Motorola to work with AT&T Wireless on Project Angel

AT&T Wireless Group (Redmond, WA) and Motorola (Schaumburg, IL) have signed an agreement to develop, trial, and license AT&T Wireless' patented fixed wireless digital broadband technology (Project Angel). Under those plans, AT&T will provide Motorola with a temporary license to supply equipment to local service providers outside the United States. The equipment will eventually serve as a competitive local communications infrastructure in international markets. Trial locations for deployment of the services will be announced during the third quarter of this year.

A major strategic outcome of this technology alliance will be to develop products that meet global fixed wireless standards using the AT&T Wireless fixed wireless platform.

"Combining our technology with Motorola's international expertise in developing equipment will enable local service providers to offer fixed wireless broadband services to homes and small businesses outside the United States," said Michael Keith, president and CEO for AT&T Wireless' fixed wireless division.

The companies estimate that hundreds-of-millions of households and small businesses outside the United States are prime candidates for the service because most pay per-minute rates for standard-speed Internet access. Offering a flat-rate, all-you-can use, high-speed service is an attractive alternative.

AT&T Wireless will be deploying digital wireless broadband service in several major U.S. markets to deliver simultaneous multi-line voice and always-on high-speed data service. These services are marketed as AT&T Digital Broadband service. The carrier launched commercial service in Fort Worth, TX, in March (see Project Angel Lives). By the end of this year, the service will be available to more than 1.5 million households in six markets, and reach more than 15 million homes by the end of 2002.

Edited by Ellen Jensen