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On-Communications has announced its plans to build a channel business for its guaranteed bandwidth Fixed Wireless Access broadband service.

Providing cost and lead time advantages over traditional leased lines and significant performance advantages over ADSL& SDSL services, the Fixed Wireless Access service from On-Communications’ will appeal to solution providers operating in the VoIP, IT and hosted applications space. On-Communications channel programme offers three levels of partner engagement for wholesale partners, resellers, and referral partners.

Fixed Wireless Access from  On-Communications’ provides a real alternative to traditional leased lines, but is far more cost effective and also has the flexibility of  “burst” bandwidth usage. At no extra charge this allows businesses to access additional bandwidth, at up to twice their contracted speed during peak periods*. 

Geoff Scott, On-Communications’ Channel Manager, commented:

“On-Communications has real value to add as a partner. As an organisation we have the drive to deliver a really strong partner programme to build long term relationships but more importantly we have the knowledge and experience to ensure that programme is a success.   We recognise the need to be consistent with our channel programme, whilst at the same time being flexible and responsive to the needs of partners.  That is why we have a range of options for supporting channel partners: from a complete white label wholesale arrangement, reseller options through to simple referral agreements that allow partners solutions to easily benefit from our connectivity and earn a commission.”

The On-Communications service is rapidly installed, normally in less than 15 days because it is delivered using wireless technology.  This favourably compares to the typical 60-90 days installation for a leased line.  Because there is no need to dig up the road to lay cables the service also helps the environment.

The high performance of the guaranteed bandwidth service is further supported by a robust service level agreement (SLA) that covers such parameters as up-time and latency. Plus, as standard, speeds of 1Mb to 10Mb are provided, but bespoke solutions at 100Mb and even 1Gb are possible. The symmetrical nature of the service ensures that the same bandwidth for both down loading and up loading to the internet is always available.

Connections from On-Communications offer higher speeds than can be delivered using SDSL or cable based broadband solutions and, unlike most SDSL based connections which are contended, connections from On-Communications provide guaranteed bandwidth.   As such, On-Communications customers do not ever share their contracted bandwidth with other customers, and can therefore plan properly for value added services such as VoIP. 

Andrew Saunders, Marketing Manager at On-Communications, added:

“Our service has demonstrated considerable success in a range of applications with both private and public sector clients, proving ideal for demanding business applications such as virtual private network (VPN) support, VoIP solutions, IP Telephony applications and hosted applications in general.  However, we are about to migrate our service delivery technology to WiMAX, which will add additional Quality of Service and intelligent traffic management features that will be of major benefit to VoIP and IP Telephony deployments.”
To learn more about the opportunity with On-Communications, interested partners should contact Geoff Scott on 08704 296746, email geoff.scott@on-communications.com or visit www.on-communications.com/channel-partners.

The crowds attending the World Cycling Championships at the Manchester Velodrome this month will be able to enjoy high-speed wireless internet access (Wi-Fi) whilst they spectate. Leading Fixed Wireless Access service provider On-Communications and BT Openzone have collaborated to provide a Wi-Fi ‘Hot Zone’ covering the entire Velodrome. The wireless solution will allow anyone within the arena complex to access email, the web, even their company networks, as well as gaming and VOIP applications through Wi-Fi enabled devices.

In addition to the public Wi-Fi Hot Zone, which will provide coverage across all public areas, conference and press rooms at the venue, On-Communications will also provide separate private wireless VLANs (WVLANs) for the event’s organizing team and for British Cycling who are permanently based in the Velodrome.

On-Communications’ Fixed Wireless Access service will route all the Velodrome’s data and Wi-Fi traffic to the internet. A key feature of this guaranteed performance service is the “burst” capability providing additional bandwidth during peak periods at the end of heats and races as journalists and media representatives rush to immediately send reports and photographs to a global audience.

Ian Roberts, Chief Executive Officer, On-Communications remarked: “On-Communications has delivered a solution combining Fixed Wireless Access and WiFi technology to meet the challenge of keeping spectators, competitors, their teams, and the world’s cycling media, up to speed with results on the track through our secure, carrier-class systems.

“Because our service is provided wirelessly, it is not reliant on underground cables and can therefore be implemented far more quickly than traditional services.”

The UCI Track Cycling World Championships 2008 take place on 26 – 30 March at the Manchester Velodrome.

