Proxim Wins German WiMax Deal

Telecommunications provider Televersa Online selected Proxim Wireless equipment June 1 to build a WiMax network covering an area of 12,400 square miles with a population of 2.5 million people. Televersa aims to reach 95 percent of the Bavarian region's households and businesses, while wired DSL connections are available to only 60 percent.

Televersa has already deployed Proxim's Tsunami MP.11 base stations and subscriber units as the core communications platform for its wireless service. Following the deployment of a WiMax network, Televersa will be able to offer either wireless DSL or WiMax depending upon the customer's location.

The company's portfolio of services includes Internet access, VOIP telephony and video streaming. Proxim's license-free MP.11 technology allows Televersa to offer service in regions outside of Televersa's WiMax license as well as offer Internet connections to areas with fewer than 50 customers. 

"Until recently, Southeast Bavaria was at a competitive disadvantage in comparison to other regions in Germany because broadband access was unavailable or far too expensive for residents and businesses," Jörg Kiessling, managing director of Televersa Online, said in a statement.

Proxim's win is another in a series of worldwide WiMax deployments fueled by U.S. tech companies. Motorola, for instance, has 19 contracts for commercial WiMax networks in 18 countries around the world.

Sprint plans to roll out the first major U.S. WiMax project in fall of 2008 in the Washington-Baltimore and Chicago regions.

"Even though digital inclusion is being placed high on the political agenda in many parts of the world, there are still rural areas in even the most advanced countries that have little or no online access, causing social inequalities and leading to social exclusion," said Lionel Chmilewsky, executive vice president of Proxim Wireless.