Up-Date:
India
The Company's Indian subsidiary, World Wide Wireless (India) Ltd has received ISP licenses for operations in Bangalore, Delhi, Bombay, and Madras. There has been on-going communication between that subsidiary and the wireless advisor to the government of India about the acquisition of frequency spectrum licenses in those locations. We remain optimistic about receiving licenses for those cities, but there are no assurances that any or all of them will actually be forthcoming. We hope for a definitive answer soon, certainly in the first quarter of 2001. (I only wonder what CERTAINLY means, in this context!
India, despite its distance from the United States and unique business ethic, is potentially an extraordinary location for fixed broadband wireless Internet systems. A highly literate, computer oriented middle and upper middle class are today frustrated by the difficult access to the Internet that characterizes service in their country. Yet recent widely distributed press reports speak of an incredible pent-up demand in the country for efficient high-speed service.
Fixed broadband wireless Internet and India are a perfect match. (Repeat after me, "PERFECT MATCH ...PERFECT MATCH ...PERFECT MATCH! I must concur! India IS the most important country for WLGS to get a foothold into over the long term!) The prospect remains exciting and we continue to hope and expect to commence service, once licenses are granted, on the subcontinent this year.
