Nokia, Sprint Nextel to Roll Out Mobile WiMAX Services in Texas

Irving, TX, USA - Nokia today announced that Sprint Nextel has awarded it the four Texas markets of Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio and Austin for the initial build-out of Sprint Nextel's mobile WiMAX network.

Nokia will deploy WiMAX infrastructure, including the Nokia Flexi WiMAX Base Station, at sites throughout the four Texas markets, enabling Sprint Nextel to deliver wireless Internet broadband access to consumers, businesses and governments. Service is expected to commence in the Texas markets during the first half of 2008. Sprint Nextel's mobile WiMAX network intends to cover 100 million people nationwide by the end of 2008.

"Nokia's WiMAX solution provides Sprint Nextel a highly cost-effective network infrastructure solution for delivering broadband wireless Internet connectivity to its Texas customers," said Mark Louison, head of Nokia's Networks division in North America. "Nokia has extensive experience in designing, deploying, and maintaining high quality networks in North America, and will apply best practices to ensure the highest level of service for Sprint Nextel's WiMAX customers. We are confident in our ability to deploy the network on time in these markets in the first half of 2008."

The Nokia Flexi WiMAX Base Station allows operators to optimize the costs of siting and operating WiMAX infrastructure equipment through its small, modular size. Its compact size and lightweight, weather-proof design minimizes the space, power consumption, and physical effort required to install and run high-quality WiMAX networks. Additionally, its modularity allows for easy capacity upgrades as traffic increases and efficient use of existing or new base station sites. All these characteristics are also critical to ensure an environmentally friendly solution. Nokia will also supply its Access Service Network (ASN) Gateway and NetAct network management platform as well as planning, deployment, and care services.

"Nokia's expertise in delivering end-to-end wireless technology solutions, coupled with Nokia devices that enable enhanced multimedia content, will enable Sprint Nextel to provide our customers with reliable, high-quality WiMAX service," said Barry West, Sprint Nextel President, 4G Business Unit.

Nokia will showcase its complete mobile WiMAX infrastructure solution and demonstrate mobile WiMAX technology at CTIA Wireless 2007 in Orlando, Fla. at the end of March.

In addition to supplying Sprint Nextel with WiMAX network infrastructure, Nokia will also develop WiMAX-enabled mobile devices, including multimedia computers and Internet tablets, which are expected to be available in 2008.