Alvarion (Nasdaq: ALVR; TASE: ALVR), provider of broadband solutions and specialized mobile networks, has announced that T-Com, the fixed line unit of Deutsche Telekom, has commenced a field trial of WiMAX technology to serve approximately 100 customers with broadband services who were previously unreachable by traditional DSL services using Alvarion's BreezeMAX 3500 system.
The trial is based on regulatory testing licenses. T-Com's DSL service is one of the largest broadband networks in Europe with more than six million and seven hundred thousand small business and residential customers.
T-Com is also known for its progressive approach in working with the latest technologies.
For the duration of the trial, which is scheduled to run until the end of March 2006, Alvarion's BreezeMAX base stations have been deployed in Swisttal and St. Augustin near Bonn, Germany, to provide wireless broadband services. This testing stage is part of an overall corporate evaluation of WiMAX technology that T-Com has been conducting, including extensive testing of BreezeMAX in the T-Com's Innovation Labs in Darmstadt.
Siemens, Alvarion's long time broadband wireless partner, is serving as system integrator and maintenance supplier.
Worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) is a wireless alternative to cable and DSL technologies for last mile broadband access and can also be used to connect 802.11 (WiFi) hotspots to the Internet. Based on the IEEE 802.16 wireless broadband standard, WiMAX provides long service range distances, typically up to 30 km, and supports connectivity without a direct line of sight to a base station.
BreezeMAX is Alvarion's WiMAX-ready platform that uses OFDM technology for advanced non-line-of-sight (NLOS) functionality and is designed for operators to offer broadband IP-based data and voice services. Its carrier-class design supports broadband speeds and quality of service (QoS) to enable carriers to offer multiple services to thousands of subscribers in a single base station. Designed from the ground up according to the IEEE 802.16-2004 standard, the platform serves as a base for Alvarion's future mobile solution targeted towards the emerging IEEE 802.16e standard for mobile broadband services.
Alvarion today further announced the commercial availability of BreezeMAX PRO, a WiMAX-ready, cost effective customer premises equipment (CPE) that uses the Intel PRO/Wireless 5116 broadband interface chip. The joint development between Alvarion and Intel commenced in 2003.
After successful beta trials, Alvarion stated that it is now filling orders for the BreezeMAX PRO in volume production quantities for commercial deployments.
BreezeMAX PRO is the first commercially available subscriber unit to use the new Intel WiMAX chip. Alvarion stated that today's announcement marked another major industry milestone in moving toward the widespread adoption of WiMAX standard products.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on Wednesday, September 07, 2005