Russian Ministry of Communications Approves All Aperto Networks Broadband Wireless Access Systems for Operation

Milpitas, Calif. and Moscow Russia, May 12, 2003  

Milpitas, Calif. and Moscow Russia, (May 12, 2003) – Aperto Networks, leading provider of new generation scalable broadband wireless access systems, has received approval from the Russian Ministry of Communications for operation of its PacketWave® systems in the 3.5 GHz, 5.3 GHz and 5.8 GHz frequency bands throughout the Russian Federation markets.  

"We are particularly pleased to support all critical frequency bands in the Russian market," said Dr. Reza Ahy, CEO and founder of Aperto Networks. "The majority of existing broadband wireless deployments in Russia are based on the 3.5 GHz band, and Aperto’s superior interference resilience with non-line-of-sight capabilities is of real value to those networks. The 5.3 GHz band is currently being awarded to Russian carriers. These bands are key to network opportunities."  

Aperto Networks will ship its first certified production systems to its Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) channel partners for delivery to carriers this month. Interest in these rapidly deployable systems is high, as the Russian private sector is enjoying favorable growth conditions and also widely recognizes the necessity of cost-effective broadband access for its continued success. Wireless access represents an excellent technical and economic infrastructure option to meet this need.  

"Ministerial approval is an essential step towards providing new generation, cost effective, and highly reliable broadband access solutions to Russia’s high-potential telecom market," explained Dr. Ahy. "Our versatility to serve applications in all bands uniquely matches the Russian market requirements."  

In a separate release today, Aperto Networks also announced details of its channel relationships with three leading systems integrators serving the CIS market.  

About Aperto Networks

Aperto Networks is a leading provider of multiservice broadband wireless access systems for global markets. The company was founded to provide a breakthrough solution to one of today’s critical network bottlenecks - last-mile broadband access. Aperto’s practical, scalable systems and patent-pending technologies support new wireless builds and complement existing wireline broadband access technology. Shipping to carriers since 4Q 2001, the company has delivered commercial systems to 25 countries, meeting their need for rapid network deployment, multiservice scalability, ease of installation, IP-rich network functionality, and cost-effectiveness. Aperto dramatically shortens the lengthy provisioning cycles for broadband services by enabling rapid service provisioning across dense urban to suburban locations. The company is a leading contributor to IEEE 802.16a and ETSI-BRAN standards, and is a board member of the WiMAX Forum. Investors include Alliance Ventures, Canaan Partners, Tyco Ventures, Innovacom (France Telecom), Stratex Networks, Oki Electric Industry Company, Mitsubishi International Corporation, Ridgewood Capital, Satwik Ventures, Redwood Ventures and Labrador Ventures. For more information on Aperto Networks, go to www.apertonet.com.