TOKYO (January 11, 2002)-- Nissho Iwai Real Estate Corporation, a Nissho Iwai Group company, has decided to introduce 1-gigabit (1 gigabit equals 1 billion bits) dedicated lines provided by POWEREDCOM, Inc., as the Internet communication environment for NEWTON PLACE (total 989 units, to be partially completed in March 2003), urban type large-scale condominiums that are currently under development in Shiohama, Koto-ku, Tokyo. 

Internet environment superiority or inferiority is becoming one of the important elements when deciding on a condominium purchase. 'NEWTON PLACE', promoted with the concept of residing in a beautiful central Tokyo setting, which boasts an approximately 7,600 square meter 'wooded garden', will provide a fast Internet connection environment. Nissho Iwai Real Estate Corporation has determined that a 1-gigabit line is indispensable for each tenant to enjoy a pleasant communications environment, resulting in a decision to install ultra-fast 1-gigabit Internet dedicated lines for the first time for condominiums in Japan. 

At 'NEWTON PLACE', a high quality communications environment will be realized by connecting the condominiums to the POWERDCOM Data Center, located within Tokyo's 23 wards, via 'Powered Ethernet' 1 gigabit dedicated lines. The expense to be incurred by introduction of the 24-hour unlimited use ultra-fast Internet environment will be around 2,000 yen per month, which will be imposed as a maintenance fee for each condominium. 

POWEREDCOM has been performing construction work and service provision on the Internet infrastructure for a total of 747 condominiums, made up of units from Sophia Totsuka (completed in August 2001), Sophia Mihama (to be completed in July 2002) and Sophia Sobudai (to be completed in July 2002), which were developed by Nissho Iwai Real Estate Corporation, and is planning introduction to approximately 10,000 condominiums in total by the end of fiscal 2003. 


Note: Communications speed comparison: 
The time required for downloading a two-hour movie to a personal computer via the Internet: 
With 1.5-megabit ADSL 6 hours or more 
With a 1-gigabit dedicated line 38 seconds