VNL

Meet VNL at CommunicAsia, Singapore: June 16 – 19, 2009 30 Apr, 2009

Each year in early summer, Asia greets mobile network operators at CommunicAsia. This conference and exhibition will be held at the Singapore Expo from June 16 -19, 2009.

Our participation this year is quite special as we will showcase our award-winning WorldGSM™ system - the solar powered GSM system specifically made for rural areas with ARPUs of less than $2. WorldGSM is the first commercially viable GSM system that is independent of the power grid. It runs exclusively on solar power and requires no diesel generator backup. It is also designed for simple delivery and deployment by local, untrained workers – all resulting in zero opex, dramatically lower capex, and near zero maintenance.

The bottom line is that mobile operators now have a way to provide mobile services to rural communities in the developing world – and still turn a profit. WorldGSM also opens up a new microtelecom business model – involving microfinance – where operators can partner with local entrepreneurs to accelerate deployment and reduce costs still further.

If you’re a mobile operator, you are well aware that the next billion subscribers will be coming from rural populations, away from saturated urban markets. So if you’re planning to visit CommunicAsia in Singapore, save half an hour for us. VNL is changing the DNA of rural telecom by providing commercially viable new building blocks that will transform the way you build your networks in the future.

Visit us in Hall 4, at Booth 4D2-07.

Also visit VNL at:

• 17-18 June, 2009: West & Central AfricaCom, Abuja Conference Centre, Abuja, Nigeria
• 30 June – 1 July, 2009: AmericasCom, Hotel Windsor Barra, Rio de Janiero, Brazil
• Oct 27-28, 2009: North AfricaCom, JW Marriot Hotel, Cairo, Egypt
• Nov 11-12, 2009: AfricaCom, Cape Town Convention Centre, Cape Town, South Africa
• Dec 3-5, 2009: India Telecom 2009, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India

ABOUT VNL

VNL (www.vnl.in) is substantially changing the way operators will build networks in the future. As the innovator of zero opex networks and the pioneer of microtelecom, their simple to install solar powered cellular base stations help mobile operators maximize their profit margins by reaching rural markets profitably. The management team includes telecom industry veterans with vast experience in bringing products and services to entirely new markets. Its Chairman and founder, Rajiv Mehrotra, started the Shyam Group of companies and established some of the earliest GSM, CDMA and fixed networks in India serving millions of people today.

For more information, visit the company website at www.vnl.in or contact VNL’s PR representative Bridget Fishleigh (+44 7946 342 903, bridget@nomadcomms.com or Skype: bridgetfishleigh).

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Meet VNL at CommunicAsia, Singapore: June 16 – 19, 2009

Each year in early summer, Asia greets mobile network operators at CommunicAsia. This conference and exhibition will be held at the Singapore Expo from June 16 -19, 2009.

Our participation this year is quite special as we will showcase our award-winning WorldGSM™ system - the solar powered GSM system specifically made for rural areas with ARPUs of less than $2. WorldGSM is the first commercially viable GSM system that is independent of the power grid. It runs exclusively on solar power and requires no diesel generator backup. It is also designed for simple delivery and deployment by local, untrained workers – all resulting in zero opex, dramatically lower capex, and near zero maintenance.

The bottom line is that mobile operators now have a way to provide mobile services to rural communities in the developing world – and still turn a profit. WorldGSM also opens up a new microtelecom business model – involving microfinance – where operators can partner with local entrepreneurs to accelerate deployment and reduce costs still further.

If you’re a mobile operator, you are well aware that the next billion subscribers will be coming from rural populations, away from saturated urban markets. So if you’re planning to visit CommunicAsia in Singapore, save half an hour for us. VNL is changing the DNA of rural telecom by providing commercially viable new building blocks that will transform the way you build your networks in the future.

Visit us in Hall 4, at Booth 4D2-07.

