PointRed Technologies offers the most affordable 4th generation wireless broadband access system today. The company provides innovative wireless broadband systems to spectrum holders and unlicensed providers. The company’s microcell architecture supports a “pay-as-you-grow” business model that avoids the huge up-front investments currently required in rolling out broadband service. PointRed has the most efficient NLOS (Non-Line of Sight) solution, which enables signal rerouting around both current obstacles and those that may arise in the future.

This determined Silicon Valley start-up has drawn upon international expertise to create a highly regarded Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) product and succeed despite the economic downturn that began just as the company was revving up. CEO Susan Lee, CTO Elon Elzind, CFO Subhash Sachdeva, and Fabrizio Montauti, VP of Operations, brought their varied experience together to create a viable BWA technology that addressed current market needs. The system had to be small, light-weight, easily deployable, and able to address a troublesome technological issue in the BWA world – how to get service to structures that were not in the line of sight of the broadcast tower (Non Line of Sight or NLOS).Note to Susan – insert the deployment diagram from the website here!!
The team’s vision for PointRed actually began with frustration in attempting to get broadband access in Silicon Valley. Several of the founders lived in the beautiful and remote foothills surrounding the valley where wired broadband access was slow in coming. Necessity, the mother of invention, caused Elon Elzind to look for a way to bring affordable wireless to his own home office.
While Internet connectivity is growing rapidly, developing countries and remote communities throughout the world – even in the United States – are at a disadvantage.

The number of users who are adopting faster broadband connectivity is rising at a rate of 66 percent per year, growth is limited by the cost of the service – both to the service provider and the end users. The costs to expand coverage by DSL and cable data services, both of which require a ‘wired’ infrastructure, can only be bourn by large telecommunications companies (telcos) where there is a ready supply of subscribers to offset the costs. When services become available, they often cost $100 or more per month for access, not exactly affordable in many communities.
Venture backing from AsiaTech Management and Acer Technology Ventures has enabled the company to complete development, support field trials, and field an international sales team that is beating out some of the more-established BWA companies through its flexibility, technical expertise, and the business-savvy deployment strategy. PointRed offers: ease of installation and operation; pay-as-you-grow microcells to reduce start up costs; minimal infrastructure costs; excellent coverage within the cell; and the most affordable broadband in areas where DSL and cable are too costly to install.

PointRed Technologies recently signed a $3.8 million multi-year agreement with El Salvador Telecom S.A. de C.V. (Saltel). PointRed is providing equipment and expertise to support Saltel’s deployment of a Multi-service Broadband Wireless Network to business and residential subscribers throughout El Salvador.

“Central America is particularly receptive to wireless solutions because there is little legacy wired infrastructure that needs to be amortized. We are confident that our product will fully respond to the challenging requirements of a network deployment that will be the first in Central America to provide complete Voice over IP service to thousands of families and small businesses” said Susan Lee, PointRed CEO.

Saltel’s deployment began in early 2003 and service is currently available for approximately 50 percent of metropolitan San Salvador. The network will be expanded throughout the rest of the country beginning later this year.

Wireless deployment utilizes small, light equipment that can be positioned almost anywhere – indoors or out.

Saltel’s Wireless Broadband Access (BWA) network, built with PointRed’s MicroRed™ systems to deliver multiple services including IP Telephony and High Speed Data (HSD), represents one of the most advanced telecommunications infrastructures in Central America. Saltel chose the MicroRed wireless systems over other competitive systems because of PointRed’s responsiveness, flexible and modular product line, and affordable pricing for deployment. Lacking extensive legacy infrastructure in El Salvador, Saltel is responding to a fast-developing market with a voice-and-data wireless solution that offers a rapid return on investment (ROI).

“We have selected the MicroRed System because of the flexibility of the system and due to the extremely competitive costs represented by the pay-as-you-grow deployment philosophy, a critical parameter for providers operating in developing areas such as Central America,” said Lucas Cabanillas, General Manager - Saltel. “We feel the MicroRed System is the perfect technical solution match for the completion of our present network and the establishment of Saltel as a primary competitor in the El Salvador telecom arena, especially where advanced broadband services are desired.”

PointRed has been successful in deploying wireless broadband and voice networks with customers in Mexico, India, and Latin America, where acceptance of wireless is considerably higher because there is no inherited wired network. Wireless in developing countries is a preferred technology because of its simplicity and affordability. PointRed also has customers deploying in the United States in the growing number of technically astute but remote communities where economics do not support the deployment of cable and DSL.

By partnering with contract manufacturers Ambit and Wyse to deliver volume levels of equipment worldwide, the company has eliminated the need for a costly internal manufacturing infrastructure, while ensuring quality product and on-time delivery.

Susan Lee, CEO PointRed Technologies

Wireless broadband is clearly the preferred long-term solution to providing data and voice access for the world. The wired model is not viable for expanding affordable broadband – and in some cases, voice – service to the expanding number of people who to partake of global communication. It only makes sense for governments, telcos, and local business owners to work together to take advantage of the wireless access technology that can help even the playing field of global commerce. Governments benefit from increased business opportunities and trade; telcos can increase services and capture additional subscribers through affordable modular growth that supports a pay-as-you-grow business model; and more homes and local businesses and end users gain access to the rich informational, communications, and commercial potential of the Internet. PointRed is at the forefront of providing the affordable, practical technology that will make this happen.

About CEO/ Co-Founder:
Susan Lee, PointRed Technologies, Inc. Co-Founder, CEO and Chairman has more than twenty five years of management and technology development experience. She founded PointRed Technologies in 2002. The company provides a cost-effective, practical, and innovative solution to delivering wireless broadband capability anywhere in the world. In the late 1990s, Ms. Lee built a network integration company that grew to $2M revenue in the first year of operations. With Sun Microsystems in the late 1980s, Ms. Lee has held systems engineering management position for major semiconductor accounts such as Intel, Samsung, Seiko, Lattice Semiconductor and Cadence. Ms. Lee's background includes management, systems engineering, sales and marketing. Ms.Lee is a MS candidate at Phoenix University and holds a B.S. degree in Computer Science and Business from Seattle Pacific University.