Aperto Unveils WiMax KitAperto Unveils WiMax Kit

CHICAGO -- Aperto Networks, a leading WiMAX-class broadband wireless multiservice systems provider serving over 200 operators in 60 countries, is launching its PacketMAX broadband wireless portfolio and announcing trial customers at a SUPERCOMM press conference today. Aperto is also demonstrating PacketMAX system capabilities on the SUPERCOMM exhibit floor, in booth 12025C. The PacketMAX portfolio will provide carriers unprecedented range in the types and tiers of services and features it can now deliver to residential and business subscribers worldwide.

The PacketMAX system, based on an Advanced TCA (Telecom Computing Architecture) chassis, gives carriers the full benefits of a WiMAX Forum(TM)-certified ecosystem, a clear path to portability and mobility, powerful voice over IP features, and a common platform shared with Aperto's existing PacketWave(R) architecture. The company expects to conduct WiMAX Forum lab certification starting in July and begin limited production shipments for 3.5 GHz systems during the third quarter of 2005(a), followed shortly by 2.5 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies, supporting all WiMAX Forum TDD profiles in all frequencies.

Operators have eagerly awaited WiMAX Forum-certified systems as they expect to benefit from widespread multi-vendor interoperability, unprecedented cost economies from mass-market volumes, enhanced standardized reach, speed and superior scalability. PacketMAX is delivering on this expectation.

"Aperto's PacketMAX systems deliver all of the patented innovations our customers value, including our best-in-class Quality of Service and our OptimaLink adaptation, while leveraging standardized silicon and physical layer as well as the flexible MAC layer we drove as leaders in the IEEE 802.16-2004 standards effort," stated Dr. Reza Ahy, CEO of Aperto Networks. "PacketMAX is solidly on track for WiMAX Forum certification, market trials and market delivery."

PacketMAX Product Portfolio

PacketMAX expands on the successful PacketWave product portfolio by providing a WiMAX-certified series of Base Stations and Element Management System:

as well as a compatible and flexible range of WiMAX-certified Subscriber Equipment:

These new devices will have full service-level compatibility with the classic PacketWave systems, as they share the same provisioning model and identical networking features (NAT, Routing, PPPoE, DHCP, etc).

PacketMAX leverages ServiceQ(R) comprehensive Quality of Service capabilities, multiple service flows per subscriber and intelligent traffic classification features pioneered by Aperto. These capabilities enable better service differentiation and SLA compliance. The classifiers that specify and determine which IP packets relate to specific flows comply with the entire set of classifiers specified in the IEEE 802.16d standard, meaning that they support all services classes including best-effort, committed information rate (CIR) in both Real-Time and non Real-Time modes, and Unsolicited Grants Scheduling for delivering a constant bit rate (CBR) class of service.

In addition, PacketMAX and PacketWave are the only WiMAX-class systems on the market today which support the full 3.3 GHz to 3.8 GHz frequency range enabling licensed deployments across India, Australia, China, Vietnam, Malaysia and elsewhere in South and Southeast Asia, in addition to Europe and Latin America.

As with all PacketWave systems, Aperto's PacketMAX systems use the Time-Division Duplexing (TDD) scheme included in the 802.16 standard, which delivers high flexibility, unmatched spectral efficiency and operator ease of use. Operators simply software-select the center frequency of the desired channel and the channel width - no need to find dedicated, paired channels to ensure frequency separation, as is the case with Frequency-Division Duplexing (FDD). The TDD system can be flexibly configured for the most appropriate upstream/downstream ratio, enabling operators to most efficiently match their service model. Finally, TDD will be used for 802.16e portable and mobile systems, thus ensuring smoother coexistence and migration for WiMAX operators planning to deploy 802.16e networks in the future.

"We are very pleased with the breadth and flexibility of the Aperto PacketMAX offering," stated Carlos Morell, General Manager of Spain's largest wireless carrier and Aperto customer Iberbanda. "Aperto has created a choice of base stations to fit our variable deployment profiles across the market segments we serve. Aperto has also provided a highly capable Element Management system that enables us to scale our nationwide network. We look forward to being among the first to trial PacketMAX."

"TowerStream plans to take full advantage of the unified architecture in the PacketWave and new PacketMAX systems as we continue to roll out wireless broadband service to the top ten cities in the U.S.," stated TowerStream's president Jeff Thompson. "We have utilized PacketWave to effectively service hundreds of business customers in all six of our current markets, and expect the PacketMAX trials to offer even more flexibility and reliability to our offering. We also plan to leverage Aperto's common TDD-based wireless modules across multiple bands as they become available."

