Alvarion® Ltd. (NASDAQ:ALVR), the world's leading provider of WiMAXâ„¢ and wireless broadband solutions, today announced that its BreezeMAX® platform is being used by Metranet, a wireless specialist, to deploy the first WiMAX network using the 3.3 GHz spectrum in the UK. Metranet is using this frequency through gaining a Non-Operational Temporary license from Ofcom, the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries, specifically for this network. This is part of a SEEDA (South East England Development Agency) match-funded innovation project.
Alvarion's BreezeMAX base stations and CPEs enable Metranet to provide backhaul for CCTV cameras (closed circuit TV), and traffic junction control throughout Reading. The WiMAX network went live in March 2008 and replaced the existing wired network. Live video from main roads and junctions is streamed back to a central control room, and traffic lights can then be manually controlled via the WiMAX network to improve traffic flow. Automatic License Plate recognition is also being built into the system.
Information about the traffic situation is provided to a variety of outlets:
- Shopping centers
- Reading's Hexagon theater with 40" display screens
- Intranet systems
- Reading's official travel website www.reading-travelinfo.co.uk
- Mobile phones for real time travel information
Many towns and cities throughout the world are finding new bandwidth-intensive applications - such as CCTV - expensive to operate, particularly when they involve using wired infrastructure such as leased lines. By using Alvarion's network costs were significantly reduced.
Simon Beasley, Transport Network Manager, Reading Borough Council: "Reading is a prosperous town with an expanding population, and consequently there are significant pressures on the road network. The communications needed to connect and control the real time traffic management systems needed to be more powerful than before. Alvarion's WiMAX network performance has not only achieved this level of reliability but also exceeded our expectations with clear images from even the very distant cameras."
Roger Horlock, Director of Metranet, said: "A dedicated frequency is ideal for a mission-critical deployment in a city like Reading. In the future we plan to expand the network to help facilitate new applications such as providing real-time travel information to train and bus passengers, CCTV monitoring in buses to improve security and ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) to improve traffic flow. We chose Alvarion's BreezeMAX because it is the most reliable and flexible system on the market today."
About Metranet
Metranet Communications is a systems integrator and wireless network provider. Building on its experience of operating the Brighton Metranet, a metropolitan intranet constructed with Brighton & Hove City Council and the University of Sussex, the company is now focused on using WiMAX to integrate traffic management systems such as SCOOT, CCTV, BLE (Bus Lane Enforcement) ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) with transport departments' UTMC (Urban Traffic Management Control (www.metranet.co.uk). SEEDA project website (www.readingseedaproject.co.uk).
About Alvarion
Alvarion is the largest WiMAX pure player ensuring customers' long term success with fixed and mobile solutions for the full range of frequency bands. Based on its OPENâ„¢ WiMAX strategy, the company offers superior wireless broadband infrastructure and an all-IP best-of-breed ecosystem in cooperation with its strategic partners. Alvarion boasts over 200 commercial WiMAX deployments worldwide (www.alvarion.com).
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on the current expectations or beliefs of Alvarion's management and are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements: the failure of the market for WIMAX products to develop as anticipated; Alvarion's inability to capture market share in the expected growth of the WIMAX market as anticipated, due to, among other things, competitive reasons or failure to execute in our sales, marketing or manufacturing objectives; inability to further identify, develop and achieve success for new products, services and technologies; increased competition and its effect on pricing, spending, third-party relationships and revenues; as well as the inability to establish and maintain relationships with commerce, advertising, marketing, and technology providers and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's 20-F Annual Report Risk Factors section as well as in other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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