ICON SIGNS UP MORE THAN 500 WIMAX CUSTOMERS

TeleGeography
http://www.telegeography. com/cu/article.php?article_id=28493&email=html
May 18 2009

Broadband WiMAX start-up iCON Communications (iCON) has announced that
it has signed up more than 500 individual and corporate subscribers
in the last six weeks. TeleGeography’s GlobalComms database writes
that in October 2008 French-US equipment vendor Alcatel-Lucent was
selected by iCON to deploy and maintain a commercial WiMAX 802.16e-2005
(Rev-e) network in Armenia. The new network was designed to allow
iCON to offer advanced wireless broadband services in Yerevan and
other leading cities in the country. The first city targeted with
WiMAX was the capital. iCON is looking to provide a range of services
including high speed internet access, VoIP and VPNs to business users,
government organisations and residential customers.

In a separate development, Armenian fixed line operator ArmenTel
(Beeline) has cut its ADSL access rates in the country, prompted by
similar moves by rivals. Beeline’s unlimited usage packages range
in cost from AMD8,000 (USD22) to AMD30,000 (USD80), depending on
the connection speed taken. Meanwhile, Armenian Datacom Company
(ADC), a privately owned communications data provider which competes
with the incumbent ArmenTel in Yerevan, announced on 13 May that
it was cutting its internet access charges by between 20% and 25%
on its various packages. In October last year ADC said that its
internet prices would go down as a result of its initiative to provide
guaranteed bandwidth internet services as part of its ‘Autumn Surprise’
project. The company has reduced prices for its new Internet Enterprise
(CIR) services by up to 70%. Elsewhere, another provider, Xter.net,
has announced its own price cuts.