Lucent pumps $2 billion into broadband specialist

Lucent is to pump $2 billion worth of equipment financing into start-up Winstar to help it build a US fixed wireless broadband infrastructure.

Winstar plans to extend the network across the globe to become the world's first end-to-end broadband set-up. Initially a local network will use Lucent's 80-channel dense wave division multiplexing (DWDM) optical networking technology.

Lucent will provide financing over five years and Winstar will gain access to $500 million worth of funds in tranches.

Through its Wireless Fiber services, Winstar provides local and long distance phone services as well as a range of Internet features.

Winstar chairman and chief executive, William Rouhana, said: "With Lucent's networking knowledge behind us, we are positioned to be the first competitive carrier to create a nearly ubiquitous end-to-end broadband network in the top 100 world markets."