AT&T Wireless Group is collaborating with Motorola Inc. to supply equipment for AT&T Wireless’ “Project Angel” fixed wireless broadband technology abroad.
Under terms of the agreement, AT&T Wireless said it will provide Motorola with a temporary license for a year to supply equipment to local service providers outside the United States.
“They (Motorola) will be manufacturing everything that’s required for a network,” said Ken Woo, spokesman for AT&T Wireless. “Our intent is to do like an `Intel Inside’ operation with them. They will manufacture and sell it … but it will be AT&T Wireless Broadband in the box.”
The equipment eventually will serve as competitive local communications infrastructure in international markets, AT&T Wireless said.
AT&T Wireless first introduced its fixed broadband service to residential customers in the United States at the end of March, with a service rollout in the Dallas/Fort Worth area using AT&T Wireless’ own equipment.
“Everything in Dallas/Fort Worth is from our R&D facilities. We are in the process of signing up some manufacturers. That’s one of the reasons for the initial high cost per subscriber,” Woo said.
Customers pay $26 per month, which includes unlimited local calling, in-state long-distance rates of 7 cents per minute, as well as 7 cents per minute for all direct-dialed state-to-state calls. Additional phone lines are available for $7 per month, and high-speed data service is available for $35 per month.
AT&T Wireless said it expects to have the service available to more than 1.5 million households in six U.S. markets by the end of the year, and reach more than 15 million homes by the end of 2002. Woo said the company will be announcing additional markets soon.
International trial locations for the fixed broadband service will be announced during the third quarter, Motorola and AT&T Wireless said.
