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West Kentucky Rural Telephone to Deploy Occam BLC 6000 in Move to All IP and Ethernet Access Network; Cooperative to Deliver Triple Play Services over High-Bandwidth NetworkSANTA BARBARA, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Nov. 9, 2005 -- Occam Networks(R) Inc. (OTCBB: OCCM), a supplier of innovative Ethernet- and IP-based loop carrier equipment to telecommunications companies worldwide, today announced that West Kentucky Rural Telephone Cooperative has selected the company's Occam BLC 6000(TM) System to upgrade the cooperative's access network to an all IP and Ethernet access network. West Kentucky Telephone will replace all of its legacy digital loop carriers (DLCs) with the Occam BLC in a move to deliver Triple Play services -- voice, video and high-speed data -- to its subscribers in western Kentucky and northwestern Tennessee. "We were searching for the company with the most experience and broadest knowledge of IP Video," said Trevor Bonnstetter, chief executive officer of West Kentucky Rural Telephone. "Occam has a very strong and growing portfolio of customers who attest to their expertise. We were able to visit multiple Occam customers and saw the BLC 6000 delivering video services to paying subscribers. They can truly deliver what they promise, today." In order to deliver video services cost-effectively, West Kentucky Telephone opted to participate in a new program sponsored by the National Rural Telecommunication Cooperative (NRTC) and SES AMERICOM that enables rural Telcos to deliver multi-channel standard and high-definition television without building its own traditional head end. The two groups will deliver MPEG-4 video to the cooperative via their IP-PRIME platform. West Kentucky plans to launch its new video service in 2006. West Kentucky Telephone has recently purchased the BLC 6000 System and plans to begin deploying the products in the first quarter of 2006. When the deployment has been completed, all of its access lines, more than 18,000, will be ADSL2Plus and video ready. "Delivering telecommunication services remains a highly competitive market, one in which it is critical for a Telco to deliver a greater range of services if they are to stay competitive," said Russ Sharer, vice president of sales and marketing for Occam. "We are very committed to supporting innovative companies like West Kentucky in their drive to provide their subscribers with a full array of communications services including cutting-edge services like IP TV. When our customers are successful, so are we." About West Kentucky Rural Telephone Cooperative Corp. Founded in 1951, West Kentucky Rural Telephone Cooperative Corp. provides state-of-the-art voice, Internet and long distance services to the residents and businesses of eight counties in western Kentucky and northwest Tennessee. The company currently has more than 18 thousand subscribers in 18 exchanges. West Kentucky Rural Telephone has its headquarters in Mayfield, Ky. Visit www.wktelecom.coop for more information. About Occam Networks Inc. Occam Networks Inc. develops and markets innovative Broadband Loop Carrier networking equipment that enable telephone companies to deliver voice, data and video services. Based on Ethernet and Internet Protocol (IP) technologies, Occam's equipment allows telecommunications service providers to profitably deliver traditional phone services, as well as advanced voice-over-IP, residential and business broadband, and digital television services through a single, all-packet access network. Occam is headquartered in Santa Barbara, Calif. Additional information can be found at www.occamnetworks.com. Portions of this press release may contain forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future performance of Occam Networks. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from any future performance suggested in such statements. Rapidly changing technologies and market conditions may require changes to Occam's products. Occam does not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Please also refer to the company's most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q, annual report on Form 10-K and other filings with the SEC. These filings contain and identify other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Occam Networks and Occam BLC 6000 are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Occam Networks Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. |
