Company announcement 3 April, 2006 MELBOURNE GOES WIRELESS WITH UNWIRED More than 220,000 Melburnians will soon be able to sign up with Australia’s largest wireless broadband provider, with Unwired Australia launching its service in Melbourne on 5 April. Residents and people visiting Melbourne’s CBD and inner city suburbs* – from the Docklands to Richmond, Fitzroy to Middle Park, and Port Melbourne to Toorak, can use Unwired in these areas from this date. In May, coverage will be extended to Flemington, Clifton Hill, Collingwood and North Melbourne. “Unwired’s entry into the market means Melburnians are finally getting standards-based, fast wireless broadband at a great price. With Unwired, you buy the modem, plug it in, select a plan, and you’re online – there’s no installation and no waiting time – it’s that easy. It’s also portable so you can use Unwired across our Melbourne network and most of Sydney,” said Unwired CEO David Spence. Unwired’s entry into the Melbourne market coincides with increasing consumer demand for voice and internet mobility. “With Telstra losing 180,000 wholesale and retail fixed phone lines in just six months1, it’s clear people are ditching fixed home phones and expensive line rentals in droves – moving to low cost capped mobile plans and wireless broadband. It’s not just about cost – it’s about convenience. People want access to voice calls and the internet anywhere anytime, not just at a set location,” Spence said. Unwired will complete the first phase of its Melbourne network, which will cover around 25 per cent of the Melbourne population, in the second half of 2006. Further expansion of its Melbourne network will then take place as more customers join Unwired. “Our Sydney experience gives us the advantage of knowing what type of person is more likely to be an early adopter of the Unwired service so we are focussing on suburbs that fit this demographic first. We look forward to building a substantial customer and revenue base as soon as possible so we can increase our coverage across most of Melbourne,” Spence said. 1 For six month period ending 31 December 2005.
Unwired offers fast portable broadband services via its Desktop Modem and Wireless Card. Plans start at $15.95 per month for fast internet at better than dial up speeds and $29.95 per month for its broadband internet services. Unwired modems are available directly from Unwired’s website, through its call centre on 1300 761 881 and through its retail partners in Melbourne: Harvey Norman, D Smith and Tandy. The Desktop Modem retails for $189 and the Wireless Card is $299. Online and phone orders incur a $6 delivery fee. For further information on plans and pricing visit www.unwired.com.au Unwired gets a mark with Buckley Unwired also revealed today details of its Melbourne marketing campaign, announcing high profile footballer Nathan Buckley as its ambassador. “Nathan will be pivotal in creating awareness for Unwired in Melbourne. Nathan is a great fit for us – he has a solid understanding of wireless internet and he personifies our vision of freedom, simplicity and flexibility in a ‘wireless’ world. We look forward to working with him,” Spence said. Buckley will appear in Unwired marketing and advertising material, including direct mail, print and bill boards, from 5 April. More information: Amanda Wallace Unwired Australia +61 (0)2 9033 7754/0422 379964 * From 5 April the network will cover all or part of the following suburbs: Melbourne CBD (South, West and East), Port Melbourne, Albert Park, Carlton (North and South), South Yarra, Bentleigh, Ormond, McKinnon, Patterson, Richmond (East, West and South), Hawthorn, St Kilda, Docklands, Toorak, Fitzroy, Middle Park
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