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Mobilink, an Orascom Telecom Subsidiary Deploys DragonWave Broadband Wireless Products to New WiMAX Network in Pakistan
(Market Wire Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) OTTAWA, CANADA, November 1 / MARKET WIRE/ --
DragonWave Inc. ("DragonWave") (TSX: DWI)(AIM: DWI) a leading global supplier of next-generation wireless networks, today announced Orascom Telecom Holding S.A.E. ("Orascom Telecom") has selected DragonWave's Horizon Compact high capacity IP backhaul product to provide 270 wireless backhaul links for a new nationwide WiMAX Network in Pakistan with their Mobile operator, Mobilink. Initial rollout will begin in the cities of Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore.
"The DragonWave Horizon solution is a key part of our network, providing 50 to 200 Mbps, carrier grade, Native Ethernet backhaul" said Tamer El Mahdi, Group CTO. "Our Network will provide residents and business users in cities across Pakistan with an affordable and portable broadband service."
Orascom Telecom is one of the largest GSM carriers operating in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia with more than 60 million customers. Pakistan is the 7th largest country in the world with a population of over 160 million people. Mobilink, a subsidiary of Orascom Telecom has opted to pursue this market with a 3.5 GHz WiMAX infrastructure, and has already been piloted in 3 cities with proposals to cover 5 major metros, including in-building coverage for high value business areas.
After extensive trialing, Orascom Telecom chose DragonWave's Horizon Compact product to enable Mobilink to backhaul traffic from their nationwide WiMAX deployments with a native IP backhaul solution. DragonWave's solution is providing high capacity IP backhaul as a fiber replacement and an economical and efficient way to provide full coverage across the country. The new network will provide data and other applications like voice over IP (VOIP) access to enterprise, government, residential and municipalities.
"Mobilink selected DragonWave because our carrier grade, native Ethernet capabilities will help them to continue building state-of-the-art networks" said Peter Allen, President and CEO of DragonWave. "We look forward to working with Mobilink and the Orascom Telecom group to deliver best-in-class WiMAX networks across their group of national operators"
DragonWave's Horizon product operates within both licensed and unlicensed radio frequencies in the 11-to-38-GHz range, ensuring interference-free performance for customers' traffic. The DragonWave solution provides scalable, ultra-low latency, wire-speed native Ethernet connectivity up to 800 Mbps full duplex. The system is extremely easy to deploy and manage, with a full suite of network management options.
Commenting on the agreement, Chief Technical Officer Mobilink, Marius Armeanca, stated "Our alliance with DragonWave is an exciting step towards bringing the opportunities of high speed Internet connectivity for our customers. Mobilink is geared towards exceeding customer satisfaction and with the DragonWave WiMAX backhaul we will be able to provide data connectivity in urban and rural areas in addition to our voice services and further bridge the digital divide".
About Orascom Telecom
Orascom Telecom is a leading international telecommunications company operating GSM networks in seven high growth markets in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, having a total population under license of approximately 460 million with an average mobile telephony penetration of approximately 33% as at 30th June 2007. Orascom Telecom operates GSM networks in Algeria ("OTA"), Pakistan ("Mobilink"), Egypt ("Mobinil"), Tunisia ("Tunisiana"), Iraq ("Iraqna"), Bangladesh ("Banglalink"), and Zimbabwe ("Telecel Zimbabwe").Orascom Telecom had over 61 million subscribers as at June 2007.
Orascom Telecom owns 19.3% of Hutchison Telecommunications International Limited, a leading telecommunication services provider operating in seven countries. Orascom Telecom is traded on the Cairo & Alexandria Stock Exchange under the symbol (ORTE.CA, ORAT EY), and on the London Stock Exchange its GDR is traded under the symbol (ORTEq.L, OTLD LI).
About Mobilink: Mobilink is an Orascom Telecom Group company and is Pakistan's leading cellular service provider with a subscriber growth of 104% in 2006. The company has achieved an unprecedented customer base of over 27 million. Mobilink provides the most extensive network coverage footprint across Pakistan through an integrated technology infrastructure in more than 5,000 cities, towns, villages, and countless remote destinations, including International Roaming in 127 countries through 300 partner operators.
The company directly employs over 4,000 people and has the largest distribution network with 200,000 outlets across Pakistan. Mobilink's corporate social responsibility program contributes significantly in key areas of health, education, social uplift and cultural development causes in Pakistan. The company is the official cellular service of the Pakistan Cricket Board. Mobilink is the only corporate in Pakistan to issue a 'high-yield' bond worth US$ 250 million in the International Market and has portrayed a positive image of the country as a secure destination for business activity.
About DragonWave
DragonWave(TM) is a leading provider of high-capacity wireless Ethernet equipment used in emerging IP networks. DragonWave designs, develops, and markets carrier-grade microwave radio frequency networking equipment that wirelessly transmit broadband voice, video and other data. DragonWave's wireless Ethernet products, which are based on a native Ethernet platform, function as a wireless extension to an existing fibre-optic core telecommunications network. The principal application for DragonWave's products is the backhaul function in a wireless communications network. Additional applications for DragonWave's products include point-to-point transport in private networks, including municipal and enterprise networks. DragonWave's corporate headquarters are located in Ottawa, Ontario, and have sales locations in Europe and North America. The company's Web site is http://www.dragonwaveinc.com
Contacts:
DragonWave Inc.
Nadine Kittle
Marketing Communications
613-599-9991 ext 2262nkittle@dragonwaveinc.com
Canaccord Adams Limited
Chris Bowman / Andrew Chubb
44 20 7050 6500
Interprose Public Relations
(for DragonWave)
Cathy Palmen
408-268-8112cathy.palmen@interprosepr.com
Mobilink
Omar Manzur
Manager Public Relations
+92 300 8555 723Omar.ma@mobilink.netwww.mobilinkgsm.com
Weber Shandwick Financial
(for DragonWave)
John Moriarty
020 7067 0736
Mob: 07971 402224jmoriarty@webershandwick.com
Copyright 2007 Market Wire, Incorporated
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