NRTC And YDI Join Forces To Provide Wireless Internet Solution To Rural America
Contact: Robert Fitzgerald
(YDI CEO)
Phone: 703-205-0600
Contact: Kelli Laski
Phone: 703-787-7181
Herndon, Virginia — April 29, 2002: The National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative (NRTC) and Young Design, Inc. (YDI), a leader in extended range solutions utilizing 802.11b wireless LAN technology, recently entered into an agreement to bring NRTC members another method for deploying broadband Internet access.
Wi-Fi™, or wireless Internet over license-free radio bands-using 802.11b standards, is a cost-effective way to bring broadband Internet to business and residential users in areas where DSL and other broadband access methods have not arrived or are too costly to deploy.
Wireless systems are composed of one or more wireless points of presence and client-side equipment. The solution, being offered under the NRTC TrueBand name, is available to NRTC members immediately and is currently being deployed by members in Missouri.
"We are pleased to partner with YDI on this exciting offering," said Bob Phillips, president and CEO of NRTC. "With the addition of wireless Internet to our existing product offerings, we provide a full-complement of Internet solutions to meet the unique needs of our rural utility members."
"This technology has been around for some time and has been proven successful by hundreds of wireless ISPs worldwide," said Robert Fitzgerald, Chief Executive Officer of YDI. "Our work with NRTC will help us provide Internet access at speeds well above dial-up access."
YDI's industry leading WIPOP in a Box™, EtherAnt™ and USBAnt™ are currently available to TrueBand members. These systems are powered by industry leading ORiNOCO Wi-Fi™ cards manufactured by Agere Systems. In addition to offering the complete suite of products, YDI and NRTC will provide support to NRTC members.
YDI is a world leader in providing extended range products for license free wireless data delivery systems and is the largest manufacturer of 2.4 GHz amplifiers in the world. In addition, YDI is a leading designer of turn-key extended range wireless systems and supplies wireless data equipment to over 800 wireless ISPs worldwide. Additional information about YDI as well as its complete product line can be found at the Company's web site located at www.ydi.com.
NRTC supports more than 1,000 rural utilities in delivering telecommunications and information technology solutions to their communities. These NRTC members serve more than 20 million customers in areas of the country that have been un-served or under-served by traditional utilities and other businesses. NRTC's family of products and services include satellite television, high-speed and dial-up Internet services, power management services, power quality, voice and data services, and national wireless spectrum. For more information, visit www.nrtc.org.