Message #137 From:
Stock News Bot Date: January 23, 2007 04:00:00 AM
SI News Siemens Provides Key Infrastructure and Services to Deliver Wireless Internet Access across Washtenaw County, Michigan, Including Areas Limited by 'Slow-Speed' Dialup
BOCA RATON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Siemens Communications, Inc. today announced that Internet Service
Provider 20/20 Communications of Ann Arbor, Michigan, is using Siemens
solutions and services on the “Wireless
Washtenaw” project in Michigan’s
Washtenaw County. County officials developed the project to bring
wireless broadband service to all areas of the county, especially to
suburban and rural residents who could only access the Internet using
slower-speed dialup connections. Siemens and 20/20 have already begun
installing wireless infrastructure in Ann Arbor, Saline, and Manchester
as part of a pilot program that county officials expect will pave the
way for full-scale deployment of services in 2007.
“This pioneering effort to provide a
convenient, openly mobile and secure wireless Internet experience to
everyone in the community regardless of their geographic location or
economic status is of great importance to Siemens,”
said Dana Rasmussen, President, Sales and Services, Siemens
Communications Inc. “Wireless Washtenaw will
improve the quality of life and support economic growth in Washtenaw
County, while serving as a model for other communities to follow.”
The wireless initiative will bring free, basic wireless Internet access
to anyone in the county and higher-speed access for a fee. Developed and
funded without the use of public tax dollars, Wireless Washtenaw was
spearheaded by the Deputy Administrator of Washtenaw County, David
Behen, and a consortium of local stakeholders, universities, and
government representatives. “Partnering with
two firms – one, 20/20 Communications,
steeped in local culture and a reputation for service excellence, and
the other, Siemens, a global name synonymous with technological
innovation – puts our community at the
forefront of creating the “new”
Michigan,” said Behen.
Under the terms of the Wireless Washtenaw project, Siemens and 20/20
Communications are providing a turnkey solution, with 20/20 owning and
operating the network, and Siemens serving as equipment vendor, system
integrator, and services provider. For the project, Siemens is providing:
Siemens Wi-Fi Mesh radio network
Siemens Wireless Integration Platform for authentication and
provisioning
Installation, design, RF engineering, and maintenance
Managed services, including service desk support, Network Operating
Center (NOC) monitoring, and remote network management services
Located in southeast Michigan, Washtenaw County encompasses 720 square
miles and has a total population of 347,111 people. Residents live in
urban, suburban, and rural areas, and cities including Ann Arbor - home
to the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University.
Siemens and 20/20 Communications will install a high-performance
wireless mesh network, which is a powerful technology that enables
openly mobile wireless network coverage in rural areas where traditional
wireless services have been previously too difficult or costly to
provide. The Siemens Wi-Fi mesh network provides an effective solution
for delivering seamless, ubiquitous wireless roaming in cities, urban,
and rural environments.
To ensure maximum performance and system availability, Siemens
Communications will actively manage and monitor the health of the
network around the clock throughout the year. It will provide analysis
and make recommendations for enhancements to ensure ongoing success. “We
at 20/20 Communications are extremely pleased to partner with Siemens on
this project,” said Bob Wolff, President
20/20 Communications. “Siemens' worldwide
experience in mesh networks gives me complete confidence in their
ability to design, build, and support the Wireless Washtenaw network.”
Siemens Communications will also provide customer service/support to
present a consistent, high quality end-user experience. By leveraging
Siemens managed services, 20/20 Communications is minimizing the costs
associated with operating and supporting the Washtenaw County regional
wireless mesh network.
“Wireless Washtenaw is a thriving initiative
for one important reason: community partnership,”
said Jeff Irwin, Chair of the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners. “20/20
Communications and Siemens have helped set the standard for cooperation
with their contribution to the success of this initiative.”
About 20/20 Communications
20/20 Communications is one of the largest private ISPs in Michigan and
the largest provider of Wireless Internet Service in Southeast
Michigan. 20/20 Communications was created from a merger among Ann Arbor
Wireless and local Internet service provider IC.Net. Ann Arbor Wireless
was best known over the last 20 years for its five retail stores that
sell business and residential Internet service, mobile phones and
calling plans. IC.Net had provided Internet services, such as high-speed
T1 lines, to area businesses for the past 11 years. In February 2006,
20/20 also acquired Jackson-based PCS Broadband's wireless assets and
began offering and providing high-speed wireless access to its customers
in Sylvan, Scio and Saline townships. For more information, visit www.2020comm.com.
About Siemens
Siemens AG (NYSE:SI) is one of the largest global electronics and
engineering companies with reported worldwide sales of $96 billion in
fiscal 2005. Founded nearly 160 years ago, the company is a leader in
the areas Medical, Power, Automation and Control, Transportation,
Information and Communications, Lighting, Building Technologies, Water
Technologies and Services and Home Appliances. With its U.S. corporate
headquarters in New York City, Siemens in the USA has sales of $18.8
billion and employs approximately 70,000 people throughout all 50 states
and Puerto Rico. Eleven of Siemens' worldwide businesses are based in
the United States. With its global headquarters in Munich, Siemens AG
and its subsidiaries employ 460,000 people in 190 countries. For more
information on Siemens in the United States: www.usa.siemens.com
About Siemens Communications, Inc.
Siemens Communications, Inc. is one of the world’s
leading vendors of Open Communications solutions for enterprises of all
sizes, enabling business processes to be more productive, faster and
more secure – with any device, network or
information technology infrastructure. The company is a wholly owned
subsidiary of Siemens AG with 17,000 employees globally and headquarters
in Boca Raton, Fla. For more information, visit www.usa.siemens.com/communications
Note: Siemens is a registered trademark of Siemens AG or its
subsidiaries and affiliates. All other company, brand, product and
service names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their
respective holders.
This release contains forward-looking statements based on beliefs of
Siemens management. The words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate,"
"forecast," "expect," "intend," "plan," "should," and "project" are used
to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the
company's current views with respect to future events and are subject to
risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause the actual results to
be materially different, including, among others, changes in general
economic and business conditions, changes in currency exchange rates and
interest rates, introduction of competing products, lack of acceptance
of new products or services and changes in business strategy. Actual
results may vary materially from those projected here. Siemens does not
intend or assume any obligation to update these forward-looking
statements.
