Sirius Broadband Selects Salira to Create the First Gigabit Ethernet Passive Optical Network in Bangladesh; Network Will be Used by Multiple System Operators to Deliver Advanced Broadband Services to Businesses and Consumers

Business Wire, Jan 25, 2006

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Salira Systems, Inc. the leading provider of Gigabit Ethernet Passive Optical Network (GE-PON) systems, today announced that Sirius Broadband, Ltd. selected the Salira 3000 Series to build the first GE-PON network in Bangladesh. The Salira 3000 Series is the company's standards-based product line based on the IEEE 802.3ah protocols for Ethernet PON (EPON). Sirius Broadband has been using Salira's equipment to deliver commercial-grade bandwidth to downstream carriers for more than two years in the city of Dhaka.

"We are strongly committed to providing our customers with world-class products and services on a win-win basis. After reviewing all the different PON products, we determined that Salira was the best long-term solution," said Ziaur Rahman, Chairman and CEO of Sirius Broadband, Ltd. "Salira's solution is unique in its ability to deliver unprecedented capacity on a PON network for legacy TDM-based services and emerging Gigabit Ethernet services simultaneously."

As IP-over-Gigabit Ethernet has reached maturity, and all network architectures continue to migrate toward IP, Sirius wanted to provide a platform to its clients that would take advantage of the simplicity of Ethernet technology to achieve significant capital and operational savings. Salira's products met Sirius' criteria of having highly-scaleable bandwidth, support of multicast IP video, and support of soft-switched voice.

In the deployment, Sirius Broadband is delivering Gigabit-level capacity to other carriers and Multiple System Operators (MSOs). As a carrier's carrier, Sirius is giving its customers the ability to deliver a variety of Metro Ethernet services such as high-speed Internet access, Voice over IP (VoIP), Video on Demand (VOD), Minerva IP-TV, Digital Radio, Gaming, Video Conferencing and other advanced IP-based services. The deployment, which involves Salira's proprietary and standards-based line cards and Optical Network Units (ONUs), including multiple standards-based Salira 3350 ONUs, has been carrying live commercial service for more than two years.

"We are proud to be involved in the first EPON deployment in Bangladesh, and we look forward to working with Sirius Broadband as they expand their network," said Dr. Yanming Liu, president and CEO of Salira Systems, Inc. "Salira's unmatched ability to deliver legacy TDM services and advanced IP-based services on the same platform enables Sirius to offer unique service profiles to their carrier customers."

The Salira 3000 Series offers full capability to deliver IEEE 802.3ah standards-based EPON services. Salira is using market-leading Teknovus chipsets in the Salira 3000 Series. The 3000 Series consists of the Salira 2550 Optical Line Terminal (OLT), the Salira 3345 Optical Network Unit (ONU) and the Salira 3350 ONU. Services are provisioned and maintained by Salira's best-in-class network management system known as SAM (Salira Access Management).

About Salira Systems, Inc.

Based in Santa Clara, California, Salira is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hitachi Communication Technologies, Ltd. and Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE: HIT). Salira builds Gigabit Ethernet Passive Optical Network (GE-PON or EPON) systems that are used to deliver traditional TDM services and advanced IP-based broadband services (voice, video and data) to business and residential customers. For more about the company, visit www.salira.com.

About Sirius Broadband, Ltd.

Sirius Broadband, a system integrator, represents many of the leading manufacturers of broadband equipments. Sirius is the exclusive distributor of Motorola connected homes, California Amplifier, Telenetics, Slipstream data, Pelco Surveillance systems & Salira Systems. Sirius deployed ZIP-infinite, the first PON network in Bangladesh, for it's resellers and MSOs. ZIP-infinite from Sirius has changed the definition of internet by introducing VoD, Minerva IP-TV, GAMING, DIGITALRADIO and many exciting features. It offers MPLS based dedicated internet link -- with guaranteed CIR through MCI UUNET. The QoS is ensured from the MCI backbone all the way to the customer premise through fiber or wireless radios. Currently Sirius is the only company which provides both wireless and fibre based broadband internet service. For more about the company, visit www.siriusbroadband.com.