Japan’s first WiMAX network

Florida-based

and Yozan, the Japanese telecommunications operator, are to deploy a WiMAX network in

.

The Yozan MetroZone will deliver high speed IP connectivity, and support Voice, Video and broadband data services.

Airspan and Yozan will commence trials of AS.MAX products in the second quarter of 2005 and commercial rollout will begin in the fourth quarter of the year, to be ready for a December 2005 launch.

The initial network will be based on a rollout of 600 cells in central Tokyo, and it will gradually expand to provide coverage throughout the greater Tokyo Metropolitan area and surrounding eight prefectures. This project will use Airspan’s software-upgradeable radio technology, which will initially support 802.16-2004 and will later be upgraded to support 802.16e.

Customers on the network will use Airspan’s unique Self-Installable Indoor WiMAX customer premises equipment (CPE), called EasyST. This CPE provides WiMAX connectivity to the Base Station and Wi-Fi coverage inside the customer premises via its integrated Wi-Fi Access Point.

The contract is valued in excess of $12 million.