111606_arcadian

New York (August 1, 2006)
Arcadian Networks, Inc., a privately held, mission-critical, wireless broadband carrier, announced today that it has reached a major milestone in the deployment of the nation's first broadband wireless network dedicated to industries with remote, dispersed assets that require a high-quality of service including performance, privacy, security and availability. The network, parts of which went live today, will span most of Minnesota and a part of Wisconsin. It was built in collaboration with Great River Energy, a wholesale power cooperative providing electricity to 28 distribution cooperatives throughout Minnesota. The network will provide IP connectivity for Great River Energy’s substation communication and automation needs.

This milestone has far-reaching national implications for industries with critical infrastructures such as electric and water utilities; emergency first-responders; mining, oil and gas companies; and other entities with significant rural infrastructures or assets. This milestone is noteworthy because:

• For the first time, one carrier can provide wireless broadband capabilities for monitoring assets across a state with urban, suburban and large rural areas.

• This multi-million dollar network can be extended to other Minnesota businesses as a cost-effective “communication utility service.”

• This network addresses the confluence of a variety of disparate initiatives that have gained heightened public awareness since 9/11, including:

o the emergence of smart devices that are network ready;

o local, state and federal legislation aimed at improving critical infrastructure resilience and preparedness;

o industry regulatory groups and councils calls for modernization of aging infrastructure;

o the formation of private sector services which offer the flexibility and level of service needed to harness the potential of smart devices and meet the demands of recent legislation and industry.

“We now have a blueprint for a wireless network that we can replicate across the country,” said Gil Perez, CEO of Arcadian Networks. “Working closely with one of the leading electrical utility companies in the Midwest, we’ve demonstrated how we can effectively work with other organizations to deliver the required quality of service at a cost effective price-point needed to meet the most stringent industry, state and federal regulatory requirements.”

“Wireless technology has always been very attractive to rural utilities, and particularly to us because of our geography. We’ve been looking for a long time for that last mile connection, and we found it with this partnership,” said Jim Jones, vice president and chief information officer, Great River Energy. “Minnesota organizations accustomed to the high quality of service, reliability and cost-effectiveness of our electric utility service will soon have access to a broadband, wireless communication network.”

Industries that will use this network include electric and water utilities, as well as oil and gas, public safety, mining, transportation, environmental companies, public sector and other businesses or government entities with dispersed critical infrastructure and assets.

Arcadian Networks is a mission-critical telecommunications carrier providing the first private, secure wireless data communication network for utilities and other 'dispersed-asset' industries in a wide portion of the rural United States. Through its unique 700 MHz-based network, the company offers utilities such as electric, oil and gas, and water with a turnkey flexible high-speed broadband network allowing real-time monitoring and control of operations and management applications. Arcadian Networks provides the foundation for reliable, secure and efficient networking focused on operational, mission-critical assets and infrastructure. Based in New York, Arcadian Networks has secured funding from investors including: Goldman, Sachs and Co.; Gilo Ventures; and Clal Industries and Investments Ltd. For more information, please visit www.arcadiannetworks.com

Great River Energy ( www.GreatRiverEnergy.com) is a not-for-profit generation and transmission cooperative providing electricity to 28 distribution cooperatives in Minnesota and Wisconsin. It is the second largest power supplier in the state of Minnesota, and the fourth largest cooperative of its type in the nation.