OPTUS EXTENDS WIRELESS BROADBAND TRIAL TO BUSINESS

Optus today announced it would extend its wireless broadband trial to include Australian businesses. Working with Siemens, Optus will provide a secure and reliable wireless broadband connection to a number of trial customers via a base station to be deployed in the Gold Coast, Queensland. "There are businesses in Australia – big and small - which currently do not have access to broadband via cable or DSL and are still relying on dial-up speeds which can affect their competitive performance," Bill Hope, Managing Director, Optus Networks said. "Businesses without access to broadband are unable to use advanced applications such as VoIP and IP Centrex, or experience the reliability and quality of an enterprise broadband connection using IP networking (IP VPN)." In this trial, customers will not require a cable or telephone line for the building’s broadband connection. Rather, connectivity to the network inside the building will be supplied via wireless broadband from the nearest base station. Siemens will provide Optus with a solution that has proven global references based on Alvarion technology. "By choosing Siemens as its trial partner for a wireless broadband technology, Optus will benefit from the combined strength of the two industry leaders, Siemens and Alvarion," said Mr Paul Lazarou, Executive Director, Siemens Communications. The trial will test the capacity and range of the service. The findings will help determine the number of base stations required for a commercial rollout as well as the number of users each base station is capable of servicing. In December 2004, Optus announced a wireless broadband trial for consumers with trial partner UTStarcom. Optus will make a decision regarding a full commercial rollout for a wireless broadband offering once both technical trials are completed. The wireless trial for businesses will begin in mid 2005 and is expected to last six months. For more information: Sarah Turner/ Sheila Dhillon - Optus Corporate Affairs - Tel: 02 9342 8432/9342 9021