Netcom Africa selects Allgon Microwave<br>for Wireless broadband backhaul

Netcom Africa is the IP communication provider of satellite and wireless broadband solutions in Nigeria. Allgon Microwave is a business unit within Advantech AMT, a designer and manufacturer of communication products for Satellite Ground Stations and Terrestrial Wireless Communications. Netcom Africa is expanding their wireless broadband network in Lagos and plans to expand their Wireless broadband services to other regions of Nigeria in the future. The company's high speed wireless broadband product, MyNetcom uses the UMTS TDD technology for wireless broadband access. Ethernet microwave radio communication solutions supplied by Allgon will be used for backhaul transmission from the core network to the Netcom Wireless broadband basestations. Under the agreement between Allgon Microwave and Netcom Africa Limited, Netcom Africa will use both the medium capacity AMR Streamline platform (4-36 MBPS) as well as the high capacity AMR Transcend platform (50-100 MBPS) in the network. The internal network switch of the AMR portfolio reduces the need for additional external equipment at so-called tail sites. “We found that Allgon Microwave has the most suitable portfolio and the best experience in building Ethernet based Wireless broadband networks. By selecting Allgon Microwave products we will get he highest data throughput per dollar spent and as a result we minimize the risks of problems with data backhaul during our network rollout. Allgon Microwave has done it before with excellent results", states Yen Choi, Group Executive Vice President & CTO of Netcom Africa. “We see Wireless mobile networks as our key market. Our products are purpose-built to meet the demands of Wireless mobile broadband networks. That's why Allgon Microwave has implemented features such as Adaptive Coding and Modulation, a built in high functionality Switch, and full Layer 2 quality of service. We have worked very hard to have the best product performance with regards to latency and jitter. These functionalities and capabilities are needed in order to have mobility and VOIP services in a Wireless Mobile network, and we can supply it", says Markus Engman, Area Sales Manager for Allgon Microwave. Yen Choi also stated that the expansion will increase the company's market share in the dynamic and fast-growing Nigeria Internet market and this will make the premium high speed wireless broadband product more accessible to the public.