telecommunication cost reductions
over time; possible industry consolidation; and potential fluctuations in
quarterly and annual results. This list is intended to identify only certain of
the principal factors that could cause actual results to differ. Readers are
referred to the reports and documents filed by Juno with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, including the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed Feb. 15,
2000, for a discussion of these and other important risk factors.
Statements made in this press release regarding Metricom that are not historical
facts, including those related to future market conditions, future competitors,
future partners, market rollouts and future technology, are forward looking and
are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties that may
cause results to differ materially from those set forth in these statements.
Among other things, additional competition from existing and future competitors
may impact the market. Projections of market size, partners, market acceptance,
technological rollout and competition are estimated based on preliminary
information as well as certain assumptions which management believes to be
reasonable at this time. In addition to the factors set forth elsewhere in this
press release, the economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other
factors identified in Metricom's filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission could affect the forward looking statements contained in this press
release.
Note to Editors: Metricom and Ricochet are registered trademarks of Metricom,
Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Distributed via COMTEX.
Copyright (C) 2000 Business Wire. All rights reserved.
-0-
CONTACT: Metricom, Los Gatos
Jeannie Slone, 408/399-8136
jslone@metricom.com
metricom.com
or
Juno Online Services, New York
Becky Yeamans, 212/597-9005
pr@support.juno.com
KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA NEW YORK
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: NETWORKING
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
INTERNET
SOFTWARE
PRODUCT
MARKETING
AGREEMENTS
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