Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Start-up Flarion ropes in big telecom players

From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 16 Jul 2004 21:06:35 -0400

Start-up Flarion ropes in big telecom players
By Ben Charny 
CNET News.com

July 16, 2004, 11:52 AM PT

URL: http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1103-5272795.html 

Old-time phone companies are showing interest in Flarion 
Technologies, a wireless broadband equipment start-up that's battling 
for business alongside Qualcomm and other communications giants. 

Up until recently, Flarion's customers only consisted of cell phone 
service providers, including Nextel Communications and SK Telecom, 
which use the gear to sell broadband in areas overlooked by cable or 
DSL (digital subscriber line) providers.

But that's changing, Flarion Vice President Ronny Haraldsvik said in 
a recent interview. "Full service" communications companies are 
beginning to sign on. For instance, Australia's Telstra, which sells 
cell phones and voice minutes, plus broadband by satellite, Wi-Fi hot 
spots, cable and DSL, will conduct a technical trial of Flarion's 
gear, Haraldsvik said.

A major European telephone and broadband company also has agreed to 
test the equipment, but Haraldsvik didn't provide additional details.

Flarion's technology is part of a new generation of wireless gear 
trying to solve the problem of getting phone service and broadband to 
areas too expensive to install copper, cable or DSL lines. While 
relatively inexpensive to launch, wireless technologies such as 
Flarion's, WiMax or 3G (third generation) cell phone networks aren't 
as reliable as voice calls or broadband over a wired connection.

Between the three, WiMax leads in speed but lags in commercial 
development. WiMax networks, in theory, create connections of up to 2 
megabits per second, while Flarion users, including Nextel Wireless 
Broadband subscribers, download at about 1.5 megabits per second and 
upload at 375 kilobits per second (kbps).

3G cell phone technology, made by Qualcomm and others, is the slowest 
of the three, but the most reliable for now. Verizon Wireless' 
BroadbandAccess service, based on Qualcomm's 3G cell phone 
technology, downloads at 300kbps to 500kbps, while uploading averages 
about 40kbps to 60kbps.

------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> 
Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar.
Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/61FxlB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~-> 

-- 
    "NEXTEL-1 IT'S NOT JUST NEXTEL"
  Note The New address 
Subscribe to Nextel-1: http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/NEXTEL-1

  "NEXTEL2 FOR iDEN SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS"
Subscribe to Nextel2: http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/NEXTEL2

  "WIRELESS FORUM HOMELAND SECURITY GROUP"
     The Complete Resource for Wireless Homeland Security.
Subscribe to WFHSG:  http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/WFHSG

Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEXTEL-1/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    [email-masked]

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/