Also visit VNL at:

• 17-18 June, 2009: West & Central AfricaCom, Abuja Conference Centre, Abuja, Nigeria
• 30 June – 1 July, 2009: AmericasCom, Hotel Windsor Barra, Rio de Janiero, Brazil
• Oct 27-28, 2009: North AfricaCom, JW Marriot Hotel, Cairo, Egypt
• Nov 11-12, 2009: AfricaCom, Cape Town Convention Centre, Cape Town, South Africa
• Dec 3-5, 2009: India Telecom 2009, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India

PRESS RELEASE: VNL Solar-Powered GSM Base Station Takes Second Place at 2009 CTIA Emerging Technology Awards 17 Apr, 2009

April 14 2009 – VNL’s solar-powered GSM system recently took second place in the “Green Network Hardware and Infrastructure category” at the CTIA’s E-Tech awards (www.ctiawireless.com/media).

VNL’s WorldGSM™ is the first solar-powered GSM system specifically designed to enable mobile operators in the developing world to build networks in remote rural areas where ARPUs are low – and still make a profit.

Created in 2006, the CTIA E-Tech Awards programme is designed to give industry recognition and exposure to the best wireless products and services. This year, the awards attracted almost 300 entries which were reviewed by a panel of recognised members of the media, industry analysts and executives. Products are judged on innovation, functionality, technological importance, implementation and overall “wow” factor.

Vikas Tyagi accepted this award on VNL’s behalf. He is fifth from the left.

The award ceremony took place on April 2nd during the CTIA show in Las Vegas. First place went to Nokia Siemens Networks’ low energy, multi-technology Flexi Multiradio Base Station, and third place to Alcatel-Lucent’s Sustainable Power Solution, a service that includes lifecycle assessment and equipment recycling. They all represent an integral part of the emerging sustainable telecom ecosystem and are complementary.

Anil Raj, VNL Board Member, said:

“Recognition from our industry peers is always very welcome. We know that VNL is the only vendor focused on enabling operators to build a sustainable business case for low ARPU customers. It’s great that our efforts have been recognised by the CTIA.”

For years, operators and GSM equipment vendors have struggled with the same problem: traditional GSM equipment is not designed for the unique challenges posed by remote rural areas. It costs too much, is too expensive to run, uses too much power and is too difficult to deploy (especially in areas with no electricity, poor roads and a lack of trained engineers).

VNL has spent the last five years re-engineering GSM to overcome these challenges. The highlights of VNL’s WorldGSM system:

• Solar Powered – needs only 50 – 120W per base station compared to the 3000W required for traditional GSM. Each site can be powered by a 2-8m² solar panel, rather than the 200 m² panel required to power a traditional GSM base station.
• Zero Opex – made possible by major reductions in power consumption; allowing for the use of solar power as the single energy source. No diesel generators are required.
• Low Capex – priced at less than a quarter of traditional GSM base stations so profitable at very low densities and ARPU levels
• Rural-Optimized and Easy to Transport – compact and rugged; can even be transported on bullock carts.
• Self-Deploying and Near-Zero Maintenance – easily installed and maintained by local workers.

WorldGSM also opens up a new microtelecom business model – involving microfinance – where operators can partner with local entrepreneurs to accelerate deployment and reduce costs still further.

Anil Raj, VNL Board Member, says:

“The industry recognises that VNL has finally provided operators with a truly viable way to build profitable networks to serve rural communities with low ARPUs”.

Last November WorldGSM won the “best technology foresight” category at the World Communications Awards.

ABOUT VNL

VNL (www.vnl.in) is substantially changing the way operators will build networks in the future. As the innovator of zero opex networks and the pioneer of microtelecom, their simple to install solar powered cellular base stations help mobile operators maximize their profit margins by reaching rural markets profitably. The management team includes telecom industry veterans with vast experience in bringing products and services to entirely new markets. Its Chairman and founder, Rajiv Mehrotra, started the Shyam Group of companies and established some of the earliest GSM, CDMA and fixed networks in India serving millions of people today.

For more information, visit the company website at www.vnl.in or contact VNL’s PR representative Bridget Fishleigh (+44 7946 342 903, bridget@nomadcomms.com or Skype: bridgetfishleigh).

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