Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Nextel Takes Wireless Broadband Trial Commercial

From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2004 20:38:45 -0400

Nextel Takes Wireless Broadband Trial Commercial 
By Susan Rush
April 14, 2004
news@2 direct

Less than two months after launching its wireless broadband trial in 
Raleigh/Durham, N.C., Nextel Communications has doubled its coverage 
area and is kicking off phase II of the trial by offering individual 
customers the chance to buy the service.

Nextel first launched its fourth-generation wireless broadband 
trial, which makes use of Flarion Technologies' nonstandard FLASH-
OFDM technology, in February. The service offers typical downlink 
speeds of up to 1.5 megabits per second and typical uplink speeds of 
375 kilobits per second. Downlink burst rates of up to 3 Mbps can be 
obtained, while uplink burst rates can reach 750 kbps. The speed of 
the wireless service makes it comparable to DSL and cable modem 
rates. "Much like how wireless phones began replacing landline 
phones once performance became similar, we expect much greater 
demand for wireless broadband service now that speeds are comparable 
to DSL and cable broadband connections," IDC's program director 
wireless and mobile communications Scott Ellison says.

Nextel's expanded service area covers 1,300 square miles, double the 
coverage area when the trial was first launched. Service is now 
being offered in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and other surrounding 
neighborhoods. Nextel will continue to conduct the trial with 
employees of its large enterprise customers Nortel Networks, Cisco 
Systems and IBM, but it also will begin offering the service 
commercially to individual consumers. 

"This was an expansion that follows several initial successes, 
including network speed, performance and customer response," a 
Nextel spokesman tells news@2. "We will continue to offer the trial 
to the people in the first phase, including Nortel, Cisco and IBM 
employees. The second phase will bring the service to people who 
live and work in the coverage area," he says.

Customers who decide to subscribe to the service will pay a monthly 
rate of between $34.99 and $74.99 a month, depending on the plan. 
Nextel is currently offering four different rate plans that deliver 
varying downlink and uplink speeds. To entice customers to take the 
service for a spin, Nextel is touting an introductory offer that can 
save customers up to $175. The promotion includes 50 percent off the 
first two full months of service and a $50 PC card or modem.  

Despite moving to the next phase of its trial, Nextel remains 
focused on its initial market. "We haven't made any plans at this 
point to move beyond North Carolina," the Nextel spokesman says.

Brokerage firm Schwab Soundview reiterated its coverage of Nextel 
at "outperform" and its price target at $33. As of mid-day EDT, 
Nextel shares were down 42 cents to $24.33.

http://www.wirelessweek.com/index.asp?layout=document&doc_id=132542&verticalID=34&vertical=Business+and+Finance&industry=

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2004 21:42:29 EDT

Does Flarion's technology work on both 1.9 GHz band and 2.5 GHz band 
spectrum?

P. Waugh

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004 13:09:31 -0400

Flarion will work on any band. The key is that Flarion needs 1.23Mhz per
carrier to operate. One thing I did learn while talking to Ray Dolan
(Flarion CEO) is that each carrier is composed of three 400Khz channels.
The remainder is used for guardband.

Ray also said that Flarion is in the process of making a deal with a
major airline, while he would not go into specifics I guess he will be
providing a sort of "Wi-Fi" type on board cabin service..