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The 9th FINA World Swimming Championships in Manchester will be supported by  complete IT infrastructure from  On-Communications and Hague IT

On-Communications, the UK market leader in Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), will provide its 10Mb symmetrical broadband internet connection with Hague IT, to support both the international media centre and the organising team staging the 9th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) in Manchester.  The complete solution will support all IT and communications requirements via wireless broadband technology.

The high speed, guaranteed bandwidth wireless broadband connection is a key element of the overall solution and will carry all internet and email traffic from the international media centre. The symmetrical nature of On-Communications broadband service and the  “burst” capabilities will be particularly important during peak periods at the end of heats and races as journalists and media representatives rush to immediately send reports and photographs to a global audience.

Ian Roberts, Chief Executive Officer, On-Communications commented:

“Our relationship with Hague IT is one of our first within the IT community and we feel that it reinforces our position as market leader in deployed Fixed Wireless Access network coverage for UK business.  Hague IT’s decision to use Fixed Wireless Access from On-Communications to support such a prestigious sporting event delivers two very clear messages. Firstly, Fixed Wireless Access is a dependable and proven technology for demanding applications.  Secondly, the choice to use On-Communications reflects our ability as a company to roll out solid wireless broadband networks, reliably deliver connections and build partnerships.”

Justin Hague, Managing Director, Hague IT Ltd added:

 “We are delighted to have been successful in winning the contract to provide the IT infrastructure to support the FINA World Swimming Championships.  This reflects the expertise of both our consultancy and delivery capability for major IT projects and further builds on our recent success in providing the IT at the 2007 European Hockey Championships.  On-Communications was the clear choice when it came to broadband connectivity. The combination of short install time, guaranteed symmetrical bandwidth, extra “burst” capability at peak periods and flexible short term contracts make them perfect choice for such a prestige sporting event..”

The UK is hosting the championships for the first time at the Manchester Evening News Arena, one of Europe’s largest indoor arenas and recently voted ‘The Most Popular Entertainment Venue on the Planet’. Two temporary pools filled with two million litres of water will be created in the arena.  More than 800 competitors from 130 countries will be watched by an expected 40,000 spectators during the Championships from 9th to 13th April 2008.

Guaranteed 10Mb symmetrical wireless broadband service introduced by On-Communications.

Available immediately across its entire broadband network, a new guaranteed 10MB symmetrical bandwidth internet service has been introduced by the On-Communications, the UK’s leading Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) provider.

The new broadband service delivers much higher speeds than can be provided using SDSL or cable based broadband solutions.  Because the service is delivered using Fixed Wireless Access technology, the available bandwidth is guaranteed to be 10Mb. The new wireless broadband service is totally “uncontended” unlike most SDSL based connections.  This means that On-Communications customers will always have access to their contracted bandwidth – whatever the time of day and no matter how busy other businesses are.

The symmetrical bandwidth, providing the same 10Mb speed for both down loading and up loading to the internet, is supported by a robust service level agreement and is ideal for demanding business applications such as VoIP, hosting applications, and virtual private network (VPN) support.

On-Communications 10Mb FWA service provides a more cost effective alternative to traditional leased lines, but also has the additional flexibility of supporting “burst” bandwidth usage.  This allows businesses to access additional bandwidth, up to twice their contracted speed, at no extra charge during peak periods*.  As the new service is delivered using wireless technology it can be rapidly installed, normally in less than 15 days, comparing favourably to the typical 60-90 days for a leased line.  The service also helps the environment because there is no need to dig up a road to lay cables.

The new 10Mb symmetrical broadband service is available today from On-Communications wireless network in London, Manchester, Sheffield and Oxford.

Ian Roberts, Chief Executive Officer, On-Communications said:

“We have introduced this new 10Mb service in response to customer and market demand.  Faster and more symmetrical broadband is exactly what is required by UK plc and FWA is ideal solution.  The symmetrical nature of On-Communications’ services is the edge that FWA has over DSL type technologies, delivering a genuinely cost effective resilient data connection.”

In conjunction with the 10Mb service, a new 6Mb service has also been introduced, complementing the existing standard services at 1Mb, 2Mb, 4Mb and 8Mb.  In addition to these standard services, bespoke engineered solutions of up to 100Mb and 1Gb continue to be available.

* Subject to terms & conditions

Now the clear UK market leader in Fixed Wireless Internet Access for business.

Leading Fixed Wireless internet Access (FWA) provider for businesses, On-Communications, has acquired IP-NET; the Sheffield based Fixed Wireless Access business from Networks by Wireless. It will also enter into a strategic outsourcing deal with Networks by Wireless, which will see the latter build and maintain the FWA networks . Networks by Wireless will also continue as a reseller of On-Communications FWA solutions with a focus on the Public Sector.

