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Wireless Community Networks Forum to Attract Wireless Providers, Users Dec. 7-8 to Miami, FL

Posted on: Wednesday, 1 December 2004, 15:00 CST

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is being issued by the Wireless Communications Association International:

Who: 100+ prominent telecom executives, plus 400+ users and potential

users, 22 speakers.

What: Cutting-edge association-run event focused on fast-emerging

WiMAX, Wi-Fi and other Wireless Community Networks and related

government-funded enterprise networks that use high-speed, high-

capacity services to deliver Internet and related IT and telecom

services. Collocated events Dec. 6-10 (with separate

registration) are attracting eight heads of state from Caribbean

and Central American nations, plus 400+ executives from region's

telecom, IT, banking, tourism, textile and energy sectors -- all

actual or potential users.

When: Dec. 7-8, 2004 (complete WiNETS schedule available on WCA

website: http://www.wcai.com/)

Where: Inter-Continental Hotel, 100 Chopin Plaza, Miami, FL

Sponsor: Wireless Communications Association International (WCA)

Partner: Caribbean-Central American Action (CCAA), host of the 28th

Miami Conference On The Caribbean Basin. This conference and

exhibition hosted by Caribbean-Central American Action (CCAA)

attracts more than 400 key leaders from the private and public

sectors for dialogue on issues affecting the region and its

economic prospects. Details: http://www.c-caa.org/.

Today's Top Wireless Broadband Industry Developments and Story Ideas:

(Excerpted below. For full edition of Media Advisory, click: http://www.wcai.com/event/05/w_news.htm)

* What are the most promising trends in Community, Municipal and

Enterprise Networks? An overview of current success stories in the

U.S., Caribbean and Latin America: Community Broadband Networks

(Residential and Business uses, often created by community

volunteers); Municipal Networks (Government-funded); Enterprise

Networks (General Government Use, Educational & Health, Public Safety,

Emergency & Border Patrol), and methods of implementation, including

Wi-Fi, last-mile proprietary solutions, and wireless mesh.

* Free City-Wide Wi-Fi Service? The program manager for one of the

world's most ambitious government-initiated community wireless network

projects will discuss the City of Philadelphia's widely reported and

recently controversial plan "Wireless Philadelphia(TM)" to create low-

cost wireless Internet service throughout the sixth-largest U.S. city

to create a digital city that supports economic development, social

development and helps close the digital divide. Implementation is on

a fast-track, with requests for proposals to vendors to be released

early in 2005. The goal is similar in many other localities in

Florida, the Caribbean, Latin America and elsewhere. Yet

Pennsylvania's legislature this fall passed a bill that might ban

Philadelphia-type plans -- typifying a counter-attack by private

sector providers. Although Verizon agreed Tuesday not to seek

enforcement against Philadelphia itself, the bill has other state and

national ramifications.

* Top executives describe the vital role of broadband wireless. High-

level speakers from the WiMAX Forum, The Management Network Group

(TMNG), Intel Corp., Craig McCaw's newly acquired company NextNet

Wireless, IBM, Motorola, Alvarion, WaveRider Communications, Celerus,

Airspan Networks, BelAir Networks, B-Quad Communications and Proxim

are among those who will describe the role of wireless broadband.

* The WiMAX Forum(TM) facilitates the deployment of broadband wireless

networks based on the IEEE 802.16 standard by helping to ensure the

inter-operability of broadband wireless access equipment. WiMAX

Campaign Manager Joe W. English of Intel Corp. will describe its

progress in uniting industry leaders who are committed to the open

interoperability of all products used for broadband wireless access,

and its relationship to such complementary technologies as Wi-Fi and

cellular systems. WiMAX complements Wi-Fi by extending its reach and

providing "Wi-Fi - like" user experience on a larger geographical

scale. In the 2006-2008 timeframe, both 802.16 and 802.11 will be

available in end-user devices from laptops to PDAs. These will

deliver wireless connectivity to end users at home, in the office and

on the move. More than 125 WiMAX Forum leaders have pre-registered

for meetings on site.

- WiMAX was featured in two separate stories Nov. 29 in the New

York Times business section. One focused on WiMAX advocate

TowerStream, the other on Intel Corp., noting its recent

alliance with the Craig McCaw-backed startup Clearwire.

Clearwire, which launched its service in Florida this year,

will be represented at WiNETS by its equipment subsidiary

NextNet Wireless, the world's most widely deployed Next

Generation wireless broadband technology.

* How can the technology contribute to social and economic development?

This covers such topics as Municipal use (public safety, e-

government), community-based applications (health and clinics),

educational institutions, small enterprise applications), and

universal access (wireless rural and urban extensions into poor

neighborhoods.

* Learn how advanced wireless broadband systems are meeting the region's

most pressing hurricane-relief, public safety and port security

challenges. Target audience: Small Wi-Fi WISPs, and small-enterprise

users (such as counties or cities) who want better First Responder

capability and security. What you will learn:

- Case studies on how wireless met challenges posed by last

summer's hurricane barrage

- How to improve port security with wireless

- Pilot project results of wireless systems tests for First

Responders

- Technical challenges to widespread adoption

About the Wireless Communications Association & License Exempt Alliance:

Founded in 1988, the Wireless Communications Association International (WCA) (http://www.wcai.com/) is the non-profit trade association for the wireless broadband industry, with 250 members on six continents. The License Exempt Alliance (LEA) was founded in 1999 within WCA to represent license exempt providers and their vendors of broadband services, including fixed, mobile and enterprise networks. Non-media may be eligible for VIP Pass: Downloadable at http://www.wcai.com/pdf/2004/winets_vip.pdf.

Wireless Communications Association International

CONTACT: Tim Sheetz of the Wireless Communications AssociationInternational, +1-202-452-7823, or tim@wcai.com

Web site: http://www.wcai.com/http://www.c-caa.org/

Source: PRNewswire

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