Alvarion Joins IEEE 802.16a WiMAX Industry Initiative to Grow Standards-Based Wireless Broadband Equipment Market

Business Wire, April 8, 2003

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

TEL-AVIV, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 8, 2003

Alvarion's Dr. Shakouri, Recently Appointed to WiMAX Board, to

Present the WiMAX Opportunity to Operators at the Broadband

Wireless World Forum in San Jose on April 10

The Broadband Wireless industry group WiMAX Forum announced today that leading system vendors are joining together to ensure the interoperability of systems that conform to the recently published IEEE 802.16a standard for Wireless Metropolitan Area Network access.

Alvarion (NASDAQ:ALVR) was involved in the development of the 802.16a standard from the beginning and is pleased to see its broad industry acceptance.

Alvarion, the world's leading pure play provider of wireless broadband solutions, will champion and contribute to the WiMAX efforts to develop test suites that ensure the interoperability of 802.16a standards-based systems

Margaret LaBrecque, from Intel and WiMAX president, said: "As President of WiMAX, I am pleased to see a leading vendor such as Alvarion championing this effort. The support of Alvarion, with its worldwide presence and large installed customer base, is crucial to the success of WiMAX. With widespread industry support, Broadband Wireless Access is set to become a mass-market access technology. It's a highly flexible, cost-effective way to roll out broadband access networks that makes sense for operators, ISPs and, most of all, customers who want broadband connectivity."

The 802.16a standard applies to equipment, which will be sold in the U.S., Asia, South America and most countries outside Europe; WiMAX will also be working with ETSI, the European Telecommunications Standards Institute to develop test suites for HiperMAN, the European broadband wireless metropolitan area access standard. IEEE 802.16a standard has been developed for Broadband Wireless Access deployed in both the licensed and unlicensed 2-11 GHz spectrum. Wireless access is in general used to describe wireless networks spanning QoS outdoor features and coverage of several miles, as opposed to LAN solution covering the last few hundred feet.

The standardization of last mile wireless access systems has been welcomed by operators who will be able to combine equipment from multiple equipment manufacturers, secure in the knowledge that it will be compatible.

WiMAX (www.wimaxforum.org) plans to roll out a certification program to ensure that all wireless access equipment conforming to the 802.16a standard -- such as base stations and CPEs -- are compatible and interoperable with other systems. The primary benefits of the standard will be lower equipment prices to improve service provider/operator business models as well as higher quality of service and multiple vendor selection.

Mr. Rudy Leser, VP Marketing of Alvarion, commented: "With over 10 years experience in the wireless access market and 1,500,000 CPEs installed, Alvarion has actively lobbied and greatly contributed to the development of the 802.16a standard. With today's broad industry support, we are finally creating the conditions for mass market adoption of wireless access."

On April 10 Dr. Mohammad Shakouri, AVP Business Development of Alvarion, who is also Vice President of WiMAX will be discussing 802.16a and what it means for service providers and the broadband industry at the annual Broadband Wireless World Conference at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California. More information can be found at www.shorecliffcommunications.com/bwwf03/default.asp

About WiMAX

WiMAX is a non-profit organization established to promote wide-scale adoption of WirelessMAN(TM) air interface for fixed broadband wireless access systems, IEEE(R) Standard 802.16(TM)It is an independent legal entity that receives funding through its membership and WiMAX certification fees. WiMax has three membership classes comprising principal, regular and advisory members. All members have access to all forum meetings and documents. All specifications are available free of charge from the forum's web site. The WiMAX certification mark can also be given to a non-member's product.

For more information please visit www.wimaxforum.org.

About Alvarion

Alvarion is dedicated to delivering seamless wireless broadband networking infrastructure to carriers, ISPs and private network operators, in order to leverage their broadband opportunities into sustainable profits.

Alvarion offers premier wireless broadband solutions for access in the last mile, backhauling connection to the backbone and private network connectivity. Featuring the industry's most extensive range of products and international support, Alvarion is a pioneering leader of the converged wireless broadband network.

With over 1.5 million units deployed in 120 countries worldwide, Alvarion provides secure rich-media networks for business or residential Internet access, corporate VPNs, cellular base station feeding, community interconnection, public safety connectivity and extended Hotspots.

Recently incorporated InnoWave's wideband access portfolio and expertise, Alvarion provides a complete wireless solution supporting a wide range of frequency bands, customer profiles and service types.