18th September 2007
ip.access and Orascom aim to improve mobile access for 56 million people
Femtocells and picocells to be introduced across Europe, Africa, the Indian sub-continent and the Middle East
18 September 2007 – ip.access, a leading developer of femtocells and picocells, has today announced a frame contract with mobile communications company Orascom Telecom to deploy ip.access’ 2G picocell and 3G femtocell technologies into Orascom Telecom’s networks and its sister companies’, which currently reach 56 million subscribers across Italy, Greece, Algeria, Egypt, Pakistan, Iraq, Bangladesh, Tunisia and Zimbabwe.
Orascom and its subsidiaries will use ip.access’ picocell and femtocell solutions to deliver a high quality 2G and 3G signal to areas of limited capacity and coverage across its multiple networks. The nanoGSM™ picocell system will improve 2G in-building coverage and capacity for enterprise customers, whereas the groundbreaking Oyster3G™ femtocell is designed for use in homes. Both systems will enable Orascom Telecom to improve quality of service to its subscribers, and save costs by exploiting the convergence of IP and cellular technology.
“Our agreement with ip.access will enable us to cost-effectively improve coverage and capacity to our entire subscriber base,” said Tamer El Mahdy, CTO, Orascom Telecom. “By deploying ip.access’ solutions, we will ensure that we have the latest, cutting-edge mobile technology capable of meeting our subscribers’ mobile communications needs, regardless of their location.”
nanoGSM is the world’s most deployed picocell, and this agreement further strengthens ip.access’ position as a global supplier of cellular-over-IP technology. Orascom Telecom is also one of the first mobile communications companies to announce its intention to deploy femtocells, a decision which enhances the growing reputation of Oyster 3G as the leading solution in the rapidly emerging femtocell market.
“ip.access is delighted that Orascom Telecom has selected our award-winning femtocell and picocell technology”, said Stephen Mallinson, CEO of ip.access. “As an innovative and forward thinking organisation, Orascom Telecom recognizes the benefits that our IP and cellular convergence solutions can offer to its international subscriber base. We look forward to helping them deliver a first class service to their customers across the globe.”
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 29% as at 31st March 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 56 million subscribers as at March 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 ip.access
Based in Cambridge, UK, ip.access ltd (www.ipaccess.com) is a leading manufacturer of cost-effective picocell and femtocell infrastructure solutions for GSM, GPRS, EDGE and 3G. These solutions bring IP and cellular technologies together to drive down costs and increase coverage and capacity of mobile networks.
ABI Research ranks ip.access as the world’s number 1 picocell vendor; its nanoGSM® and nano3G™ picocell solutions provide 2G and 3G coverage and capacity for offices, shops and (using satellite backhaul) passenger aircraft, ships and remote rural areas. nanoGSM is the world’s most deployed picocell, with live installations in more than 50 networks around the world and growing.
ip.access is also the company behind the multi-award winning Oyster 3G™ femtocell technology, which dramatically improves the user experience for 3G services at home. Oyster 3G is the core femtocell technology in AT&T’s 3G MicroCell.
ip.access counts Scottish Equity Partners, Rothschild Gestion, Intel Capital, Amadeus Capital Partners, ADC, Cisco, Qualcomm and Motorola Ventures among its shareholders.
Distributed on behalf of ip.access by NeonDrum
Nicky Davis
Tel: +44 7747017654
nicky@neondrum.com
http://www.neondrum.com