Aperto Networks WiMAX Gear Selected for Greek Deployment

Hellenic Telecommunications Organization (OTE S.A.), the largest telecommunications provider in Greece, will field Aperto Networks' PacketMAX broadband wireless networking gear in a pilot deployment at Mount Athos in the Halkidiki region of Northern Greece, in advance of a nationwide rollout.

Heletel SA, Aperto Networks' Greek distributor, has been contracted to provide the turn-key installation of the pilot network, as well as ongoing technical support and training.

OTE, which holds a 3.5 GHz point-to-multipoint nationwide license from Greece's regulatory authorities, currently provides telephony services to approximately 200,000 consumers living in isolated agricultural areas across Greece using legacy wireless systems operating in the 1.5 GHz and 2.5 GHz bands. OTE plans to transition to wireless broadband services as part of a nationwide 3.5 GHz WiMAX network.

OTE will deploy Aperto's PacketMAX 5000 base stations, the industry's highest density, highest capacity, and highest performing base station; along with Aperto's PM 100 subscriber units, PM20 indoor VoIP Gateway Routers, and Aperto's WaveCenter EMS Pro element management system.

"After rigorous technical analysis, OTE reached the decision to deploy the network based on Aperto gear as it showed superior performance and resilience," said Kostas Drossos CEO of Heletel SA. "A nationwide WiMAX network powered by Aperto Networks will enable OTE to offer consumers and enterprises a wide range of value-added, high bandwidth data communications services, such as MPLS, VPN, leased line, and Internet access, as well as VoIP, telemedicine, e-education, e-governance, and e-commerce in remote areas."

"Aperto Networks, aided by our talented colleagues at Heletel, won a very competitive selection process that involved performance comparisons with several other telecom equipment manufacturers," said Manish Gupta, vice president of marketing & alliances for Aperto Networks. "We are delighted that OTE selected Aperto's PacketMAX platform. It is a strong validation of the quality, robustness, and superior performance that we have engineered into our WiMAX products. We look forward to a long and productive partnership with OTE."