Korea's Hanaro Telecom to Trial Navini Networks' Broadband
PRNewswire (07/28/2003 6:01 PM ET)

/PRNewswire/ -- Hanaro Telecom, Inc. announced today that it will begin testing non-line-of- sight wide-area wireless broadband technology from Navini Networks beginning this month. As one of the most advanced broadband markets in the world, the Korean government is actively encouraging its service providers to invest in wide- area wireless broadband technology so its citizens can have truly portable, untethered access. The Hanaro deployment will use 2.3 GHz spectrum that has been allocated by the Korean government for its high-speed wireless Internet service called PI (Portable Internet). Hanaro will be testing Navini's Ripwave(TM) 2.3 GHz system, which includes the adaptive phased-array beamforming base station, two modem form factors including a small desktop modem and a PCMCIA card, and an advanced element management system that will allow Hanaro to manage and evaluate multiple user scenarios. "It is not unusual in Korea to spend the majority of the time away from a fixed Internet connection, so a solution such as Navini's that is truly mobile and easy to use has real value to us," said Ko Jin-Woong, senior vice president of Hanaro Telecom. "We are aggressively testing wide-area wireless broadband technology with the intent of deploying the first systems early next year." "Hanaro is a major player in Korea, one of the most active broadband markets in the world. Navini's knowledge base, which has been gained from commercial deployments and trials in more than 25 countries, means that Hanaro will be testing technology that has been proven in multiple real world scenarios," said Alastair Westgarth, president of Navini Networks. "This deployment will allow Hanaro to evaluate the most advanced non-line-of-sight technology available on the market today." About Hanaro Telecom Founded September 23, 1997, Hanaro Telecom, Inc. is one of Korea's largest high-speed Internet service and local telecommunications providers. The company, which was established in 1997 and commenced commercial operations on April 1, 1999, is the only competitive local exchange carrier in Korea licensed to provide voice telephony services across its own last-mile access network. It also provides broadband Internet access, multimedia content and corporate data services bundled with voice telephone in an integrated package. Hanaro deploys multiple broadband last mile access technologies to ensure rapid rollout in high-density areas while preserving access speeds and minimizing coverage overlaps as well as capital expenditure. Hanaro listed on the Nasdaq through issuance of American Depository Receipts (ADRs) on March 29, 2000. Its common shares are listed on KOSDAQ. For additional information, please visit Hanaro Telecom's Investor Relations website: http://ir.hanaro.com/eng About Navini Networks Headquartered in Richardson, Texas, USA, Navini Networks offers patented wide-area wireless broadband technology delivering multi-megabit speeds to customers up to 8 miles from the base station. Navini provides nomadic, zero- install(TM), non-line-of-sight infrastructure to allow for anytime, anywhere Web access. Navini Networks' Ripwave(TM) products consist of a desktop modem or PCMCIA card, base station, and element management system (EMS) and operate in various licensed and unlicensed frequencies. Navini's solution results in a price/performance combination that is superior to other broadband offerings -- wired or wireless -- in the marketplace. Navini's investors include Austin Ventures, Granite Ventures, Sequoia Capital, Sternhill Partners, as well as Alcatel, Intel and Sanmina. For more information, please visit www.navini.com . For general information on Navini or to speak to a sales representative, please email sales@navini.com