NextWave Wireless Inc. (NASDAQ: WAVE), a global provider of mobile
multimedia and wireless broadband technologies, today announced that
it has entered into a strategic agreement with Alcatel-Lucent to
develop advanced WiMAX broadcast solutions for mobile operators
worldwide. Under the Agreement, Alcatel-Lucent will integrate
NextWave´s recently announced MXtv technology into their
industry-leading WiMAX solutions portfolio, based on the 802.16e-2005
(Rev-e) standard. The two companies plan to perform a series of
interoperability tests with Alcatel-Lucent´s commercial WiMAX
infrastructure starting in the second quarter of 2008.
Designed to provide WiMAX mobile network operators with a
cost-effective and spectrum-efficient solution to tap into the
expanding market for mobile TV and broadcast services, MXtv provides
fully-integrated broadcast and unicast of voice, data and rich media
over each individual stream. To complement the inclusion of its MXtv
technology into Alcatel-Lucent´s WiMAX network platform, NextWave´s
MXtv technology has also been integrated into its low-power, Wave 2
compliant NW2000 series WiMAX subscriber device System-on-a-Chip
(SoC). The NW2000 series SoC is currently being integrated into a wide
range of devices with certain device availability planned for second
half of 2008.
MXtv technology is a breakthrough mobile broadcast and multicast
solution that allows WiMAX operators to deliver a broad range of rich
and personalized multimedia services including mobile TV, interactive
services and digital audio without having to invest in new spectrum or
additional network infrastructure. Supporting 30 fps QVGA and WQVGA
content, with MXtv technology implemented in a 10 MHz channel, WiMAX
operators can offer up to 45 broadcast channels, streaming at 300kbps,
in a pure broadcast overlay WiMAX network and up to 20 broadcast
channels in a hybrid mobile broadcast and broadband offering, and
still have more than 55 percent of their mobile broadband capacity
remaining for other services. Complementing MXtv technology is
PacketVideo´s (PV) MediaFusion(TM) platform, an end-to-end
server-client software solution that seamlessly integrates multimedia
services. MediaFusion supports unicast, "networked group" multicast,
broadcast and background services such as personal video recording,
music, streaming personalized radio, and social networking, with an
innovative discovery engine that can drive a number of highly targeted
advertising business models. PacketVideo is a wholly-owned subsidiary
of NextWave Wireless.
"We are thrilled by the opportunity to collaborate with
Alcatel-Lucent to develop new and highly advanced mobile multimedia
offerings on their advanced WiMAX platform," said Allen Salmasi, CEO
of NextWave Wireless. "User demand for mobile broadcast services is
rapidly expanding and we believe that the exciting new applications
offered through this alliance will provide mobile operators a unique
ability to deliver the key differentiating feature of 4G networks,
rich media content such as live television, movies and music
on-demand, real-time video streaming and conferencing, radio,
multi-player gaming and many other interactive streaming applications
to mobile devices - anywhere, anytime. Given the expected advertising
revenue from a wide range of live and cached rich media content
delivered to mobile devices, we believe that MXtv will significantly
drive network operator´s ARPU and minimize churn with more sticky
applications," Salmasi added.
"The shared goal of our collaboration with NextWave is to
accelerate the mass adoption and delivery of high-performance
end-to-end WiMAX solutions for NextWave and Alcatel-Lucent customers,"
said Philippe Keryer, President of Mobile Access Division of
Alcatel-Lucent. "Integrating NextWave´s MXtv technology with our
industry-leading WiMAX network solutions and strengthening our OPEN
CPE program with such new services will be a win-win for mobile
network operators and most importantly provides millions of their
subscribers with a compelling user experience."
To further drive the acceleration of WiMAX services at the device
layer, NextWave´s next-generation family of ´No-Compromise´ WiMAX
semiconductors has integrated the required hardware accelerators to
support MXtv technology. NextWave´s fully integrated Wi-Fi/WiMAX SoC
with advanced 65-nanometer CMOS process technology has incorporated
numerous innovations to improve performance, and reduce power
consumption. It is also designed to support bandwidth-intensive mobile
multimedia applications such as video conferencing and video streaming
as well as Quality-of-Service (QoS) sensitive applications such as
Voice-over-IP (VoIP). In addition, NextWave´s next-generation RFIC,
also available in 2008, is designed to support seamless operation and
roaming across worldwide WiMAX frequencies, with either TDD or FDD
operations, and profiles.
Technical demonstrations of NextWave´s mobile WiMAX semiconductor
and MXtv technology will be offered at NextWave´s booth at the
upcoming CTIA Wireless 2008 conference (April 1-3, 2008) in Las Vegas.
Visit NextWave Wireless in Booth #5265.
About NextWave Wireless
NextWave Wireless Inc. (Nasdaq: WAVE) is engineering the future of
mobility by providing next-generation mobile multimedia and wireless
broadband technologies to the world´s leading mobile handset
manufacturers, consumer electronics manufacturers and wireless service
providers. From mobile television and mobile broadband systems to
semiconductors and device-embedded mobile multimedia software that can
be found in more than 200 million handsets around the globe, NextWave
is evolving the way consumers experience mobile multimedia content. In
addition, the company´s global spectrum footprint allows service
providers to deploy next-generation wireless broadband networks
utilizing NextWave´s advanced wireless broadband products and
technologies. For more information, visit NextWave at
www.nextwave.com.
About Alcatel-Lucent
Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) provides solutions
that enable service providers, enterprise and governments worldwide,
to deliver voice, data and video communication services to end-users.
As a leader in fixed, mobile and converged broadband networking, IP
technologies, applications and services, Alcatel-Lucent offers the
end-to-end solutions that enable compelling communications services
for people at home, at work and on the move. With operations in more
than 130 countries, Alcatel-Lucent is a local partner wit global
reach. The company has the most experienced global services team in
the industry, and one of the largest research, technology and
innovation organizations in the telecommunications industry.
Alcatel-Lucent achieved revenues of Euro 17.8 billion in 2007 and is
incorporated in France, with executive offices located in Paris. For
more information, visit Alcatel-Lucent on the Internet:
http://www.alcatel-lucent.com
Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" for
purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that
involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurances that
forward-looking statements will be achieved, and actual events or
results could differ materially from the events or results predicted
by such statements. Important factors that could cause actual events
or results to differ materially are discussed in greater detail in the
filings of NextWave with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All
such documents are available through the SEC´s website at www.sec.gov.
NextWave makes no commitment to update any forward-looking statements
in order to reflect subsequent changes in events or circumstances
except as may be required pursuant to applicable law.
