Alvarion wins US$7 million WiMAX deal in Nigeria

Details: Category: Consumer Ecosystems; 01 July 2009; 9772 views

Although initially to be rolled out in Nigeria's key cities, Alvarion's US$7 million contract to bring WiMAX to Nigeria will offer voice and high-bandwidth data services to thousands of residences and businesses...

Using Alvarion's BreezeMAX solution in the 2.0 GHz, 2.2 GHz and 2.3 GHz frequency bands, Mobitel will begin to offer voice and high-bandwidth data services to thousands of residences and businesses nationwide, with the key cities of Lagos, Port-Harcourt, Warri and Abuja being start-points.

Initial rollout of the WiMAX network is planned for 3Q09, with 20,000 subscribers expected on the network during initial launch. Alvarion will also provide a range of professional services including system integration, network deployment, field maintenance, configuration, training and local support services to ensure successful delivery of the network.

"This is a great opportunity for Mobitel to bring broadband services to remote parts of the country. The use of WiMAX technology together with our existing fixed line network allows us the possibility to offer converged services to our customers," said Johnson Salako, President of Mobitel.

He continued, "WiMAX provides a very good business case to roll out broadband infrastructure with a much lower upfront investment when compared to other technologies available in the market. Given our ambitious goal for Nigeria, we need a strong and reliable partner with a proven track record to ensure our success and we believe Alvarion is best suited to accomplish this."

During the second phase of the project, Mobitel and Alvarion will expand coverage to 18 other states in the country, including Kano, Kaduna, Oyo and Edo. The current population of Nigeria is estimated at 150 million people in 66 provinces with a very low Internet penetration rate of less than 1%.

Tzvika Friedman, President and CEO of Alvarion, declared, "Being selected by an innovative operator like Mobitel is another proof of Alvarion's strength in emerging markets as we continue to focus on abundant opportunities in these under-served regions. Our proven WiMAX solution and feature rich offering will enable a sound business case for Mobitel to bring advanced broadband services to consumers and businesses in Nigeria."

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