BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Airspan Networks Inc. (NASDAQ: AIRN), a leading worldwide provider of WiMAX-based broadband wireless access networks and carrier class Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) solutions, today announced that it has deployed the first-ever Russian WiMAX network for MetroMAX.

MetroMAX was established in 2005 by private investors to build and operate an IP-based voice and data network in the Samara region of Russia. More than 3 million people currently reside in the region, which covers approximately 536,000 square km. Samara is a major oil producing and refining, light and heavy engineering center, with a gross regional product per capita that is more than 30% above the Russian national average. Less than 5% of Samaran residents currently have access to broadband communications. MetroMAX's goal is to cover the entire region by the end of 2006 with a WiMAX-based system. The initial Airspan deployment is in the largest city, Samara, which has 1.2 million inhabitants. At first, MetroMAX will offer its subscribers high-speed Internet access, standard VoIP services as well as virtual private networks for small and medium-sized enterprises. By the middle of 2006, it expects to have deployed Airspan's VoiceMAX solution in the network, giving it the ability to offer toll-quality VoIP services as well in a fully-integrated network system. KKS Telecom, one of Airspan's principal distributors in Russia, is assisting in the deployment of the MacroMAX base stations and EasyST and ProST customer premise devices in the network.

Commenting on the transaction, Anders Rendahl, Airspan's Vice President and General Manager -- EMEA, said: "We are very pleased to be the first to sell and deploy a fully compliant 802.16-2004 system in the Russian market, particularly to a company like MetroMAX. Airspan has enjoyed a successful presence in Russia with its proprietary products since 1998. We have built more than 50 networks there, with capacity in excess of tens of thousands lines. The introduction of our newest WiMAX products is the result of the excellent reputation we have built as the most credible broadband wireless access systems provider in the country."

Airspan Networks Inc. (Nasdaq: AIRN)