For immediate release
Walker Wireless To Spend $6.5 Million To Acquire Exclusive Spectrum
AUCKLAND, May 22, 2000 - Broadband wireless company Walker Wireless Limited announced today that it has signed a
conditional agreement to pay $6.5 million to acquire exclusive management rights to two 8 MHz channels in the 2.3 GHz
region of the radio spectrum.
Walker Wireless will acquire the spectrum from Canadian television and high speed Internet company, Craig Wireless, who
previously held the rights to the two MDS (Multipoint Distribution System) channels.
"The acquisition of these frequencies will underpin our existing network infrastructure, complementing our general
licence frequencies," says Walker Wireless Chief Executive, Paul Ryan. "As the band manager, Walker Wireless will have
complete flexibility as to how it engineers its radio operations in these frequencies.
"The ownership of these management rights also enhances Walker Wireless' strategic options. For example, it will allow
us, in conjunction with our partner community, to offer many additional value added services in future.
The management rights to the new frequencies run until 25 November 2010. Walker Wireless is currently evaluating
equipment and technology for use in the new frequency bands.
The MDS specification was originally developed to distribute digital television. Last year the US FCC allowed it to be
used for 2-way services, which makes it an ideal technology for high speed Internet and data transfer. The Walker
Wireless network uses fixed radio points of presence that communicate directly with subscriber premises to service its
rapidly growing customer base in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. The company currently uses 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz
radio frequencies under general licence for local wireless (last mile) transmission from fixed points of presence
(POPs). It connects these via "backbone" transmission arrangements, using a combination of fibre optic, digital
microwave radio and other carriers. The company anticipates that, when fully deployed, its network will be accessible to
90% of the New Zealand population.
ENDS
Editors' Notes: About Walker Wireless Walker Wireless connects companies to the Internet, to other companies, and to
multiple sites within one company by fast wireless links. As computer speeds increase, businesses need to transfer more
information quickly and cheaply. While computer speeds have increased 50-fold in the last decade, modem and data speeds
have generally only increased six-fold. And while telecommunications networks have upgraded to transfer data at many
gigabits a second, most businesses are only connected to these networks via a twisted-pair copper pipeline that
considerably slows the transfer of data. Walker Wireless provides broadband wireless access that is faster to install
than fitting new cable connections, flexible enough to be adjusted to allow varying amounts of data to flow along it,
and reduces its customers' data communications costs by 50%.
For further information contact Walker Wireless Paul Ryan Telephone: 09 522 3678 Mobile: 021 981 821 Email
pryan@walkerwireless.com
Botica Conroy & Associates Allan Botica Telephone: 09 303 3862 Mobile: 021 400 500 Email allanb@bca.co.nz