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CTC Telcom Delivers Advanced Wireless Technology to Wisconsin With SOMA Networks' FlexMAX System

Posted on: Tuesday, 16 January 2007, 12:00 CST

CTC Telcom (Chibardun Telephone Co-op), one of the first telephone companies in the nation to deploy switched digital video service, today announced it has selected SOMA Networks, Inc., a leading provider of Mobile WiMAX technology, to extend the reach of its service network using the FlexMAXTM Wireless System. By deploying the turnkey 700 MHz band FlexMAX system, CTC Telcom is able to economically overcome technical and geographic barriers that had prevented Wisconsin residents from receiving universal broadband and affordable multimedia services. The new wireless technology will also enable CTC to extend service to underserved communities and increase broadband penetration throughout the area.

"We are once again breaking new ground in the independent telecommunications market by introducing the most advanced wireless technology to local Wisconsin customers, combining affordable voice (VoIP) services, easy-to-use, always-on broadband, and eventually advanced multimedia services," said Rick Vergin, Chief Executive Officer of CTC Telcom. "By deploying Wisconsin's first fully converged wireless voice and data network and enabling broad-scale wireless connectivity in previously underserved markets, CTC Telcom anticipates fundamentally transforming every subscriber's quality of life."

"Rural carriers in the U.S. such as CTC Telcom, are leading the way in terms of offering their customers innovative services," said Tom Flak, Senior Vice President of Product Strategy at SOMA Networks. "While various industry factors have improved the business climate for these rural carriers -- such as the freeing up of 700 MHz spectrum and the development of advanced wireless technologies like Mobile WiMAX -- it's often difficult for them to remain profitable due to vast geographic coverage areas and low population densities. The strong indoor coverage and broad overall coverage radius available with SOMA's FlexMAX Wireless System makes it the ideal solution to help carriers prevail in this challenging environment."

Residents of Ladysmith, Wisconsin, can now order a variety of CTC Telcom High Speed Internet data and telephony packages over the new wireless network. The ICALL Plus Unlimited package bundles unlimited local and long-distance telephone with 1.5 Mbps data service for $44.95 per month. Internet data-only packages begin at $14.95 per month for twelve months, with speeds of 1.5 Mbps, and include a number of mail accounts, SPAM/Virus Filtering and Web Space.

CTC Telcom selected the FlexMAX System due to its unique ability to support both multi-megabit broadband and advanced applications such as carrier-class VoIP, over one fully integrated IP network, eliminating the need to maintain separate voice and data networks. By deploying the SOMA system, they have reduced operational overhead costs by 90 percent, simply by running a single unified wireless network capable of delivering high-quality voice and future multimedia services. The all-IP system has allowed the carrier to seamlessly integrate the new wireless system with their current IP infrastructure, billing system, and existing Versatel Softswitch solution, eliminating integration downtime for end-users.

CTC customers currently using the system cited portability, ease of installation, and superior voice quality among the key benefits of the new service. Previous wireless systems had required the use of an externally mounted antenna at 80 percent of customer locations, but with the SOMAport gateways, they were able to use the indoor, non-line-of-sight device anywhere within their coverage area while maintaining high quality of service. In addition, the portable, easy-to-install subscriber gateway devices have resulted in a 75 percent reduction in installation time and significant reductions in the number of truck rolls required for service calls. For CTC, this drastically reduces the high costs of technical support required for installation, and tremendously improves their overall business case.

SOMA's FlexMAX Systems and SoftAir System were designed from the ground up to support services that demand high QoS and low latency, making the solution ideal for POTS quality voice, broadband data and multimedia services. It is comprised of SOMAportTM wireless broadband gateway devices along with macro base stations and a server-based core system, to deliver the only converged, all-IP, multimedia wireless applications platform. The SOMAport gateway device is a fully integrated, auto-provisioning modem that goes beyond other simple wireless products by offering unmatched coverage radius and superior indoor access. In addition to providing high-speed, always-on Internet access, the SOMAport combines the functionality of multiple devices into a single compact, all-in-one product.

About CTC Telcom

CTC Telcom, headquartered in Cameron, Wisconsin, was formed in 1996 as a subsidiary of Chibardun Telephone Cooperative, which for 50 years has led the nation in expanding telecommunications services to rural areas. CTC Telcom continues this tradition by providing telecommunication solutions to business and residential customers in northwest Wisconsin's rural communities. For more information, visit: http://www.chibardun.net/.

About SOMA Networks

SOMA Networks, a broadband wireless access market leader, enables communications providers to realize fastest time to market, highest average revenue per subscriber and shortest path to return on investment with the industry's only converged all-IP wireless multimedia applications platform. The FlexMAX platform provides unmatched QoS, subscriber density, and cell coverage to deliver wireline performance over a broadband wireless infrastructure. Service providers worldwide deploy SOMA's award winning base stations and subscriber gateways because of its superior business case, deployability, support for spectrum bands ranging from 700 MHz through 3.5 GHz, multi-megabit data rates, superior voice quality, non-line-of-sight access, and subscriber self-installation and service activation. A principal member of the WiMAX Forum™, SOMA Networks is headquartered in San Francisco, CA, with offices in Ottawa, Toronto, Delhi, and Singapore. For more information: http://www.somanetworks.com.

Source: Business Wire

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