O2 Ireland has chosen Nokia to be sole supplier of its public Wireless LAN (WLAN) system, which gives O2 Ireland’s customers flexible wireless broadband access to Internet and corporate intranet services in public “Wi-Fi Zones(TM)”, such as airports and hotels. Under the agreement, Nokia is providing its Operator Wireless LAN solution, while IBM Global Service is providing system integration services. The agreement follows a successful validation period and business modelling with O2 Ireland.
"Broadband Internet access is going wireless in Ireland, and we are happy to be part of this exciting development," said Paul Tyler, Senior Account Manager, Nokia Networks. "The flexible design of the Nokia A036 access point has helped O2 Ireland deploy WLAN access zones in a variety of installation settings. It can be used with an internal or external antenna, so installation can be optimized for service-area coverage and a minimum visual impact. We feel that the Nokia Operator WLAN solution will greatly complement O2 Ireland’s other wireless services, such as GPRS.”
"We chose Nokia’s WLAN solution because it provides all the elements needed for complete wireless access service for our customers,” said Tony Dempsey, WLAN Programme Manager, O2 Ireland. “Nokia’s solution has proved itself to be robust and met all of our customer requirements. It has the option to support GPRS roaming and EAP/SIM authentication, meaning that we can provide public Wireless LAN services for all customer segments; pre-paid, post-paid, national and international customers, and those using existing terminals as well as terminals of emerging standards. Customers will also find the service easy to use since there is no need to modify many of the browser settings that already exist in their laptops and PDAs."
Nokia has been driving the standardization for high-data-rate wireless networks and is committed to be one of the first suppliers to deliver Wireless LAN and 3G commercial solutions in converged networks.
Nokia Wireless LAN technology is also available from IBM global Services.
Nokia is the world leader in mobile communications. Backed by its experience, innovation, user-friendliness 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.
Further information:
Communications Department, Nokia Networks
Tel. + 358 (0) 7180 38193
E-mail nokia.networks@nokia.com
www.nokia.com
Notes to editor
The Nokia Operator Wireless LAN solution helps cellular operators create a broadband and datacom brand together with 3G and GPRS networks. The solution consists of the Nokia P022 Access Controller, the A036 Wireless LAN Access Point, the Nokia Authentication Server, the Nokia D211 multimode card, as well as any Wi-Fi certified card, which can be used in Wi-Fi Zones.
The Nokia A036 Wireless LAN Access Point has built-in style, convenience and technology that make it the ideal choice for operators unobtrusively deploying wireless LAN in public “hotspots”, such as airports, hotels, and convention centers, as well as in corporate premises. It is light and attractive with tamper-proof covers that can be painted to match the local décor. It employs high-performance concealed internal antennas because its technical design avoids the need for external antennas. It offers superior radio-frequency performance and support for quick mounting, multiplexed management channels and power-over-Ethernet (PoE). This combination lowers the usual cost of deployment and makes it more acceptable to property owners.
As part of Nokia’s Operator Wireless LAN solution, the IEEE 802.11i-compliant Nokia A036 provides carrier-class high-speed wireless connectivity to Internet Protocol (IP) based services for laptop and PDA users. The Nokia A036 offers attractive security, authentication and operations and maintenance characteristics. It follows the IEEE802.11i and IEEE802.1x security standards.
Based on the IEEE 802.11b (Wi-Fi) standard, the Nokia A036 addresses the needs of existing WLAN cards, while providing for future-proof upgrading. It can be remotely software-upgraded to, for example, the IEEE802.11f standard from the network management center as standards are finalized.
Wi-Fi Zone(TM) is a trade-marked brand from the Wi-Fi Alliance (formerly WECA) a group of vendors and operators promoting WLAN. The aim of the Wi-Fi Zone(TM) brand is to raise end-user awareness that “WLAN hotspots” are available using Wi-Fi certified equipment. Nokia is a founding member and has a seat on the board of the Wi-Fi Alliance.
More testimonials:
http://www.nokia.com/cda1/0,1080,1303,00.html