interWAVE Communications has received and deployed a US$2.2 million third phase order for Commercial Facilitators Limited (CFL), a value-added telecom service provider in Nigeria, providing two of its Cell-On- Wheels solutions -- rapid deployment trailer-based mobile cell sites integrating all the features of permanent installations. The solutions can be used in any number of applications; whether it"s filling a network gap, providing network capacity for large events, or to meet sudden needs such as providing lost communication during natural disasters.

"We had to have a network deployed and live to provide additional capacity for the All African Games," said Niyi Oyedele, chief executive officer of CFL. "Working under a very tight deadline -- three weeks from the time the solution was ordered to the time the network went live -- interWAVE"s attention to detail in the overall design and integration provided us with a fully- functional, GSM-based mobile network."

"Our Cell-On-Wheels solution gives operators the flexibility to address unforeseen coverage and capacity situations. The flexibility of our solution allows CFL to offer a rapidly deployable cell site to any location within Nigeria," said Bill Carlin, chief operations officer of interWAVE. "As a result of Nigeria"s decentralized population, CFL required a mobile solution that could be easily deployed for semi-permanent or temporary coverage."

Included in the Cell-On Wheels solution is a pneumatic mast, a Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) for satellite transmission and satellite compression equipment. In addition, a microwave link, generator, battery backup and uninterrupted power supply can also be provided as part of the solution.

"With less than 2.5 million current Nigerian GSM subscribers representing about two percent of the total population, the potential for future network expansion is great," said AbdulRahman Odunowo, chief executive officer of Private Networks Nigeria, interWAVE"s local partner in Nigeria. "interWAVE"s flexible solutions and unmatched time to deployment gives them the market advantage here in Nigeria."