Wireless as an ART form

(Telephony) Advanced Radio Telecom punctuated the complementary relationship between fiber networks and fixed broadband wireless access this week when it announced that it has entered into an $11 million deal under which Cable & Wireless will use ART’s broadband wireless services to extend the reach of its wireline networks.

The deal was announced at the Broadband Wireless World Forum in San Francisco, where ART CEO Wharton Rivers was a keynote speaker. Rivers, who joined ART in November 2000 after heading the North American business of Cable & Wireless, said in an interview that the deal provides evidence that fixed wireless service providers are finally beginning to deliver on the promises of the technology—particularly in competitive environments where wireline alternatives are costly and difficult to obtain.

“In the U.S. Cable & Wireless didn’t have much reach into access, so it depended on the local access provider,” River said. “Part of our value proposition is to demonstrate that the rapidity of our provisioning is truly superior to the providers they’re now using.”

Rivers said ART is pursuing similar alliances with other service providers, including interexchange carriers and—potentially—even local incumbents. The company said the $11 million figure of the Cable & Wireless deal represents revenue it will collect within the first year.