ATLASONE SIGNS US$180 MLN DEALS WITH THALES FOR EQUIPMENTS & SERVICES.

(From Bernama The Malaysian National News Agency)

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 1 (Bernama) -- AtlasOne Sdn Bhd, an emerging broadband service provider, and Thales, one of the world largest professional electronics groups, today signed US$180 million (US$1-RM3.80) deals for the latter to provide equipment and services for a national deployment of wireless broadband services.

The signing of the two contracts was witnessed by the Minister of Energy, Communications and Multimedia, Datuk Amar Leo Moggie here today.

Also present was the Ambassador of France, Jacques Lapouge.

Under the agreements, the French-based, Thales will be responsible for all facets of system integration, programme management and broadband technology solution selection for AtlasOne's last-mile access architecture, and backbone transmission network.

"This partnership will not only allow AtlasOne to offer higher bandwidth Internet provider (IP) services to large business entities and highrise buildings using the 3.5 GHz spectrum, but also to provide individual and small business portable internet connectivity and voice services with their recently awarded 2.5 Ghz spectrum," AtlasOne chairman, Mohammad Badry Hanafi told reporters at a press conference here today.

He said there would be two systems of wireless broadband services, the first one is the 3.5 system at 3.5 GHz, which would be rolled out for business customers by this October.