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SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 1 -- FiberTower Corporation, a wireless backhaul services provider, today announced that it had entered into an agreement with Sprint Nextel to provide backhaul services in seven of the wireless carrier's initial WiMax launch markets. FiberTower is unable to disclose terms of the agreement as it is subject to confidentiality agreements. However, the Company can disclose that Sprint Nextel's deployment is based on providing Ethernet-based backhaul, a first for any mobile backhaul provider.

Earlier in the year, Sprint announced its intention to launch its Mobile WiMax broadband services in initial markets by year-end 2007. This initial deployment will be followed by a larger roll-out approaching 100 million people by year-end 2008.

FiberTower's unique hybrid network architecture, consisting of microwave and fiber technologies, provides backhaul transport that is highly reliable, cost-effective and scalable as Sprint Nextel continues its deployment of next-generation wireless services.

"We are extremely pleased and excited to have been selected by Sprint Nextel to be the first backhaul provider to deploy commercial Ethernet services," said Michael Gallagher, FiberTower's President and CEO. "We place significant value in our relationship with Sprint Nextel and believe that this historic agreement represents the first step in the carrier's commitment to deploying cutting-edge broadband applications with broad appeal to consumers and the enterprise."

"Sprint Nextel continues to build-out the largest and most technologically advanced mobile broadband network in the U.S.," said Barry West, CTO and President of Sprint Nextel's 4G Mobile Broadband division. "We aim to maintain our position as the leader in broadband mobility and believe that our relationship with FiberTower will support that goal. FiberTower's superior service quality, flexibility and scalability are a perfect fit for our next-generation network plans and we look forward to dramatically expanding this relationship going forward."

About FiberTower

FiberTower is a backhaul and access services provider focused primarily on the wireless carrier market. With its extensive spectrum footprint in 24 GHz and 39 GHz bands, carrier-class microwave and fiber networks in 12 major markets, customer commitments from six of the leading cellular carriers, and partnerships with the largest tower operators in the U.S, FiberTower is considered to be the leading alternative carrier for wireless backhaul. FiberTower also provides backhaul and access service to government and enterprise markets.

(note: since Sprint has to accommodate the migration of existing EVDO users to the new WiMax service, its nice to see that tower backhaul will be improved upon for Sprint's 4G WiMax. Lots of existing Sprint EVDO customers will welcome the improvement to their mobile broadband speeds.)

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