Evertek Invited to Speak at FCC Rural WISP Showcase;
Panel Discussion to Include Virtual Tour of Expedience™ Rural BWA Deployments
Minneapolis, MN and Everly, IA USA - September 17, 2003 -- NextNet Wireless, the industry's most widely deployed provider of non line-of-sight (NLOS) plug-and-play broadband wireless access systems, and rural telecommunications provider Evertek, Inc., announced today that Evertek has been invited to speak at the FCC Rural Wireless Internet Service Provider (WISP) Showcase, on November 4, in Washington D.C. Evertek will participate in a panel discussion entitled, "Technologies and Architectures: WISP Nuts & Bolts," and conduct a virtual tour of its Expedience™ NLOS deployments in several rural Iowa locations. Evertek and NextNet launched the industry's first commercial NLOS plug-and-play broadband services in Pocahontas, IA in December 2001. Today, Evertek has expanded commercial coverage to five additional rural markets, including Sheldon, LeMars, Kingsley, Holstein, and Ida Grove, IA, with populations ranging from 1,245 to 9,200. Evertek has achieved penetration rates of 18-25%
in each of the above locations, and plans further expansion into 8 new markets in the coming year. Evertek holds the MMDS (2.5-2.686GHz) BTAs for Mason City, Sioux City, and Fort Dodge, Iowa, with towers that extend coverage into Eastern Nebraska and South Dakota.
"I am looking forward to the Rural WISP Showcase and to presentations from wireless ISPs on how wireless technologies can make a significant and positive impact on rural communities," stated FCC Commissioner Michael J. Copps. "I hope to explore how to work with rural ISPs nationwide to encourage new, innovative and economic approaches to providing rural broadband services in the future," Copps added.
"We are honored to be invited to participate in this important event," stated Evertek General Manager Roxanne White. "We welcome the opportunity to share Evertek's experiences, technology, network architecture, business plan, and lessons learned, as we work with the FCC toward the goal of eliminating the digital divide in rural America," White added.
NextNet's Expedience™ NLOS broadband wireless system is an IP-based network that supports delivery of all IPcompatible broadband applications. These applications include the delivery of both voice and data services such as IP telephony and video streaming and conferencing. Expedience OFDM system products are available to address the needs of SOHO, SME, and MDU markets. The Expedience system is currently deployed in cities throughout Asia, Africa, North America, Latin America, Mexico and the Caribbean. The flexible OFDM-based platform delivers consistent broadband speeds across NLOS cell radiuses of up to 30 km, using indoor, plug-and-play (self-installable) subscriber units, as well as convenient outdoor (bracket-mount) NLOS subscriber units. The Expedience base station weighs just 16 kg, and mounts easily to a pole, tower, building rooftop or standard indoor rack.
About the FCC Rural WISP Showcase
For further information, please visit www.fcc.gov.
About Evertek
Evertek, Inc., founded in 1989, is a wholly owned subsidiary of United Farmer's Telephone Company, founded in 1914. Evertek holds the MMDS BTAs for Mason City, Sioux City, and Fort Dodge, Iowa with towers that extend coverage into Eastern Nebraska and South Dakota. Evertek is the industry's first service provider to deliver commercial NLOS plug-and-play broadband wireless services. They are the recipient of numerous Wireless Communications Association technical awards and has been an invited speaker at several international industry events. The company is headquartered in Everly, IA.
Contact: Chris Dodd, Marketing & Sales Manager; cdodd@evertek.net; Tel: 712-834-2255 or visit www.evertek.net.
About NextNet™ Wireless, Inc.
NextNet Wireless is the industry's most widely deployed provider of non-line-of-sight (NLOS) plug-and-play broadband wireless access systems. NextNet's OFDM-based Expedience™ system provides telecommunications carriers with turnkey solutions for rapid, low-cost deployment of high-speed, two-way voice and data services over the "last mile" of the communications network. The Expedience system is deployed in over 20 markets globally, including the world's largest NLOS plug-and-play deployment in Mexico, covering 70 million potential business and residential subscribers nationwide.
NextNet is the recipient of seven industry technical awards for delivering NLOS service to under-served urban, suburban and rural markets. NextNet's primary investors include Craig O. McCaw, DCM-Doll Capital Management, Enterasys (NYSE: ETS) (formerly Cabletron Systems), Globespan Capital Partners, Star Ventures and others. Contact: Barbara Heine, Director, Marketing Communications; heineb@nextnetwireless.com; Tel: 952-967-1116; Fax: 952-929-4080 or visit www.nextnetwireless.com.
