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BOCA RATON, FL—JULY 12, 2004 -- Airspan
Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: AIRN), a leading worldwide provider of
broadband fixed wireless DSL networks, announced today that it
has completed deliveries to Orbitel S.A. ESP of Colombia of an
internet access services network based on Airspan’s WipLL
platform.
Orbitel commenced operations in November 1998 as the first privately
owned company in Colombia to provide domestic and international
long-distance telecommunications services. It also supplies carrier
services and value added services to final clients. The Company’s
shareholders include major Colombian corporations such as Empresas
Públicas de Medellín, Organización Luis Carlos
Sarmiento Angulo, and Grupo Empresarial Bavaria. At present, Orbitel
is the leader in international, incoming and outgoing traffic
to Colombia, and second in the national long distance market.
In fiscal 2003 the Company reported EBITDA of $107.551 million
(approximately US$40 million) and net earnings of $50.005 million
(US$18 million), on net sales of $511.992 million (US$186 million),
an increase of 11.5% over 2002.
The network delivered to Orbitel will operate in the 2.4GHz and
5.8GHz frequencies. It will initially be used to connect business
and residential subscribers in five of Colombia’s largest
cities to the Orbitel data backbone network. Airspan has delivered
more than 400 customer premises radios and related infrastructure
for the network to Orbitel, and expects Orbitel to order more
subscriber radios in future to fully utilize the capacity of the
infrastructure.
Sergio Restrepo, Chief Technical Officer of Orbitel commented:
“We are very pleased to be able to continue to deploy Airspan’s
WipLL equipment in our internet access network. Since 2003, when
we first deployed WipLL, the technology has proven itself very
capable of providing solutions that can deliver competitive wireless
data solutions to compete both economically and technically with
traditional fixed solutions. We have found that Airspan’s
portfolio has the perfect balance of capabilities and economics.
Airspan’s strong commitment to the development of WipLL,
including the anticipated introduction of WiMAX in the near future,
has reinforced our decision to continue buying Airspan´s
products.”
“We are very pleased to continue to supply Orbitel, a very
experienced operator”, said Amit Ancikovsky, Airspan’s
Vice President and General Manager Latin America. "We expect
that with our strong value proposition of features and performance
coupled with our extensive broadband product line and WiMAX roadmap,
we will see continued cooperation between our companies over the
next two years.”
Airspan's ASWipLL platform is a low-cost high-performance Fixed
Wireless Access system designed to deliver high-speed data, Voice
over IP (VoIP) and multimedia services to residential, small business
and enterprise customers. ASWipLL is capable of delivering burst
data speeds of up to 4 Mbps (3.2Mbps net) to each customer. ASWipLL
introduces real-time adaptive modulation (2-, 4-, 8-level FSK)
and auto retransmission request (ARQ); features that offer high
quality services whilst maximizing spectrum utilization. ASWipLL
is available in both licensed bands (700 MHz, 2.5GHz, 2.7-2.9GHz
and 3.4-3.8GHz) and unlicensed bands (900MHz, 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz).
About Orbitel S.A. ESP
Orbitel is a competitive, agile, and innovative Company dedicated
to offering domestic and international telecommunications services
in Colombia. Orbitel is the only long distance Company administered
through a private management model in Colombia. During its nearly
five years of operations, Orbitel has reached high rates of growth,
both in income and profits, allowing the Company to increase its
value significantly and to be recognized as one of the fastest
growing companies in the Colombian telecommunications industry.
Orbitel has a modern system of circuits and packages and a huge
local and international transmission network, including shares
in the fiber optics cables Maya I and Arcos, a Standard A Satellite
Teleport, Points of Presence (PoPs) in the USA, and a redundant
fiber optic ring complemented with microwave links that guarantees
service across the country.
The Orbitel network ensures quality, capacity, safety, and speed
in communications to its clients. These, complemented with excellent
human resources always focused on superior service, has enabled
Orbitel to be recognized as the long distance Company in Colombia
with the highest levels of customer satisfaction and the market
leader in both residential and corporate service.
Orbitel has consolidated its position not only as the carrier
with the greatest percentage of outgoing long distance market
share in the main cities of the country - Nielsen, December 2003
- but also as the absolute leader in Colombia's inbound long distance
market.
More information about Orbitel can be found at http://www.orbitel.com.co
About Airspan Networks
Airspan Networks provides wireless voice and data systems and
solutions, including Voice Over IP, 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 continues to evolve its products toward the new 802.16d
IEEE standard, and is an active 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 http://www.airspan.com
This press release contains forward-looking
statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities
Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934. All statements, other than statements of historical facts,
including statements regarding our strategy, future operations,
financial position, future revenues, projected costs, prospects,
plans and objectives of management, may be deemed to be forward-looking
statements. The words "anticipates," "believes,"
"estimates," "expects," "intends,"
"may," "plans," "projects," "will,"
"would" and similar expressions are intended to identify
forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements
contain these identifying words. We may not actually achieve the
plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking
statements and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking
statements. There are a number of important factors that could
cause actual results or events to differ materially from the plans,
intentions and expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements
we make. These important factors include the factors that we identify
in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including
its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2003. You should read those factors as being applicable to all
related forward-looking statements wherever they appear in this
press release. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking
statements.
For Investment and Media Inquiries,
contact:
Peter Aronstam
Chief Financial Officer
Airspan Networks,
Inc.
Tel: +1 561 893-8682
Fax: +1 561 893-8671
Email: paronstam@airspan.com
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