SOMA Networks in Partnership With BSNL Launches Wireless Broadband in Goa IDC

DELHI, India -

- Target 4,000 Units in 19 Industrial Estates in the First Phase Service Rolled out in 5 Estates to Service 2000 Units

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL) has extended its Wireless Broadband to offer an enterprise quality service to industrial units in Goa Industrial Development Corporation (Goa IDC), a semi-state government body. BSNL’s technology partner, US based SOMA Networks Inc., has deployed the first of its kind enterprise quality wireless broadband service using its award winning FlexMAX System in five industrial estates viz. Verna, Kundaim, Pilerne, Tivim, Colvale. Goa IDC, a semi-state government body, has inked an agreement with BSNL to provide this service to 4,000 units in the first year, as a part of its infrastructural support provided to the industrial units in these enclaves.

Speaking at an occasion to inaugurate the service at Verna Industrial Estate, Mr. Digambar Kamat, Honourable Chief Minister(CM) of Goa, said, “Industrial growth in Goa is a state priority, and I am heartened to see that world’s leading technology infrastructure will now be made available to industries in Goa, which is emerging as an industrial hub for Pharmaceuticals, Biotech, Food Processing and Agro-based industries. I commend Goa IDC for taking such a progressive step that will help us prominently place Goa on the industrial map of India.”

Goa IDC has packaged attractive incentives to promote industries in Goa, including a strong institutional network to support the financial needs of the industries and create awareness of various central government and RBI schemes. It is now working on offering infrastructural facilities at par with anywhere else in India. Mr Palekar, MD of Goa IDC said, “Our focus is to enable industries in Goa to become competitive in international market placees of the globalized world. The high-speed wireless broadband Internet connectivity will enable industries to use applications like Video Conferencing, Wide Area Networking, and Surveillance Systems like CCTV; it will also provide access to centrally and remotely hosted applications.”

BSNL’s partner, SOMA Networks, has invested in rolling out the network for this wireless broadband, and will manage the service on behalf of BSNL. Earlier this year, BSNL and SOMA rolled out a similar service for Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) in 99 estates with speeds up to 2Mbps. Mr Yatish Pathak, CEO and Founder of SOMA Networks said, “By offering high speed broadband to the units in their enclaves, Goa IDC will help bring about digital revolution to spur industrial growth in Goa. Broadband access is critical for businesses to collaborate and connect with their partners, suppliers and customers anywhere in the world and gain access to the latest information on technology, research and markets. Our partnership with BSNL has helped integrate our technology with their world-class fibre backbone network to rollout this enterprise class service.”

Apart from Goa IDC units, enterprises like SESA-Goa are also customers of BSNL-SOMA’s broadband service in Goa. BSNL has partnered with SOMA Networks to deploy WiMAX service in Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. SOMA’s Wireless DSL technology, using FlexMAX, requires one-third the time it takes to install other telecom infrastructure, which means it can speed up the country’s broadband penetration more rapidly than any other technology available today.

To learn more about SOMA’s service offering with BSNL, please call toll free: 1-800-2-33-66-00, or visit: www.wimax.bsnl.in

About Goa IDC

The Goa Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) was established by the Government of Goa, in February 1966 under the provisions of Goa, Daman and Diu Industrial Development Act, 1965 with the aims and objectives of securing and assisting in the rapid and orderly establishment of industries in Industrial Areas and Industrial Estates in Goa. One of the important activities of the Corporation is setting up of Industrial Estates and offer developed plots to industrial units.

In pursuance of the above objectives, the IDC has so far established twenty Industrial Estates in Goa, Daman and Diu, viz Corlim, Margao, Sancoale, Daman, Mapusa, Tivim, Bicholim, Kakoda, Honda, Bethora, Canacona, Kundaim, Diu, Tuem, Verna, Cuncolim, Pilerne, Marcaim, Pissurlem and Colvale.

www.goaidc.com

About BSNL

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. formed in October, 2000, is one of world’s largest Telecommunications Company providing comprehensive range of telecom services in India: Wireline, CDMA mobile, GSM Mobile, Internet, Broadband, Carrier service, MPLS-VPN, VSAT, IN Services etc. Within a span of five years it has become one of the largest public sector unit in India. Today, it has about 29.6 million line basic telephone, 5 million WLL, 45 Million GSM, more than 38700 fixed exchanges, 40000 BTS, 197 Satellite Stations, 560000 Rkm of OFC Cable, 50000 Rkm of Microwave Network connecting 624 Districts, 7330 cities/towns and 5.5 Lakhs villages. www.bsnl.in

About SOMA Networks

SOMA Networks, Inc., helps service providers and their subscribers access the world with WiMAX. As a leading provider of Mobile WiMAX products and professional services, SOMA’s FlexMAX(TM) Mobile WiMAX System, SoftAir(TM) Multimedia Application System, and global professional services provide a complete platform that accelerates service providers’ time to market with revenue-generating applications that bring broadband to the home or business. SOMA is a principal member of the WiMAX Forum(R), and its FlexMAX Mobile WiMAX System supports the 802.16e-2005 Mobile WiMAX standard. Deployed on five continents, SOMA is headquartered in San Francisco and has offices in Toronto, Ottawa, Delhi, Sao Paulo and Singapore.

For more information, visit www.somanetworks.com

Nalini Dhody DGM - Brand Marketing & PR +91-124-6685000 +91-98102-50014 W: www.somanetworks.com E: ndhody@somanetworks.com

Source: Soma Networks Software Engineering Pvt. Ltd.

Nalini Dhody, DGM - Brand Marketing & PR, +91-124-6685000, +91-98102-50014, E: ndhody at somanetworks.com