MILLICOM ARGENTINA, ALVARION AND INTEL JOIN FORCES TO LAUNCH THE FIRST WIMAX™ NETWORK IN LATIN AMERICA
The network will provide broadband access to urban and rural zones as well
as underdeveloped areas that currently lack cable or ADSL services.
Buenos Aires, Argentina and Tel-Aviv, Israel, July 6, 2004 - Millicom
Argentina, the main provider of wireless network solutions such as
broadband, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), Voice over IP (VoIP) and Wi-Fi,
proudly announces together with Alvarion (NASDAQ: ALVR) and Intel, the
launch of the first WiMAX™ network in Latin America, to be held during the
months of September to December 2004.
In the world of broadband wireless access technologies, WiMAX is the result
of a natural evolution and standardization of the Alvarion technology that
Millicom has been using in Argentina since the year 2000. The main benefits
of the WiMAX technology are greater broadband, quality of service and down
the road, mobility within the metropolitan area or within a radius of 30
km., with no loss of connection whatsoever at speeds of over 2MB/sec.
WiMAX antennas are capable of transmitting high-speed connections for
Internet to businesses and homes located at long distances. Thus,
eliminating cable connections in buildings and offices to access voice
services or the Internet.
“The WiMAX technology will enable real wireless mobility. In other words, it
will give us the freedom to use our laptops or PDAs to access the Internet
or transmit voice with greater capacity and better quality of service than
other current options”, expressed Luis Galli, General Manager of Millicom
Argentina. “It is fundamental to be at the forefront in the development of
wireless access solutions. To work together with Intel and Alvarion, main
providers of wireless solutions and WiMAX worldwide, guarantees our success
and strengthens our position in the market and the compromise assumed with
our customers in 2003, by creating a more ample and innovative national
broadband wireless network in Argentina with presence in over 40 cities”.
Esteban Galuzzi, General Manager of Intel for the South America region
highlighted: “Intel’s vision is one in which laptops and PDAs, or any other
digital device, can communicate with one another, wherever they might be.
WiMAX is the natural evolution of Wi-Fi because with this new technology of
broader reach, we could access the Internet from any place with the same
simplicity and convenience benefits the cell phones have today”.
Alvarion’s BreezeMAX ™ WiMAX Platform will be launched in urban, suburban
and rural areas in Argentina. BreezeMAX is a high-performance broadband
wireless solution built from the ground up to comply with IEEE 802.16/ETSI
HiperMAN standards and WiMAX Forum profiles.
“In the culmination of Alvarion’s decade of BWA technological leadership,
its founding role in the WiMAX Forum, and its WiMAX development partnership
with Intel, BreezeMAX incorporates core wireless innovations and leverages
Alvarion’s several years of experience deploying OFDM systems in commercial
broadband wireless access (BWA) networks,” commented Zvi Slonimsky, CEO of
Alvarion.
BreezeMAX is a carrier-class platform that can support thousands of users
while supporting numerous broadband applications from residential to
business, MDU/MTU, hotspot backhauling and home networking.
About Millicom Argentina
Millicom Argentina initiated activities in the year 2000 with the help of
Sociedad Comercial del Plata, incorporating in the market network wireless
solutions: Broadband Internet, Virtual Private Networks (VPN), Voice over IP
(VoIP) and Wi-Fi. Today, they have successfully installed equipment in
several main corporations with over 6400 active customers. Their customers
keep adding up, looking for innovative products which they can trust. Their
main customers are Petrobras, Repsol-YPF, Cisco Systems, Productos Roche,
Supermercados Coto, Barujel Azulay, Western Union, Aerol?neas Argentinas,
Pulte, Bed Time, TGN (Transportadora Gas del Norte), Musimundo, Pecom
Energ?a, TGS (Transportadora Gas del Sur), Village Cinema, La Caja de
Ahorros y Seguros, Banco Credicoop, Sion, Impsat, Prima, Netizen, Techtel,
Leader Price, Maxiconsumo, Red Megatone, Havanna, Pago F?cil, Cencosud among
others.
To get more information about Millicom and their solutions, please visit
www.millicom.com.ar or call 0810-810-1000 / 011-40028100.
About Intel:
Intel, the largest manufacturer of computer chips in the world, is also the
leader in the manufacture of computers, networks and communications. For
more information, visit www.intel.com.
About Alvarion:
With over 2 million units deployed in 130 countries, Alvarion is the
worldwide leader in wireless broadband providing systems to carriers, ISPs
and private network operators. Featuring the industry's most extensive
portfolio and covering the full range of frequency bands, the company's
products enable the delivery of business and residential broadband access,
corporate VPNs, mobile base station feeding, Hotspot coverage extension,
community interconnection, and public safety communications. Alvarion works
with several leading OEM providers and through over 200 local partners to
support its diverse customer base in solving their last mile connection
challenges wherever located.
As an industry pioneer, Alvarion has been driving and delivering wireless
broadband innovations for over 10 years from core technology developments to
creating and promoting industry standards. Most recently offering OFDM-based
systems and taking leading roles in the IEEE, HiperMAN standards and the
company's prominent work in the WiMAX Forum™ which is focused on leading the
wireless broadband market to widespread adoption of standards-based
products.
For more information, visit Alvarion's World Wide Web site at
www.alvarion.com
This press release contains forward -looking statements within the meaning
of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. These statements are based on the current expectations or
beliefs of Alvarion’s management and are subject to a number of factors and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those described in the forward -looking statements. The following factors,
among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those
described in the forward-looking statements: inability to further identify,
develop and achieve success for new products, services and technologies;
increased competition and its effect on pricing, spending, third-party
relationships and revenues; as well as the in ability to establish and
maintain relationships with commerce, advertising, marketing, and technology
providers and other risks detailed from time to time in filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
Information set forth in this press release pertaining to third parties has
not been independently verified by Alvarion and is based solely on publicly
available information or on information provided to Alvarion by such third
parties for inclusion in this press release. The web sites appearing in this
press release are not and will not be included or incorporated by reference
in any filing made by Alvarion with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
which this press release will be a part of.
You may request Alvarion's future press releases or a complete Investor Kit
by contacting
Carmen Deville, Investor Relations: carmen.deville@alvarion.com or
+1-760-517-3188.
Investor Contacts:
Dafna Gruber, CFO
+972 3 645 6252
760-517-3187
dafna.gruber@alvarion.com
Carmen Deville
760-517-3188
carmen.deville@alvarion.com
Press Contact:
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972.998.7480
dguitteau@golinharris.com