The acquisition is On-Communications second such deal in less than four weeks, having purchased the network infrastructure of Redkite, which added coverage in London and Oxford.

Ian Roberts, Chief Executive Officer, On-Communications said:

“We continue to make significant progress towards our plan. The acquisition of IP-NET is another important milestone in our plan to consolidate the industry. While there has been a great deal of noise about FWA, we have actually been doing it, rolling out solid networks, building partnerships and winning customers. We are now the clear market leader in deployed FWA network coverage for businesses in the UK. We have our own network operational in four major conurbations, with further deployments imminent. It is a great platform from which to build.”

“As importantly, we have further strengthened our strategic relationship with Networks by Wireless, which we believe is by far and away the best fixed wireless networking company in the UK. It has the proven skills and resources to allow us to quickly build and support a carrier class network. As a significant added bonus Networks by Wireless will also continue as a key sales partner for the Public Sector and Government with whom they have very strong existing client relationships.”

Neil Metcalfe, Managing Director, Networks by Wireless added:

”We believe that On-Communications has the right model and partners to build a world class Fixed Wireless Access network in the UK. As an organisation we are focused on delivering and supporting large fixed wireless network engineering projects, and we are looking forward to fulfilling our part in this challenging roll out. It is also a very good fit with our core market segments in Government and the Public Sector from whom we have seen significantly increased demand for wireless services of all kinds. This is borne out by the fact that Network by Wireless have recently been awarded the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) framework under Catalist Telecom, for the provision of Wireless Data Infrastructure for any publicly funded organisation. The On-Communications network will also provide excellent additional wireless solutions to our Public Sector and Government portfolio offerings.”

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On-Communications buys FWA infrastructure assets from CI-Net‘s RedKite FWA service in London and Oxford, and will provide wholesale FWA services.

On-Communications and CI-Net today announced that they had struck a new business relationship for the provision of Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) high speed broadband in the UK.

On-Communications, the UK’s leading FWA service provider, has bought the RedKite network FWA assets from CI-Net, a leading UK wide area networking services provider. Moving forwards, On-Communications will provide CI-Net with wholesale FWA services, not only from the RedKite assets it has acquired, but also from the rest of its fast growing UK FWA network.

Ian Roberts, the Chief Executive, On-Communications, commented:
“The industry is reaching a tipping point. Demand for FWA broadband connectivity is growing fast and there are a number of developments running in parallel that are going to move FWA into mainstream consciousness. But building a successful, carrier class FWA service is non- trivial, both in terms of capital requirements and expertise. Fortunately, it is exactly what we do.

“We have the right team, the right partners, the right technology and the right model and are already talking to other FWA operators in the UK. From the outset, we planned to build capacity fast as FWA is a network infrastructure that rewards scale. CI-Net’s FWA assets further extend our market leading network, while providing revenues from delivering wholesale services. Expect more such announcements soon.

“We look forward to providing CI-Net and its customers access to the UK’s leading FWA network.”

Graham McLean, Managing Director, CI-NET, explained:
“When we launched RedKite 2 years ago we recognised that there is need in the Wide Area Network and Internet access markets for an alternative to fibre connectivity. Since the launch, RedKite has proved to be a very successful differentiator as it is competitively priced, fast to deploy and offers diverse routing when combined with traditional wired services to offer true resiliency. RedKite is now an integral part of our WAN solutions. CI-Net’s core competence is in providing secure, resilient networks and managed services to UK businesses. We recognised that in order to expand RedKite CI-Net needed a partner that was focussed on building a UK wide wholesale FWA network. On-Communications was the obvious choice of partner, both to buy the RedKite network assets and to provide wholesale network access moving forward.

“Our existing FWA customers will notice no change in their current arrangements. We will continue as before, providing all the customer facing elements, only in the background, the connectivity will be provided via our wholesale services agreement with On-Communications.

“We have worked with the company for some time on a reciprocal access basis, so it was an easy decision. On-Communications has the funding, specialist processes, dedicated engineering deployment and support capability to rapidly expand its network and to drive innovation in the sector.

”In addition to our core bespoke customised WAN services, we will continue to deliver FWA access in London and Oxford and will now add Manchester, Sheffield and the other major locations in which On-Communications is currently building out its network infrastructure.”

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