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LGC Wireless Acquires Alvarion’s Cellular Mobile
Unit
Base
Station and Mobile Network Technology and Products Expand LGC Markets;
Wireless Industry Leader to Run New Division
SAN JOSE, CA, November 28, 2006— LGC Wireless, Inc., the
leader in advanced in-building wireless systems, today announced
its acquisition of the assets of the Cellular Mobile Unit (“CMU”)
from Alvarion Ltd. (NASDAQ:ALVR) in exchange for $15 million in
notes payable, $7 million of which are convertible into common
stock of LGC. The CMU, which Alvarion acquired from Interwave Wireless,
Inc. in 2004, provides base station and core wireless network equipment
primarily to wireless operators, system integrators, and government
organizations worldwide. LGC is acquiring technology that will
allow it to develop turnkey capacity and coverage solutions for
carriers and organizations in facilities of any size.
“As carriers and organizations try to meet user demand for
reliable cellular coverage, there will be a huge market for companies
that can supply scalable and easily deployed wireless solutions
that have IP as well as traditional circuit backhaul connectivity,” said
Ian Sugarbroad, president and CEO of LGC Wireless. “This
acquisition allows us to serve that market with a highly advanced
solution that includes pico base stations and soft switching as
well as distributed antenna systems, delivering turnkey, high performance
networks that are right-sized for any venue.”
Under the terms of the deal, which was completed on November 21,
2006, LGC Wireless acquired technology, patents, manufacturing
rights, inventory, equipment and receivables.
Industry Leader Heads New LGC Division
LGC will manage the assets as its new Wireless Systems organization,
and has hired industry veteran John R. O’Connell as executive
vice president and general manager.
O’Connell was formerly CEO of both Kineto Wireless and Vyyo
and has had a 25-year career founding, managing and growing companies
in the wireless infrastructure space, as well as holding the position
of senior vice president and general manager in charge of Nortel’s
GSM division prior to coming to the Silicon Valley.
Under O’Connell’s leadership, LGC will maintain the
group’s existing office facilities in Mountain View, California
and Shenzhen, China. LGC has extended offers of employment to substantially
all current R&D, sales and support, administration and manufacturing
employees in the business unit, including more than 40 wireless
engineers. The CMU generated approximately $21 million in revenues
for the nine months ended September 30, 2006 as part of Alvarion.
“Mobile operators and enterprises alike are investing in
wireless networks to address the huge demand for reliable in-building
coverage and capacity, but to date the solutions have been fragmented
and have shared nothing in common” said O’Connell. “LGC
has become the world leader in advanced in-building coverage systems,
and we are looking forward to extending that leadership by improving
the economics and integration of in-building 3GSM, CDMA, Wi-Fi
and future technologies.”
The acquisition brings LGC Wireless a host of new customers as
well as closer relationships with existing customers. For example,
the CMU was the base station supplier for the fleet-wide shipboard
cellular system deployments at Carnival Cruise Lines, which also
feature LGC’s distributed antenna systems. (See Carnival
Cruise Lines Fleetwide Cell Phone Implementation Continues with
LGC Wireless, released September 26, 2006.)
“There is a high-rise building boom taking place around
the world, with hundreds of large projects already under construction
in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the United States,” said
Mike Frausing, executive vice president and chief sales and marketing
officer at LGC Wireless. “All of these properties will require
pervasive and reliable wireless capacity and coverage, and this
acquisition gives us exactly the right technology to offer complete
in-building solutions.”
About LGC Wireless
With more than 5,500 deployments worldwide, LGC Wireless is the
leader in extending scalable, high-performance wireless coverage
and capacity inside buildings and public facilities. LGC’s
products offer low-cost installation, end-to-end monitoring and
management, and easy integration of emerging wireless technologies.
LGC Wireless is based in San Jose, California USA and is privately
held. For more information, please visit www.lgcwireless.com.
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