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NEC Achieves International Success of Its Point-to-Point Wireless Access
System; NEC's NLite/PASOLINK Marks 300,000 Systems Sold Globally; Contributing
to the Realization of Its Total Mobile and Broadband Solution
IRVING, Texas, Feb 21, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- NEC Corporation announced that its point-to-point wireless access system, "PASOLINK," has sold over 300-thousand systems globally; allowing NEC to take the top position in the market. PASOLINK is marketed as the "NLite(TM)" family (NLite/NLite 155/NLite L(TM)/NLite Lx) in the North American marketplace.
NEC first launched its NLite/PASOLINK product in the mid-1980s, supplying a leading telecom operator in the United Kingdom with its 18GHz PASOLINK system. Since then, business has expanded on a worldwide scale, with most recent activity occurring in response to rapid growth of mobile networks. With this expansion, many operators have deployed NLite/PASOLINK systems to connect radio base stations to facilitate the rapid and simple installation of mobile infrastructure.
Sales of the NLite/PASOLINK systems first exceeded 50,000 units in FY 2000, and 200,000 units in FY2004. By FY2005, sales figures exceeded 300,000 as NEC signed large-scale, long-term contracts with mobile operators in Brazil, Russia, India, and China.
One good example of NEC's success is its strength and reach in the Brazilian market. In December 2005, NEC announced new contracts with leading mobile and fixed network operators, VIVO, CLARO and Embratel; where NEC will supply its fixed point-to-point PDH PASOLINK microwave system, with expectations to supply approximately 3000 hops of PASOLINK to Brazil within a year.
VIVO, the leading CDMA-based mobile operator, and CLARO, the leading GSM-based mobile operator will deploy NEC's PASOLINK systems to further expand its mobile networks. Embratel, a leading fixed network operator with a high presence in network operations for the enterprise market, will deploy NEC's PASOLINK system to respond to the increasing data communications requirements of large corporations.
"Brazil's mobile and fixed network market is currently booming, as proven by the high demand for broadband and mobile communications networks," said Toshiyuki Mineno, senior general manager, Mobile Solutions Operations Unit, NEC Corporation. "We are honored to help reshape the region's mobile and fixed network landscape, and intend to expand the PASOLINK business even more. We see Brazil as a top market; with the mobile subscriber base having nearly doubled over the past three years, and estimations that by the end of 2005, the number of mobile subscribers would reach 90 million, a figure corresponding to 50% of the total Brazilian population."
"We believe the rapid growth of NEC's NLite/PASOLINK business is attributed to NEC's long-standing experience, competence, advanced and high-quality technologies," said Bruce Blain, vice president, Sales at NEC America. "To maintain our leadership position in the global microwave communication systems market, NEC will continue to expand its NLite/PASOLINK business to meet the growing demands of the emerging 3G space, the mobile Internet and the growing IP network market."
NLite/PASOLINK is chiefly designed for telecom carriers' backhaul networks, enterprise solutions and emergency networks. It offers a simple and highly reliable fixed wireless solution. NLite/PASOLINK is a PDH/SONET microwave system, offering a variety of configurations to cover small-to-large capacity requirements. The systems operate at various radio frequency bands ranging from 4 to 52 GHz and a maximum traffic capacity of 2 X 155 Mbps. It is applicable to various solutions such as mobile network infrastructure to connect base stations, business user links, private networks, LAN/WAN interconnection and back up for optical fiber networks. NEC's NLite/PASOLINK systems allow for simple installation, speedy service introduction, and efficient and economical solutions for both day-to-day transmission and emergency situations.
For additional information on NEC America's microwave radio solutions, please contact 888-NEC-WAVE or visit the Web site at www.necwave.com.
About NEC America, Inc.
NEC America, Inc., headquartered in Irving, Texas, is a leading provider of innovative communications products, solutions and services. NEC America serves all communications industries from carriers, to enterprise, to wireless and is an affiliate of NEC Corporation (Nasdaq:NIPNY), a Global Fortune 500(R) company and one of the leading patent producing enterprises in the world. For more information about NEC America, visit its website at www.necamerica.com.
About NEC Corporation
NEC is one of the world's leading providers of Internet, broadband network and enterprise business solutions dedicated to meeting the specialized needs of its diverse and global base of customers. Ranked as one of the world's top patent-producing companies, NEC delivers tailored solutions in the key fields of computer, networking and electron devices, by integrating its technical strengths in IT and Networks, and by providing advanced semiconductor solutions through NEC Electronics Corporation. The NEC Group employs more than 140,000 people worldwide and had net sales of approximately $43 billion in the fiscal year ended March 2004. For additional information, please visit the NEC home page at: http://www.nec.com.
NLite is a trademark of NEC America, Inc.
SOURCE: NEC America, Inc.


CONTACT: NEC America, Inc., Irving
Linda Hallada, 214-262-3651
[e-mail]
or
Ruder Finn
Chris Foster, 212-715-1691
[e-mail]
Copyright Business Wire 2006
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