Powerful Features, Industry-Leading Performance

PacketMAX extends Aperto's well-established ability to offer carriers rapid ROI. The new systems are

PacketMAX also offers the industry's most comprehensive IP networking functionality, through

Delivering on the scalability promise of WiMAX, PacketMAX supports 1 MHz narrow channels up to 20 MHz RF channels and speeds up to 55 Mbps per wireless channel, as well as a growing set of market-demanded broadband applications such as

"We have the highest confidence in Aperto's PacketMAX architecture," said Mark Rodgers, president of US Wireless, the newest major carrier customer to announce deployment of Aperto's multiservice solutions. "These systems do everything that is specified by WiMAX, and more. We know and value Aperto's best-in-class QoS capabilities, which meet and exceed the standard and which are so critical to our business class service delivery and VoIP features. And since Aperto is among the first broadband wireless access systems companies to interoperate with other systems slated for certification, we know they are adept at the interop dynamic and will likely fare very well in the CETECOM labs. We look forward to starting our market trials with PacketMAX."

"Aperto's PacketMAX delivers well on the service provider criteria we've identified as features of a complete solution ," emphasized Peter Jarich, Principal Analyst with Current Analysis. "Multiple base station and CPE profiles combined with Aperto's track record of successful wireless deployments and a credible migration path to 802.16e should set an example of performance for others to follow."

In a separate release:

CHICAGO -- Aperto Networks, a leading WiMAX-class broadband multiservice wireless systems provider, and US Wireless Online, Inc. (UWRL), which owns and operates one of the nation's largest broadband wireless networks, today announced that the carrier has begun deployment of Aperto 5.8 GHz WiMAX-class PacketWave(R) systems within its 3000 square-mile network. US Wireless is installing Aperto systems for its broadband wireless solutions delivered to corporate customers, government agencies and university campuses. The company also plans to leverage Aperto systems in its Wi-Fi backhaul network throughout the US Wireless 11-state footprint.

Already one of the most rapidly growing regional broadband providers in North America, this year US Wireless became a major national carrier by virtue of an aggressive acquisition track. The company has also augmented its strength in broadband wireless connectivity through a growing suite of Broadband Solutions including secure VPNs and municipal networks, VoIP, wireless video traffic systems, wireless homeland security networks and 'instant desktop' networking. As part of these scope and functionality expansions, US Wireless established mandatory requirements for high scalability of bandwidth throughout its network, and the best Quality of Service (QoS) capabilities in the industry.

"Aperto is a key partner for us, and we are well aligned with what we see on the company's roadmap," emphasized US Wireless Executive Chairman Jai Bhagat. "We are very impressed with their technology, and confident that Aperto's unified 2.5/3.5/5.8 GHz architecture will serve us very effectively in the future. Finally, as we continue to move into new broadband applications such as online hand held gaming and broadband video services, the performance bar will be raised again and our partnership with Aperto will enable us to scale in capacity, quality and cost-effectiveness."

"The leaders at US Wireless have tremendous vision and a strong commitment to collaborate on key aspects of multi-service delivery," stated Aperto Networks CEO Dr. Reza Ahy. "The company's history in wireless service delivery enables US Wireless to envision market trends, and to develop a high-value, differentiated offering to meet its customers' needs - in concert with strategic partners like Aperto. US Wireless is a key player and powerful influencer in the broadband wireless services landscape."

"We've set and delivered on a clear course of differentiation -- an unbeatable value proposition in wireless broadband," added US Wireless CTO Thomas (Jamie) Busic. "Firstly, our flagship broadband connectivity services deliver synchronous Internet speeds from 1.5 Mbps to 45 Mbps at 60 - 70% of the cost of any wired alternative while delivering superior performance and high-reliability. Secondly, our suite of Broadband Solutions, including VoIP, municipal Wi-Fi networks, and broadband video surveillance and security, deliver the same benefits and value proposition to our customers. Delivering the quality of service required of these Broadband Solutions required us to revisit our technology partnerships to ensure we had the optimal network solution."

"Aperto Networks' superior PacketWave and PacketMAX(TM) technology and progressive WiMAX roadmap were exactly what we needed to meet our evolving needs," Busic continued. "We are one of the few carriers delivering these Broadband applications with wireless 'last mile.' Aperto provides us very high confidence in the delivery of extremely high reliability, best-in-class scalable capacity and quality of service (QoS). The PacketWave IP-rich features perform as promised, and the remote management capabilities provide the customer control and instant bandwidth provisioning so critical to our applications."

Aperto Networks