ICON COMMUNICATIONS ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF FAST, RELIABLE AND AFFORDABLE INTERNET SERVICE IN ARMENIA

ArmInfo
2009-03-17 11:12:00

ArmInfo. iCON Communications announced today the launch of its Fast,
Reliable and Affordable Internet service in Yerevan. iCON’s customers
are now accessing broadband Internet from their homes, offices and
other locations without needing to be physically connected to a
network via cable or phone lines. With this launch, iCON is offering
high-speed wireless broadband Internet services to consumer, corporate
and governmental customers in Armenia at very competitive prices.

The company also plans to launch VoIP services in the coming months,
and has been granted 50,000 nation-wide phone numbers by the Public
Service Regulatory Commission of Armenia. "Our corporate philosophy
is to leverage global standards of technical performance, customer
service and competitive pricing to become the connecting force between
Armenians of all ages and the global community" stated Adam Kablanian,
Chief Executive Officer of iCON Communications.

"Today, we are excited to deliver Fast, Reliable and Affordable
Internet to the hundreds of customers who have registered with us
since our initial announcement in late 2008. We welcome new customers
to visit our retail locations starting on March 23, pick up their
modems, and get online the same day." iCON’s network is based on
Alcatel-Lucent’s industry leading ­ 802.11 WiMAX solution. Wi MAX
stands for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access and offers
an interesting broadband wireless alternative to cable or DSL-based
technologies for the delivery of Internet services. WiMAX extends the
range and speed of existing wireless Internet technologies by covering
an entire geographic area, rather than limited "hotspots". In other
words, customers of iCON Internet are able to access our network
wherever they are in our coverage areas, very similar to cellular
telephone coverage. The major advantage of WiMAX over "wired"
technologies is that installation and activation is immediate, and
does not require any "last-mile" connection.

iCON Communications also announced today that it has partnered with
VTEL Holdings, a Dubai-based multinational holding company specializing
in telecommunication networks (). As a result of this
partnership, iCON has been able to significantly accelerate the rollout
of its WiMAX network in Yerevan and the rest of the country, and will
benefit from VTEL’s broad experience in building and managing similar
operations around the world. "We are thrilled to invest in and become
part of the growing focus on technology in Armenia," stated Khaled
Al Amayreh, Vice President CEE/CIS for VTEL Holdings and President of
iCON Communications. "We believe that VTEL’s experience in launching
wireless-based businesses, combined with the strength of iCON’s
seasoned management team and in-depth knowledge of the local market

will have a positive impact on the quality of Internet-based
communications in Armenia." iCON has launched its network in several
districts of Yerevan, and plans to cover the entire city by the end
of 2009 and other major cities in Armenia in 2010.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress