NEXTNET BRIDGES FIXED AND MOBILE BROADBAND ACCESS WITH ROADMAP FOR SIMULTANEOUS SERVICES
FCC Decision Critical to MMDS Future
Minneapolis, MN — October 2, 2001 — NextNet Wireless, developer of the
industry’s first NLOS broadband wireless access system, with indoor,
plug-and-play subscriber equipment, announced today that its Expedience™
fixed wireless platform is uniquely suited to carry wireless operators
from today’s portable fixed broadband access, to tomorrow’s
high-speed mobile broadband, using a common wireless network. The Expedience
system’s flexible OFDM-based architecture allows MMDS providers to
immediately deploy fixed wireless networks to compete with DSL and cable,
and to extend those networks in the future, to simultaneously support
mobile broadband applications, as new rules are developed, and demand
for mobile broadband access increases.
“The recent FCC decision confirming that incumbent MMDS licensees
will not be forced to relocate to other bands, allows U.S. MMDS carriers
to resume the process of building out their broadband wireless networks
to serve the untapped residential and small office/home office markets,”
stated Charles Riggle, NextNet vice president of marketing and business
development.
“We are excited that the FCC is not only protecting the MMDS carriers’
spectrum interests, but also, expanding the MMDS allocation to include
mobile broadband services,” Riggle added. “The FCC’s announcement
is right on-target with our Expedience product roadmap. The Expedience
platform already provides superior indoor NLOS portable broadband coverage,
and has been demonstrated to support mobile operation in recent technical
field trials. This unique roaming capability gives MMDS operators a first-to-market
advantage today, and a solid roadmap for achieving continued growth, as
market demand for mobile broadband data and voice services becomes widespread
in the coming years,” Riggle concluded.
NextNet is taking a leadership role in the creation of new operating rules
and service definitions for MMDS, in order to insure that the industry
is well positioned to compete in both the fixed and mobile access arenas.
Expedience is currently shipping for pilot deployments, with volume production
scheduled for the 3rd quarter of 2001.
About NextNet Expedience
NextNet Expedience is the industry’s first
NLOS broadband wireless access system, with indoor,
plug-and-play, portable subscriber equipment. The
Expedience platform offers service providers NLOS
performance, at the lowest total cost, without sacrificing
bandwidth to achieve broad coverage. It is the only
BWA system proven to consistently deliver 2 Mbps
speeds to end users, throughout non line-of-sight
cells of up to five miles in radius. The system’s
patented OFDM-based architecture provides the most
profitable platform for mass-market delivery of
portable broadband fixed wireless services today,
and a solid migration path for delivery of mobile
broadband services in the future.
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.
