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Poland's MNI SA Purchases WiMAX Network From Airspan
| Source: Airspan Networks, Inc.
BOCA RATON, FL -- (MARKET WIRE) -- February 15, 2007 -- Airspan Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ : AIRN ) today
announced that it has entered into an agreement to supply WiMAX equipment
to MNI Telecom, a telecommunications company owned by MNI SA, a Polish
publicly traded multimedia group.
A provider of telecommunications services and multimedia solutions, MNI SA
is headquartered in Warsaw, Poland. It concentrates on the development of
telecom services in several counties in central and eastern Poland.
Szeptel, which was recently merged into MNI, has been an Airspan customer
since 2001, when it installed AS4000 equipment in its network. MNI owns
licenses and concessions to operate national and international transmission
networks, to conduct the transmission of data in national and international
relationships and to provide Internet service. MNI has offered voice
services in its network since 2002 and international voice services since
2003. It operates thousands of calling lines and phone cable networks
(including all-Poland fiber optic networks) on the Warsaw-Biolytic line.
Airspan expects to supply MNI with up to 60 MicroMAX base stations and
approximately 3,000 subscriber stations, which are expected to be delivered
and installed in 2007. Orders for the first third of the roll out have been
placed by MNI. The equipment will be used by MNI to provide broadband
wireless service.
Commenting on this new agreement, Eric Stonestrom, Airspan's CEO, said that
"Airspan was very pleased to continue its relationship with MNI, which
began with AS4000 in 2001."
Mr Piotr Koenig, CEO of MNI, said: "Airspan's world-class WiMAX solution
will be a good tool to increase our potential and to contribute to our
further development in the highly competitive telecommunications market in
Poland."
WiMAX, WiMAX Forum and WiMAX Forum Certified are trademarks of the WiMAX
Forum.
About Airspan Networks, Inc.
Airspan Networks provides fixed and wireless voice and data systems and
solutions, including Voice Over IP (VoIP). Its wireless products serve
operators around the world in both licensed and unlicensed frequency bands
between 700 MHz and 6 GHz, including both PCS and 3.5GHz international
bands. Airspan has a strong wireless product roadmap that includes products
meeting 802.11 a/b/g Wi-Fi standards, and WiMAX Forum Certified equipment
that includes software upgradeability to the Mobile WiMAX 802.16e-2005
standard. Airspan is on the Board and is a founder member of the WiMAX
Forum and a member of the Wi-Fi Alliance. The Company has deployments in
more than 100 countries with more than 400 operators, 100 of which use
Airspan's WiMAX Forum Certified and non-certified products. Airspan's
wireless systems are based on radio technology that delivers excellent area
coverage, high security and resistance to fading. These systems can be
deployed rapidly and cost effectively, providing an attractive alternative
to traditional wired communications networks. Airspan's AS.TONE VoIP system
is a carrier class, turnkey solution that provides carriers with Class 4,
Class 5 and IP-Centrex solutions and has a Softswitch and Gateways
supporting SIP/H323 and SIP. AS.Tone's design provides customers, carriers,
next-generation telcos, cellular providers and ITSP with a wide range of
solutions with the best price/performance system for IP telephony. Airspan
also offers radio planning, network installation, integration, training and
support services to facilitate the deployment and operation of its systems.
Airspan is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida with its main operations
center in Uxbridge, United Kingdom.
More information on Airspan can be found at http://www.airspan.com
About MNI SA
MNI SA is Warsaw Stock Exchange public company focused on creating
multimedia telecom systems for business. MNI SA supplies the customers
with advanced value added services for mobile telephony: SMS, MMS, WAP both
in GSM and 3G technologies. At the time being these business activities are
a core company business development. The company is a leading supplier of
contents for portals and IP TV. Based on the technology potential of the
companies belonging to MNI group, the telecommunications and broadband
internet services are provided. Among MNI customers are companies belonging
to telecom, media and FMCG business sectors. MNI will undertake activity
as virtual operator at the mobile sector soon (MVNO).
More information on MNI can be found at http://www.mni.pl
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning
of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the
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historical facts, including statements regarding our strategy, future
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and others are therefore cautioned that a variety of factors, including
certain risks, may affect our business and cause actual results to differ
materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. These
risk factors include, without limitation, (i) a slowdown of expenditures by
communication service providers; (ii) increased competition from
alternative communication systems; (iii) the failure of our existing or
prospective customers to purchase products as projected; (iv) our inability
to successfully implement cost reduction or containment programs; (v) the
potential loss of Axtel and Yozan as our largest customers; (vi) our
potential inability to locate and secure additional sources of capital at
the time and in the amount needed; (vii) the possibility that Yozan will
materially delay or cancel future equipment orders; (viii) our inability to
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to our operations in Israel, including the absence of employees due to
required military service caused by political and military tensions in
Israel and the Middle East, and (x), specific to this press release, our
ability to deliver equipment to MNI and MNI's ability to install the
equipment and to pay for it. The Company is subject to the risks and
uncertainties described in its filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended 31
December, 2005 and on its Form 10-Q for the quarters ended April 2, 2006,
July 2, 2006 and October 1, 2006. You should read those factors as being
applicable to all related forward-looking statements wherever they appear
in this press release. We do not assume any obligation to update any
forward-looking statements.