12th February , 2004

US : Sonaecom announced that two of its companies would partner to launch a compelling new broadband service alternative utilising a UMTS TDD solution from IPWireless.

Inset shows the IPWireless broadband solution in action - laptop
with modem.

Clix, the leading Internet Service Provider in Portugal, has launched a market trial in Lisbon to validate the platform as a way to offer Portuguese consumers a compelling high-speed Internet service alternative to the incumbent-controlled DSL. The solution will be launched in partnership with Sonaecom``s mobile operator, Optimus, leveraging its cellular infrastructure and unpaired UMTS spectrum. Eventually, it is envisioned that Clix, Optimus, as well as Novis, Sonaecom``s fixed line operator, would utilise the platform to offer a range of innovative portable, mobile, and fixed data and voice services for consumer and business customers.

Clix recently announced that it would suspend sales of ADSL to any new customers based on the incumbent``s lock on DSL services. While fighting for regulatory action to level the DSL playing field, Clix selected the standards-based IPWireless Mobile Broadband solution to bring subscribers in Portugal an innovative new broadband service - one that``s as fast as DSL, but with the added benefit of full mobility. Clix``s wireless broadband service will bring consumers and businesses in Portugal a high-speed Internet access service that will work from home, work, or on the road, all without wires.

Clix has launched a limited market trial of the services in Lisbon to confirm the appeal of the services to subscribers with additional field tests to be launched by the end of the first quarter. If trial subscribers respond as positively as expected, Clix plans on initiating a national rollout of the service by the end of this summer.

"Clix will always be an easy and accessible way of obtaining everything you need to find on the net and will always innovate to bring the best services to Portuguese consumers," said Clix Director General and Chief Executive Officer Pedro Pina. "We expect the response to the services offered over the UMTS TDD network from IPWireless will be fantastic and to be able to offer a service that goes head to head with DSL and wins."

The deployment of this joint effort is the first announced in Europe that utilizes the unpaired IMT 2000 spectrum that is specifically allocated for UMTS TDD technology. Consumers will be able to access the network using either a PCMCIA card in their laptop or using a stand-alone modem with their PC at speeds of up to 3 Mbps. Consumers will be able to access all of Clix``s services anywhere in the coverage area and eventually roam onto other UMTS TDD networks across Europe.

"The IPWireless solution is about the convergence of the worlds of mobility and broadband to enable a range of powerful services for subscribers," said Chris Gilbert, chief executive officer of IPWireless. "We believe that with its range of operating companies, Sonaecom is an ideal customer to leverage the full potential of our UMTS TDD system and offer fantastic services to the nation of Portugal."

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