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Airspan Networks Integrates Wi-Fi Technology Into Its Subscriber Terminals
Same Unit Can Provide Both Unlicensed Wireless LAN Solution And Licensed Frequency Service
SUNRISE, Fla., May 30, 2002 - Airspan Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: AIRN), a leading worldwide provider of broadband fixed wireless DSL
networks, today announced it has completed an integration of Wi-Fi (802.11b) Access Point technology with the licensed spectrum AS40xx series of products.
The integrated package is called the ST-W1 subscriber terminal.
With this new capability, operators using Airspan technology can provide wireless local networks for their customers, carrying back the Internet traffic from those
networks over their licensed frequency spectrum securely and reliably to a central point. Backhaul and network connectivity is one of the largest challenges facing
operators as they establish hot-spot wireless networks, and this solution provides a cost-effective way to combine the advantages of the low-cost, short-range,
increasingly ubiquitous Wi-Fi networks with Airspan's proven performance and economics for the final mile. By combining this new capability with the strong
voice and IP data capabilities of the current platform, the product set has become more marketable for Airspan and its customers. It also represents a first step for
Airspan in the emerging area of fixed/mobile network convergence.
"We're excited about this new application for Airspan," said Eric Stonestrom, president and chief executive officer. "These new subscriber terminals with Wi-Fi
have the potential of providing our customers with an additional competitive advantage, since they offer greater service revenue capability with very low marginal
cost. As an example, some of our current customers use our products to connect offices and cyber cafes, wiring together each workstation to the Airspan
subscriber terminal through a local area network. The new terminal would eliminate the wiring. Others operate mobile as well as fixed networks and are spending
increasing amounts of capital on mobile data applications. By minimizing the challenges of access-point interconnectivity and backhaul and reducing building wiring
and local area network requirements, this offering improves the total network economics for our customers. We believe that this offering positions Airspan well to
be a key part of current and future customer's emerging architectures."
Using this new product, which incorporates standards-based, off-the-shelf 802.11 access point equipment, Airspan's existing and future customers can capture a
larger base of end customers than are served by the traditional solution, adding the potential to serve nomadic data users also, in a cost effective way. An
additional application allows the use of a single ST-W1 terminal by a number of office workers in an enterprise setting, without the need for a separate local data
network or expensive interoffice wiring. IDC is forecasting cumulative average five-year growth rates of 33.5% in the number of Wi-Fi access points to be
deployed around the world. The ST-W1 offering would allow Airspan to share in this growth. This application has been trialed with a major UK carrier for
in-building distribution and Airspan is beginning an initial deployment of the campus application in June 2002.
This new offering is supplemented by the first commercial shipments of Airspan's Type 42 subscriber terminal, using a second generation Application Specific
Integrated Circuit (ASIC), which occurred in May. The combination of this higher-capacity subscriber unit with Wi-Fi increases speed and capacity further. The
ASIC has added many performance related features to the Airspan product, including adaptive modulation, spatial diversity, and a patented mode of high efficiency
data transmission. By combining the advantages of orthogonal encoding, space-time processing, and direct sequence CDMA, the new ASIC provides significant
performance improvements in the operating range and performance of the product, without the high costs associated with initial proprietary OFDM offerings by
other vendors. "Eventually the open standards being developed in IEEE 802.16 forum in the sub 10 GHz band will pay off in terms of harmonized components and
lower costs and we are an active participant in this process," says Andrew Middleton, Airspan's representative on the IEEE 802.16 committee. "In the meantime,
we are delivering a high-performance, low-cost product covering many aspects of the standard." The Type 42 ST is the first Airspan entree in the so-called
second-generation systems, increasing the attractiveness of broadband wireless access by reducing customer premise equipment prices, improving performance,
and simplifying installation.
About Airspan Networks
Airspan provides wireless DSL systems and solutions to operators around the world with licenses in frequency bands between 900 MHz to 4 GHz, including both
PCS and MMDS. The company has deployments with more than 90 operators in more than 45 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. More information on Airspan can be found at http://www.airspan.com
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