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To: Bill Harmond who wrote (21554)	7/29/2004 11:55:02 AM
From: Logain Ablar	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 57684

Bill: All I can say is manufacturing is still going strong in the NE and job growth as well (while still @ low levels the job classifieds are running 15% over last year, or so i read). The financial companies in my area are doing fine (except Travelers with its merger with ST Paul and while most of the issues are with ST Paul the Hartford area in corporate has some fall out). Its these companies who buy the IT.

To: Bill Harmond who wrote (21554)	7/29/2004 4:33:31 PM
From: manny t	Respond to of 57684

AIRN, Airspan Networks to Supply WipLL Wireless Access Solutions to Comsat-led Consortium for Major COMPARTEL Project in Colombia -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thu Jul 29 16:13:00 2004 EST BOCA RATON, Fla., Jul 29, 2004 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Airspan Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq:AIRN), a leading worldwide provider of broadband fixed wireless DSL networks, announced today that it will supply its WipLL access solution and additional equipment and services to the Comsat International - America Inalambrica Consortium for the deployment of turnkey broadband internet access networks in Colombia. The Consortium announced yesterday that it had been awarded the three zones it had bid - Norocidental, Centro-Oriente and Costa Atlantica - in the COMPARTEL Connectivity project solicitation. The Colombian government, through COMPARTEL, conducted a competitive tender for the installation and operation of a turnkey telecommunications network which will provide broadband internet access to locations throughout the country. The tender called for bids on 5 designated zones, of which the Comsat-led Consortium bid on three. The Consortium bid an innovative combination of VSAT and WipLL technologies. COMPARTEL will pay the Consortium in excess of $20 million over five years as it builds and operates the networks. Airspan expects its share of those payments will exceed ten percent for its supply of equipment and services to the Consortium. The COMPARTEL Program is a six-year initiative to provide telecommunications access to public institutions in Colombia. The Project was divided into three phases to support Rural Telephony, Telecenters and Broadband Internet access. In particular, this third phase was designed to support Broadband Internet access for more than 3,700 sites throughout Colombia, of which approximately 2,300 sites are in the zones to be built by the Consortium. The project involves providing a high-speed Internet service together with access LAN support and PCs for local municipalities, schools, hospitals, and military sites. The Consortium will provide the access through state-of-the-art Broadband VSAT technology combined with Airspan's WipLL fixed wireless equipment to enhance the local coverage zones. Airspan anticipates initially that approximately one third of the sites in the three zones will be served by WipLL base stations and customer premise equipment, which will be installed over the next 18 months. The equipment will operate in the 900MHz and 2.4GHz frequencies. The VSAT equipment will be used to backhaul the traffic from most of the WipLL sites. The Consortium will have the ability to cover additional sites as the project is deployed, without having to go through further competitive bids. Airspan will also supply the UPS equipment to all sites, and directly or indirectly perform other integration and installation services. "This project is a fitting challenge to our technological and operational expertise," said Amit Ancikovsky, Airspan's Vice President and General Manager Latin America. "When completed, it will be the largest deployment in the region of wireless equipment in the last mile using VSAT as backhaul. We have done substantial work in integrating our WipLL platform with diverse VSAT technologies, and we are committed to support the Consortium in this project. It also adds to our other recent successes in Colombia, and establishes us as the de facto leader in the region's wireless IP space." "This is a major project win for Comsat International, and for the people of Colombia," said Comsat International President and CEO George M. Kappaz. "It is one of the largest broadband Internet projects ever tendered in Latin America, and we are thrilled that our comprehensive solution was deemed the best by Compartel. We are excited to have Airspan -- as our partner and regard Airspan's support as key to the success of this project. As part of the project we will roll-out the WipLL platform in hundreds of towns across Colombia, which will give us the capacity to provide further services at marginal additional investment in the network in the future." About Airspan Networks Inc. Airspan Networks provides wireless voice and data systems and solutions, including Voice Over IP (VoIP), to both licensed and unlicensed operators around the world in frequency bands between 700 MHz and 6 GHz, including both PCS and 3.5GHz international bands. Airspan has a strong product evolution roadmap that includes offerings compliant with the new 802.16-2004 standard, and with built-in 802.16e capability. Airspan is on the Board and a founder member of the WiMAX Forum. The Company has deployments with more than 200 operators in more than 70 countries. Airspan's systems are based on radio technology that delivers excellent area coverage, high security and resistance to fading. Airspan's systems can be deployed rapidly and cost effectively, providing an attractive alternative to traditional wired communications networks. Airspan also offers radio planning, network installation, integration, training and support services to facilitate the deployment and operation of its systems. Airspan is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida with its main operations center in Uxbridge, United Kingdom. More information on Airspan can be found at airspan.com