CALGARY, Canada - October 18, 2002 - Wi-LAN Inc. (TSE:WIN), a global provider of broadband wireless communications products and technologies, has exceeded its 2002 target of establishing broadband wireless networks utilizing its W-OFDM based BWS products in twenty countries, the company announced today. The Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) performance of the BWS products has consistently surpassed customer expectations, increasing fixed wireless access subscriber coverage from conventional levels of 50% or less, to levels that can exceed 90%. Increased coverage directly translates into a viable fixed wireless access business model, with increased subscriber base, increased revenue, lower installation costs, and lower total cost of customer acquisition.
"Our highly reliable, field-proven Non-Line-of-Sight BWS product line has now been deployed in over twenty countries and on every continent except Antarctica," said Dr. Hatim Zaghloul, Chairman, President and CEO, Wi-LAN Inc. "The end-result of ten years of field-proven W-OFDM technology and experience, BWS demonstrates outstanding Non-Line-of-Sight performance even in very high density urban networks."
For most Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) systems, a direct visual line between the base station and the subscriber is required, and 90% service area coverage requires a high elevation antenna at the base station site and a flat terrain with no physical obstacles such as trees and tall buildings. In typical environments, approximately 50% of potential FWA subscribers cannot receive service because they do not have a line-of-sight to the base station. In more challenging environments, such as large cities, the coverage for most FWA systems may be reduced to as low as 30%. To overcome these coverage limitations with conventional systems, many additional base station sites must be introduced to cover the dark spots not reached by a single base station. BWS products, based on Wi-LAN's patented W-OFDM technology, overcome line-of-sight issues without the need for additional base stations sites, even in dense urban environments. They provide easy connectivity to customers that competitors' products cannot reach.
"We continue to be impressed by the unprecedented capabilities of Wi-LAN's BWS Series products," said Niklas Lindhe, Business Development Director - New Markets, Tele2 AB. "The OFDM technology solves many of the practical problems associated with Non-Line-of-Sight installations in the various European countries in which we have rolled out networks."
BWS Series products have been deployed in broadband point-to-point configurations, for network backhaul and connecting remote and central offices, and for point-to-multipoint cellular configurations. For service providers offering broadband wireless access, the BWS Series offers superior multipath robustness, outstanding non-line of sight (NLOS) performance and high spectral efficiency, which translates into more customers per cell-site, maximum usage of valuable licensed spectrum and higher effective data transmission rates. Operating at an unprecedented throughput of up to 192 megabits per second per six-sector cell, and with a transmission range up to an estimated 40 kilometers, Wi-LAN's BWS Series can be used in broadband access applications alone or in combination with wired alternatives. Using a cellular network design, Wi-LAN's solution can easily serve a growing customer base. Network cells can be expanded quickly and cost effectively. By starting small and expanding, network operators experience early profits.
Wi-LAN's BWS Series includes access points and customer premises equipment (CPE's). Existing CPE's are configured as indoor units that transmit at an intermediate frequency to outdoor radio units. The next generation of CPE's will be configured as an easy to install, weatherproof, single unit design, similar to Wi-LAN's 5.8 GHz Ultima3 product. The BWS 3000 Series, which includes the previously announced BWS 3500, is offered in 3.5 MHz, 7 MHz and 14 MHz channel widths, in various frequencies covering the worldwide 3.5 GHz licensed spectrum. The series meets the needs of service providers who have obtained spectrum licenses in more than 40 countries worldwide. Their high reliability makes them ideal for critical applications. BWS products for the 5.8 GHz license-exempt spectrum are under development, and products for other licensed and license-exempt frequencies are planned.
The current hardware is capable of supporting several generations of enhancement to the system software. Support for T1 and E1 voice networks in point-to-point configurations is available, and features such as quality of service, voice-over-IP, video services and additional network management features are being made available, as the market requires, via over-the-air software upgrades. Also, current products will have a migration path to future products based on the emerging IEEE 802.16a (North America) and ETSI BRAN HiperMAN (European and international) standards.
The W-OFDM Advantage
W-OFDM is a variation of OFDM that further improves its characteristics. The signal reception is corrected for distortions, allowing greater transmission speeds, and the signal is processed to maximize the range and multipath resistance. W-OFDM allows lower-power, multipoint radio frequency (RF) networks to be implemented, minimizing interference with adjacent networks.
W-OFDM effectively permits several independent channels to operate within the same frequency band, allowing multipoint networks and point-to-point backbone systems to be overlaid on one another. Less disruption of adjacent users and insensitivity to external noise means that high-speed multipoint data networks can be simply and rapidly deployed. These systems are tolerant of changes in the RF environment, limiting maintenance requirements, and the systems can be easily and economically expanded to meet the service provider's growing business.
About Wi-LAN Inc.
Wi-LAN is a global provider of broadband wireless communications products and technologies, specializing in high-speed Internet access, LAN/WAN extension and broadband wireless access. Wi-LAN's broadband wireless access products are known worldwide for their high quality and industry-leading technology. Wi-LAN believes its W-OFDM patent is necessary for the implementation of devices using the IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11g or ETSI BRAN HiperLAN/2 standards as well as the current drafts of the IEEE802.16a and ETSI BRAN HiperMAN proposed standards. Wi-LAN licenses its W-OFDM technology and has executed non-exclusive W-OFDM license agreements with semiconductor companies. Wi-LAN is the Chair Company of the OFDM Forum(www.ofdm-forum.com). Wi-LAN's common shares trade on The Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "WIN." Detailed information on Wi-LAN can be found at www.wi-lan.com.
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