City of Dunrobin Deploys EION Wireless Broadband Technology

OTTAWA, November 9, 2005, EION Wireless a recognized leader in providing wireless connectivity to rural communities announces that SimplySurf has deployed EION’s Rugged Wireless Communication Solution in order to provide broadband wireless service to the city of Dunrobin, Ontario.

To date, Internet access in Dunrobin has been limited to slow dial-up connections or costly satellite link services. With the SimplySurf Wireless Network, access is now provided to the majority of households at rate of $29.95 per month. The wireless service provides users with high speed Internet with quality comparable to ADSL and Cable services.

The network provides coverage in Dunrobin Village and Heights with a planned extension to the Shores coming soon. Together with its partners, EION Wireless and Nortel Networks, SimplySurf has created a network that ensures users can connect anywhere within the community.

EION Wireless has provided the backhaul wireless connectivity to this project. EION's backhaul solution seamlessly interfaces with Nortel's Mesh wireless technology to provide Dunrobin subscribers an unsurpassed Broadband capability. EION CEO Kalai Kalaichelvan states, "Although EION has deployed its solution in several Latin American and African countries, deploying so close to home in Dunrobin brings enormous excitement and extreme satisfaction. Working closely with Nortel has further strengthened the synergy between the two companies, making it possible for SimplySurf to offer wireless broadband services."

"When rural communities have access to the same resources and information as urban areas, businesses can be more competitive, there are more opportunities for new jobs, social services can be improved and ideas are shared all of which fuel innovation," said Brian McFadden, chief research officer, Nortel. "People want full mobility to be connected anywhere at any time. Nortel is making that possible through wireless mesh technology that extends network coverage to expansive outdoor and indoor areas such as parks, municipalities and university campuses."

"We share Nortel’s vision to drive economic and social growth by making broadband services and applications accessible to rural communities that have not had broadband options available to them before now," said Shadi Hussein, president, SimplySurf. "We plan to offer wireless broadband service to more than 7,000 residents throughout rural areas of Ottawa."

Through the combination of Fixed Wireless and Mesh Wireless technologies, a cost-effective solution is being provided to the local businesses and home users. Enabling wireless coverage throughout rural and remote locations can often be a complex task however EION undertook this challenge. By working with SimplySurf, the design was established and has resulted in 90% coverage of the Dunrobin community. Even though the local terrain initially presented some difficulties, careful placement of the equipment is resulting in good signal quality and secure access for all current Dunrobin households. At the user end no special equipment is required because the network interfaces directly with the wireless card in the subscriber's PC.