NEW ORLEANS—February 4, 2007—NewPath Networks, an industry leader in the design, development and operation of fiber-fed wireless carrier networks, today announced the deployment of a Distributed Antenna System (DAS) network that dramatically improves wireless capacity and coverage in the New Orleans French Quarter while preserving the historical aesthetics of the district.

The number of visitors to the French Quarter during events such as Mardi Gras and the recent BCS National Championship game dramatically increases the demand for wireless capacity, which results in poor call quality, call blocking, and dropped calls. The stringent visual guidelines aimed at preserving the historical charm of the French Quarter had prevented wireless service providers from deploying cell towers within the area to increase capacity and coverage. The lack of quality cellular service in the area created a nuisance for area residents and visitors alike, and raised concerns related to public safety and access to emergency services. This led the Vieux Carré Commission (VCC), the governing body in charge of historical preservation in the French Quarter, to consider alternative solutions to improve cellular coverage in the area without the negative visual impact associated with cell tower build-out.

NewPath Networks, a national leader in the deployment of multi-tenant wireless networks that use distributed antenna architectures and stealth technologies to limit visual impact in sensitive areas, proposed a wireless network solution with components designed to look and function like existing structures within the French Quarter. NewPath worked with the VCC over a period of years to finalize an approved design that would deliver improved wireless services for multiple operators and technologies with minimal visual impact on the historical character of the French quarter.

The final system uses 14 custom light poles with street signs to house the antennas and equipment needed to deliver wireless services within the French Quarter. The NewPath light poles are designed to replicate the look of other light posts in the area to minimize the aesthetic impact of the system within the historic district. The service provider and DAS equipment is located outside the area in Tremé, and connects to the sites within the French Quarter via fiber optic cabling. NewPath worked with the city of New Orleans to obtain the franchise and fiber needed to deploy the Hub site. Local engineering, construction, and installation companies completed the network deployment, and local companies continue to provide ongoing maintenance for the system. The NewPath system officially began carrying wireless traffic in September 2007.

As New Orleans welcomes the crowds that will gather for the Mardi Gras celebration, the NewPath Networks system will provide the needed cellular coverage and capacity to ensure quality wireless services for tourists and residents alike.

ABOUT NEWPATH NETWORKS
NewPath Networks is a wireless infrastructure company that designs, develops and operates fiber-fed wireless carrier networks using a distributed antenna architecture to improve signal strength and network capacity. NewPath’s solutions address wireless network capacity demands due to growth in data and multi-media applications. The company’s cost-effective, invisible wireless networks accommodate multiple carriers without new cell site or tower build-out. Communities choose NewPath Networks because the distributed antenna architecture enables concealment of antennas and equipment, and provides cellular coverage across multiple carriers with minimal aesthetic impact. NewPath’s solutions are also ideal for large corporate or university campus environments, where the systems provide on-campus coverage and capacity for multiple carriers with a single system that is managed by NewPath Networks. Service providers that license space on these systems gain efficiencies in time-to-market and reduced capital expenditures for hardware, facilities, and stealth building costs, as well as reductions in ongoing operational expenses. For more information, visit www.newpathnetworks.net.

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Media Contact:
Kacey Lemieux
Loop Marketing for NewPath Networks
425-939-6067
kacey.lemieux@loopmarketing.com