As in the United States, the Nokia RoofTop solution will be sold through Nokia and via a reseller relationship with TESSCO Technologies (NASDAQ: TESS), a leading provider of integrated wireless products plus supply chain solutions. TESSCO will offer a “Jump Start Kit” at a promotional price to enable ISPs and carriers to offer wireless broadband services based on the Nokia RoofTop solution.
The Nokia RoofTop system became commercially available in the US in volume quantities during the third quarter of 2001, and more than 80 network operators have purchased the solution to deliver profitable broadband Internet services to residential and small business customers.
“We are pleased to be expanding our reseller relationship with Nokia and taking another important step in the delivery of wireless broadband Internet service in North America,” said Robert B. Barnhill, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of TESSCO Technologies. “By bringing the Nokia RoofTop solution to Canada, we will be able to offer our Canadian customers the same opportunity our U.S. customers are already profiting from -- a revolutionary solution for tapping into the rapidly growing residential broadband market space.”
The Nokia RoofTop solution inherently delivers the non-line-of-sight (NLOS) coverage required for mass market deployments by automatically routing around neighborhood obstacles like trees and hills. This enables carriers and ISPs to quickly and cost-effectively deliver wireless broadband services to areas with inadequate coverage from wired infrastructure.
“Around the world, people continue to demand high-speed Internet service in areas where wired broadband alternatives are not available," said Ari Leppä, General Manager of Nokia Wireless Routing. "Network operators in the US have proven that our intelligent wireless routing technology is an ideal way to meet this demand, and we are excited to make the Nokia RoofTop solution available to customers in Canada now as well."
Nokia RoofTop Wireless Routing is a fixed wireless mesh network solution that includes Nokia RoofTop Wireless Routers and the Nokia RoofTop Router Management System (RMS). The Nokia RoofTop Wireless Router functions as both a router and a modem, relaying transmissions around obstacles to provide broadband service in residential and small business markets.
Nokia RoofTop Wireless Routers solve the line-of-sight difficulties typically associated with residential fixed wireless broadband because they only require a wireless connection to neighboring routers, not a direct link to a central base station. Each subscriber acts as a full IP router, routing traffic for other subscribers around trees, hills, and buildings, and enabling deployment in diverse geographical locations. Operating in the license-free 2.4 GHz band eliminates the need for expensive spectrum licenses and the Nokia mesh technology enables providers to deploy reliable wireless networks quickly. The networks can be built in pace with demand, which reduces the upfront infrastructure investment.
For additional Nokia RoofTop Wireless Routing solution information, please visit www.wbs.nokia.com.
For sales information, please contact TESSCO Technologies, at (800) 315-9463 or visit www.tessco.com/nokia_rooftop.
About Nokia
Nokia is the world leader in mobile communications. Backed by its experience, innovation, user-friendly products and secure solutions, the company has become the leading supplier of mobile phones and a leading supplier of mobile, fixed broadband and IP networks. By adding mobility to the Internet Nokia creates new opportunities for companies and further enriches the daily lives of people. Nokia is a broadly held company with listings on six major exchanges.
About TESSCO
TESSCO Technologies Incorporated is a leading supplier of the product and supply chain solutions required to build, operate, maintain and use wireless voice, data, messaging, location tracking and Internet systems.
TESSCO's guiding vision is to be the Vital Link(TM) between buyers and manufacturers. For its customers, TESSCO provides a total source of product choices and availability and the solutions that create an opportunity to improve the way business is done. For its manufacturers, TESSCO presents, markets and sells their products as a part of a total customer solution, thus providing a cost-effective channel to a broad and diverse customer base. The TESSCO mission is to virtually link knowledge and delivery of the right product, in the right configuration, at the right time, to the point of use, while providing control of the supply chain process.
TESSCO's support operations are centralized in the Global Logistics Center, the Company's ISO 9002 registered headquarters in Hunt Valley, Maryland. Marketing campaigns and new product and service solutions are developed at the Solution Development Center, also located in Hunt Valley, Maryland. Fulfillment centers in Hunt Valley, Maryland, and Reno, Nevada, configure orders for complete, on-time delivery throughout the world. Its product offerings consist of over 27,000 items from over 400 manufacturers. The Company currently serves more than 8,500 business customers and 17,000 consumers per month, including a diversified mix of cellular, PCS and paging carriers, wireless ISP, fixed broadband and mobile dispatch operators, infrastructure site owners, contractors and integrators, wireless value-added resellers, retailers, plus consumers and subscribers.
For media information, please contact:
Laurie Armstrong
Nokia Americas
Phone: 972-894-6043
E-mail: laurie.Armstrong@nokia.com
Doug Dawson
Nokia Canada
Phone: 905-619-4361
E-mail: doug.dawson@nokia.com
Molly Hughes
TESSCO Technologies
Stakeholder Relations and Communications
Phone: 410-229-1057
E-mail: hughes@tessco.com