Russian Network Orders Expansion Kit

The Russian operator, Megafon has placed a follow-on order for an additional WALKair Broadband Wireless Point-to-Multipoint cellular feeding solution from Alvarion. The WALKair system in the 10.5 GHz frequency bands will be installed as part of the GSM infrastructure, which will be deployed for Megafon in Northern Russia and Siberia.

Megafon is a joint project of Sonera, Telia, Telecominvest and CT-Mobile. The only company with a pan-Russian GSM license, Megafon is investing heavily to build a state-of-the-art GSM network across Russia. In just two years, it has extended services to 5 of 7 Federal Districts, and built a subscriber base of more than 3.6 million customers.

In 2001 (the initial setup of the GSM network) and 2002 (extension throughout the Ural region) Alvarion's WALKair fixed wireless technology was used to provide cellular feeding services. In certain areas, point to multipoint broadband wireless is an attractive and cost effective cellular feeding alternative to more expensive point-to-point or leased line solutions. The point-to-multipoint feeding network can also be utilized to bring operators additional revenues from fixed access services.

Commenting on the news, Alexey N. Nichiporenko, Deputy General Director of Megafon, said, "Our experience over the last two years has proven that Broadband Wireless Point-to-Multipoint is an ideal complementary technology for providing high capacity, reliable GSM network feeding. In Russia's difficult terrain, Alvarion's WALKair(TM) has been cost-effective to deploy, and has consistently lived up to our high performance expectations. As we expand our network, we are confident to rely once again on the best-in-class technologies of Alvarion."

Posted to the site on 25th April 2003