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Malta's second nationwide WiMAX network
BreezeMAX and 4Motion radios chosen for 3.5 GHz deployment by island's telecommunications provider.
Alvarion announced that it has been chosen by GO Mobile for a nationwide WiMAX network deployment on the island of Malta. Using Alvarion's 4Motion CPE and BreezeMAX infrastructure radios, GO Mobile plans to provide voice and data services in the 3.5 GHz frequency band to the residents of the island of Malta. Rollout of the commercial network is expected to begin in the next few weeks.
"[WiMAX] will augment our already nationwide 3G-3.5G/HSDPA wireless coverage," said Norbert Prihoda, Chief Mobile Operations Officer of GO. "This underpins our multi-access nationwide data strategy with the utilization of different technologies to provide the best value proposition for our customers." Under the terms of the operator's license, GO Mobile is required by Malta's regulator MCA (Malta Communication Authority) to complete network rollout and provide 99% nationwide coverage by October 2009.
The European island of Malta has a population of 403,500 covering 315 sq km. As of March 2008, the ITU counted 158,000 Internet users of which 55,000 accessed via broadband speeds. Go Mobile's plans for nationwide coverage follow Vodafone's announcements in 2007 to offer its "@home" service using Airspan radios for fixed WiMAX services also in the 3.5 GHz spectrum. For €13.86 EUR per month, the @home service provides subscribers with Internet access of 1 Mbps. A premium service for €23 EUR monthly doubles performance to 2 Mbps. Vodafone Malta expected nationwide service for its residential and business WiMAX services to be completed earlier this year.
By Jeff Orr
ORR Technology, LLC
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