NEXTNET WIRELESS ANNOUNCES BROADBAND WIRELESS FIELD TRIAL WITH INUKSHUK INTERNET INC.
BROAD NON-LOS COVERAGE, PORTABILITY, AND EASE OF INSTALLATION PROVIDES
FRAMEWORK FOR EXPEDIENCE™ SYSTEM ROLLOUTS
Minneapolis, MN — June 25, 2001 — NextNet Wireless, developer
of the industry's first non-line-of-sight
broadband wireless access system, with indoor, user-installable customer
premise equipment, announced today that it is conducting field trials
of its Expedience™ non-LOS system with Inukshuk Internet Inc., a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Microcell Telecommunications Inc.(TSE: MTI.B; NASDAQ: MICT).
The Montreal field trial is a key effort toward Inukshuk's planned commercial
rollout, which is aimed at providing Multipoint Communications Systems
(MCS) services at 2.5 GHz in twelve regions of Canada.
Technical and marketing trials of the Expedience system are being conducted
by Inukshuk in several targeted areas of metropolitan Montreal. As part
of the marketing trial, both residential and small office/home office
subscribers will test portable high-speed wireless Internet access services
that promise to compete effectively with those of cable modem and xDSL
providers. The technical trial includes tests that are being conducted
to validate non-LOS coverage, immunity to interference, and throughput
performance of the broadband wireless access platform.
"NextNet is very pleased to be working with Inukshuk to prove out
their broadband wireless business proposition," stated Charles Riggle,
NextNet vice president of marketing and business development. "The
multi-cell field trial highlights the strengths of the Expedience platform,
which features a broad non-LOS coverage area per cell — out to five miles
— and a portable, plug-and-play, broadband wireless access modem,"
Riggle added. "This not only means that more users can enjoy robust
in-building performance, but also that carriers like Inukshuk will benefit
from lower network infrastructure costs and faster return on investment,"
Riggle concluded.
The Expedience system features:
— Broad Non-LOS Coverage - out to 5 miles
— Low infrastructure costs
— Self-Installed, portable BWA modem - supports roaming
— 1.5Mbps data throughput per user
— 1:1 Frequency re-use for greater spectral efficiency
NextNet Expedience is currently shipping for pilot deployments, with volume
production scheduled for the 3rd quarter of 2001.
About NextNet Wireless
NextNet Wireless is a privately held company that develops non-line-of-sight
broadband wireless access platforms that provide telecommunications carriers
with solutions for rapid deployment of high-speed, two-way voice and data
services over the "last mile" of the communications network.
The Company's end-to-end Expedience™ system enables wireless service
providers to deliver low-cost, converged services to small office/home
office and residential subscribers over a single multi-service network.
The Expedience platform is currently available for the MMDS (2.5 to 2.686
GHz) band, and its patented technology is being leveraged to address other
frequency bands and wireless applications under 6 GHz.
NextNet's primary investors include Cabletron Systems, Inc. (NYSE: CS),
DCM-Doll Capital Management, Globespan Capital Partners, Star Ventures, ZAMBA Corporation
(NASDAQ: ZMBA), and others.
For more information on NextNet Wireless, contact: Barbara Heine, Director of Marketing Communications; heineb@nextnetwireless.com;
Telephone: 952-967-1116; Fax: 952-929-4080 or visit
www.nextnetwireless.com.
