NextNet and Evertek Expand Plug-and-Play Broadband Wireless System to Five New Markets, Covering Over 19,000 Subscribers
Growth Fueled by Reliable Service and Profitable Business Model
Minneapolis, MN and Everly, Iowa, USA - Nov. 11, 2002 -- NextNet Wireless, the industry leader in commercially deployed NLOS broadband wireless access systems, and MMDS Service Provider Evertek, Inc., announced today that they have expanded NextNet's NLOS Expedience™ broadband wireless access system across five new Iowa markets, since launching the world's first NLOS deployment in Pocahontas, IA last December. The Evertek expansion covers over 19,000 subscribers in Sheldon, LeMars, Kingsley, Holstein, and Ida Grove, IA, where service is currently being offered. 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.
"Evertek is currently delivering NLOS plug-and-play, high-speed Internet access to thousands of residential and business subscribers across the State of Iowa," stated Evertek General Manager Roxanne White. "We are thrilled to report such rapid market expansion during our first 10 months of NLOS broadband wireless deployments." Chris Dodd, Evertek Sales and Marketing Manager stated, "The outstanding performance of the Expedience system has created a unique opportunity for growth, expansion, and a rapid return on our investment, in less than one year. We couldn't be more pleased," Dodd concluded.
"I promised Evertek and the citizens of Pocahontas, during a town meeting last spring, that NextNet would not forget where it came from, if we were fortunate enough to win a pending contract for the world's largest NLOS deployment in Mexico. We won that contract 30 days later, and went on to deploy 10 new international markets during 2002, stated NextNet CEO Guy Kelnhofer. "Today, I am pleased to report that Evertek and NextNet continue to hold the U.S. lead in NLOS broadband wireless deployments, and we look forward to expanding even further on that lead in 2003," Kelnhofer concluded.
The Expedience system is currently deployed in Asia, Africa, the U.S. and Central and Latin America, including the world's largest NLOS deployment in Mexico, covering 67 million subscribers. The Expedience system provides wireless carriers with proven superiority in the critical areas of coverage, capacity and capital cost, allowing for rapid penetration into the untapped business and residential markets. NextNet's 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.
About Evertek, Inc.
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 successfully deploy next-generation (NLOS) broadband wireless access services. The company is headquartered in Everly, IA.
About NextNet Wireless
NextNet Wireless is a privately held company, and developer of the industry's first and world's largest commercially deployed NLOS broadband wireless access system with plug-and-play subscriber equipment. NextNet's OFDM-based Expedience platform is provides 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 Expedience system delivers broadband wireless access services over MMDS (2.5-2.686 GHz) frequencies, offering wireless carriers a highly profitable solution to compete with DSL and cable modems.
NextNet's primary investors include DCM-Doll Capital Management, Enterasys (NYSE: ETS) (formerly Cabletron Systems), Green Ventures, Globespan Capital Partners, Star Ventures and others.
