Imagine Launches Global 4G WiMAX Network in Ireland

Broadband moves into the fast lane with Intel and Motorola supporting Imagine in the Irish WiMAX revolution

Dublin, October 14th 2009 - Imagine Communications Group today announced details of its 4th generation mobile WiMAX network in Ireland.  This new wireless technology provides high speed Internet and phone access at home and on the move.

WiMAX is a global phenomenon, backed worldwide by Intel, Google, Comcast, Motorola and other major multinationals.  The new technology is being deployed in over 145 countries by major telecoms companies including Sprint in the US. 

Irish company Imagine is initially investing €100 million upgrading its existing national infrastructure to the state-of-the-art WiMAX network.  This new technology will allow Imagine to make high speed broadband available and affordable to businesses and consumers across Ireland.  Imagine intends to slash existing pricing by up to 50 per cent.

Imagine has selected global giant Motorola to supply its high-end WiMAX equipment to bring the 4G service to homes and businesses throughout Ireland.

Launched by Taoiseach Brian Cowen in Dublin's Mansion House today, the Taoiseach said WiMAX will elevate Ireland as the IT envy of Europe and the new network represents "green shoots" for the Irish economy. 

"WiMAX is of particular importance, and a great vote of confidence in Irish business, the economy, and our people.  Moreover, it's an Irish company founded and run by Irish entrepreneurs, spearheading the drive to move Ireland to the top of international broadband rankings," the Taoiseach said. 

Mr Cowen added that WiMAX "addresses next generation access and the Digital Divide" for businesses and consumers and "drives the smart economy" to create technology and manufacturing jobs.  Imagine itself will create 200 new hi-tech jobs as it rolls out WiMAX.

The Taoiseach added that Imagine's rollout of WiMAX highlighted the good use of licensed spectrum by Comreg, a major national resource which enables next generation access at much lower costs than any other technology.

WiMAX enables faster Internet speeds and better phone services at much higher efficiency and quality levels than existing DSL or mobile broadband offerings. 

The Imagine WiMAX service is already in operation, and phase one of the rollout covering 250,000 homes in Dublin, Wexford, Sligo, Tralee and Athlone will be completed by mid-November 2009.

Imagine's new network will not be restricted to high-population areas, but will also be rolled out to smaller towns and rural communities at a rate of 15 new WiMAX areas per month.

The launch of Imagine's rollout of WiMAX in Ireland is good news for Irish businesses and consumers.  In bypassing the existing Eircom infrastructure, consumers and businesses will no longer have to incur expensive line rental charges.

Eircom's line rental is the highest in Europe and Imagine WiMAX customers will automatically save up to €300 a year on top of benefitting from lower broadband and phone bills.  This initiative will reduce the average cost of broadband and phone services by as much as 50 per cent.

Speaking at the WiMAX launch at Dublin's Mansion House today, Mr Sean Bolger, Imagine's CEO, said WiMAX is a world-leading access technology that can be rolled out more cost-effectively than fibre and cable broadband.

"This means that we can provide high-speed broadband and phone services faster to more people across Ireland cost effectively.  This has to be good news for Irish consumers and businesses especially in the current environment," Mr Bolger said.

Mr Jim O'Hara, General Manager of Intel Ireland, said that WiMAX is a game-changing technology. 

"Many people in the country are operating on a 1Mbps speed at the moment, even if they think they are paying for higher.  WiMAX is easily achieving 8Mbps, and this will be increased.  Intel is going to provide WiMAX embedded laptops and PCs from early 2010," Mr O'Hara concluded. 

Also speaking at the launch, Motorola's Head of Sales Steve McCaffery said: "Today's announcement is very significant for Motorola as we see Ireland as a key strategic market for WiMAX due to the digital divide and broadband deficits which causes lower broadband speeds and higher prices than the rest of Europe," he said. 

About Imagine:

Imagine Communications Group is a pan-European communications provider.  The Group has substantial business operations in Europe with overall network reach extending to Ireland, the UK, the Netherlands, Austria, Norway and the USA.  In Ireland Imagine provides fixed voice, broadband, IP and ISP services.  Imagine is the No.  2 business telecoms company in Ireland and provides services to 17,000 businesses.  Imagine also provides residential customers across the country with the Imagine, Gaelic Telecom, Access and Cinergi brands and serves 10% of the Irish population with broadband. 

Imagine is led by its founder, Sean Bolger, a European Telecoms Entrepreneur who has founded and operated businesses in fixed, mobile and data telecommunications services for nearly 20 years. 

About WiMAX:

WiMAX, (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access), is a new standards-based wireless technology designed to deliver wireless wide area network services.  WiMAX enables the delivery of last mile wireless broadband access as an alternative to wired broadband like cable and DSL.  WiMAX provides fixed, nomadic, portable and, soon mobile, wireless broadband connectivity without the need for direct line-of- sight with a base station.  WiMAX can be expected to deliver capacity of up to 40 Mbps per channel, for fixed and portable access applications.  The multi-Billion dollar national rollout of WiMAX is underway in the US and is supported by Google, Intel, Comcast and Time Warner.  475 WiMax networks were deployed in 140 countries as of April 2009 and more than 50 million users expected in 2014.


For further information, please contact:

Brian O'Donohoe, Commercial Director, Imagine: 087 669 0307

James McDonald, Model Communications, 087-9352565