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BOCA RATON, FLJULY 29, 2004 -- Airspan
Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: AIRN),a leading worldwide provider of
broadband fixed wireless DSL networks, announced today that it
will supply its WipLL access solution and additional equipment
and services to the Comsat International - America Inalambrica
Consortium for the deployment of turnkey broadband internet access
networks in Colombia.
The Consortium announced yesterday that it had been awarded the
three zones it had bid -Norocidental, Centro-Oriente and Costa
Atlantica - in the COMPARTEL Connectivity project solicitation.
The Colombian government, through COMPARTEL, conducted a competitive
tender for the installation and operation of a turnkey telecommunications
network which will provide broadband internet access to locations
throughout the country. The tender called for bids on 5 designated
zones, of which the Comsat-led Consortium bid on three. The Consortium
bid an innovative combination of VSAT and WipLL technologies.
COMPARTEL will pay the Consortium in excess of $20million over
five years as it builds and operates the networks. Airspan expects
its share of those payments will exceed ten percent for its supply
of equipment and services to the Consortium.
The COMPARTEL Program is a six-year initiative to provide telecommunications
access to public institutions in Colombia. The Project was divided
into three phases to support Rural Telephony, Telecenters and
Broadband Internet access. In particular, this third phase was
designed to support Broadband Internet access for more than 3,700
sites throughout Colombia, of which approximately 2,300 sites
are in the zones to be built by the Consortium. The project involves
providing a high-speed Internet service together with access LAN
support and PCs for local municipalities, schools, hospitals,
and military sites. The Consortium will provide the access through
state-of-the-art Broadband VSAT technology combined with Airspans
WipLL fixed wireless equipment to enhance the local coverage zones.
Airspan anticipates initially that approximately
one third of the sites in the three zones will be served by WipLL
base stations and customer premise equipment, which will be installed
over the next 18 months. The equipment will operate in the 900MHz
and 2.4GHz frequencies. The VSAT equipment will be used to backhaul
the traffic from most of the WipLL sites. The Consortium will
have the ability to cover additional sites as the project is deployed,
without having to go through further competitive bids. Airspan
will also supply the UPS equipment to all sites, and directly
or indirectly perform other integration and installation services.
This project is a fitting challenge to our technological
and operational expertise, said Amit Ancikovsky, Airspans
Vice President and General Manager Latin America. When completed,
it will be the largest deployment in the region of wireless equipment
in the last mile using VSAT as backhaul. We have done substantial
work in integrating our WipLL platform with diverse VSAT technologies,
and we are committed to support the Consortium in this project.
It also adds to our other recent successes in Colombia, and establishes
us as the de facto leader in the regions wireless IP space.
This is a major project win for Comsat International, and
for the people of Colombia, said Comsat International President
and CEO George M. Kappaz. It is one of the largest broadband
Internet projects ever tendered in Latin America, and we are thrilled
that our comprehensive solution was deemed the best by Compartel.
We are excited to have Airspan - as our partner and regard
Airspans support as key to the success of this project.
As part of the project we will roll-out the WipLL platform in
hundreds of towns across Colombia, which will give us the capacity
to provide further services at marginal additional investment
in the network in the future.
About Airspan Networks
Airspan Networks provides wireless voice and data systems and
solutions, including Voice Over IP (VoIP), 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 has a strong product evolution roadmap that includes
offerings compliant with the new 802.16-2004 standard, and with
built-in 802.16e capability. Airspan is on the Board and a founder
member of the WiMAX Forum. The Company has deployments with more
than 200 operators in more than 70 countries. Airspans systems
are based on radio technology that delivers excellent area coverage,
high security and resistance to fading. Airspans 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
About Comsat International, Inc.
Comsat International, Inc. provides local, national and pan-regional
network services and solutions for more than 1,500 enterprise
and service-provider customers over modern, integrated terrestrial
and satellite network facilities throughout Latin America. It
has offices and facilities in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa
Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras,
Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Panama, and Venezuela, and has gateways
interconnect points in the USA. It also provides services via
terrestrial and satellite links to Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and
Uruguay. Comsat also has an operation providing communications
services in Turkey, as well as to the Middle East, and parts of
Europe, Asia and Africa. In addition, the company operates over
2,000 square meters of data center space and teleport collocation
space throughout the region. Comsat International, Inc. is headquartered
in McLean, Virginia USA.
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 or negative variations
thereof 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.
Investors and others are therefore cautioned that a variety of
factors, including certain risks, may affect our business and
cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth
in the forward-looking statements. These risk factors include,
without limitation, (i) a slowdown of expenditures by communication
service providers; (ii) increased competition from alternative
communication systems; (iii) the failure of our existing or prospective
customers to purchase products as projected; (iv) our inability
to successfully implement cost reduction or containment programs;
(v) a loss of any of our key customers; (vi) our ability to retain
the largest existing customer of Nortel Networks fixed wireless
business; (vii) our ability to continue to sell the existing inventory
of Nortel Networks fixed wireless business on purchase terms
and conditions comparable to those currently utilized, and (viii)
specific to this press release, Airspans ability to successfully
integrate WipLL with VSAT technology; the Consortiums ability
to deploy and operate the network; and COMPARTELs ability
to pay for the services provided on the network. The Company is
also subject to the risks and uncertainties described in its 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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