PacWest Distribution of WIreless Telecom
SANTA ROSA, CA - December 19, 2000 - BroadLink Communications, Inc., a next-generation wireless broadband carrier, announced today it has signed a distribution channel partner agreement with Pac-West Telecomm, Inc., a rapidly growing provider of integrated communications services to Internet service providers (ISPs) and business customers throughout the western U.S. Under terms of the new agreement, Pac-West will become BroadLink's exclusive provider of wireless broadband Internet access and data transport services in the Stockton-Lodi region of Northern California.
Bob Handell, BroadLink's President and CEO, said, "We are very pleased to announce this agreement with Pac-West. We believe that Pac-West will be instrumental in helping us penetrate the Stockton-Lodi market and demonstrate to business and residential customers the significant advantages of utilizing wireless broadband."
Pac-West will distribute BroadLink's wireless broadband services to its target customers through a direct retail offering to small and medium-sized enterprise customers (SMEs) and as a wholesale offering to ISPs serving business and residential subscribers in the Stockton-Lodi market. BroadLink's proprietary wireless network, "BrightEdge", enables Pac-West and its ISP customers to bridge the "Digital Divide" by providing high-speed Internet access to subscribers located both within and outside the 18,000 ft. wired DSL limit.
Utilizing BroadLink's wireless network, Pac-West and its ISP customers can cost-effectively deliver dedicated "always on" Internet connections at speeds up to 1.5 Mbps, which is comparable to cable, DSL, and 3G networks. BroadLink's wireless service will match wired DSL in performance and cost, while eliminating the hassles and service delays commonly associated with wire-based services.
Wally Griffin, Pac-West's President and CEO, said, "BroadLink's wireless solution is an exciting alternative to DSL, enabling Pac-West to extend its broadband reach to new customers who were previously unable to obtain high-speed data services due to the distance and service limitations of DSL." BroadLink is able to deliver the only IP-based wireless broadband service that incorporates a true open service platform enabling multiple ISPs to use one wireless broadband network. In addition to Internet access, BroadLink's wide area network (WAN) technology also enhances delivery of a wide variety of value-added data services, including encryption and VPN. In the near future, BroadLink's technology will deliver IP-based services including Voice over IP, video, and interactive content.
The Stockton-Lodi region represents BroadLink's first rollout beyond its home market of Santa Rosa, California. The Company is also in the process of building networks in the San Francisco/Silicon Valley region, as well as Sacramento, Atlanta, Charlotte, Nashville, Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale, Kansas City, Chicago, and Detroit.
BroadLink Communications, Inc., a California corporation, is a next-generation wireless broadband carrier. BroadLink provides Internet Protocol (IP) transport and content delivery services through ISPs and CLECs, enabling them to meet the demand from their small and medium enterprise, SOHO, and residential customers for high-speed Internet access. BroadLink's proprietary high-speed wireless networks cost-effectively deliver Internet connections at speeds up to 5.5 (54 Mbps 2001) which is faster than 3G networks, cable, and DSL. For more information, please visit the company's web site at www.broadlink.com.
Founded in 1980, Pac-West Telecomm, Inc. (Nasdaq: PACW) is a rapidly growing provider of integrated communications services throughout the western U.S. Pac-West supplies Internet infrastructure and broadband services to Internet service providers (ISPs), and integrated voice, data and Internet services to small and medium-sized businesses. The company currently has operations in California, Nevada, Washington, Colorado and Utah, and is rapidly expanding its network into other western states. Pac-West is a Safeguard Scientifics (NYSE: SFE) partner company. For more information, please visit the company's web site at www.pacwest.com.