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Wi-LAN Wins Major Contracts in Middle East and Central Asia
[July 06, 2005]

Wi-LAN Wins Major Contracts in Middle East and Central Asia


CALGARY, Canada --(Business Wire)-- July 6, 2005 -- $2 Million of New Orders Include Over $1 Million of Libra MX WiMAX Platform

Wi-LAN Inc. (TSX:WIN) today announced receipt of $2 million in orders for its broadband wireless solutions, of which over $1 million is initial orders for its Libra MX systems. The orders are from customers in Libya, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Pakistan and Turkey. Libra MX is Wi-LAN's WiMAX platform with a guaranteed seamless upgrade path to WiMAX Forum Certified(1) systems. The products are being used for large-scale data, voice and video surveillance networks throughout the region. Wi-LAN expects to fill the orders over the next four weeks and additional volume orders for Libra MX are expected over the next six months.



"These new orders are an exciting expansion of Wi-LAN's growing installed base in the Middle East and Central Asia," said Chris Beadle, Vice President, Global Sales, Wi-LAN Inc. "There is a growing need for broadband communication infrastructure in the region, and our broadband wireless products deliver the best price-to-performance ratio in the industry. It's great to see a steady increase in Wi-LAN's market share in this region, and particularly with our new Libra MX systems."

Libra MX is the industry's first WiMAX platform that meets the performance and throughput requirements of today's demanding point-to-point and point-to-multipoint broadband applications while providing a guaranteed, economic and straightforward migration path to WiMAX compliant networks. Based on Wi-LAN's patented W-OFDM technology - the foundation for WiMAX Forum Certified products - Libra MX is a powerful and flexible solution, including both base stations and subscriber units, for a wide variety of broadband wireless applications. Libra MX is Wi-LAN's fourth-generation OFDM product and provides a stronger-than-ever business case for carriers, large service providers and enterprises delivering solutions such as: urban Wi-Fi hot zones, cellular backhaul, E1/T1 replacement, enterprise MTU/MDU and VoIP applications.


One large Libra MX deployment has been undertaken by Bayanat Al-oula Network Services, a licensed telecom service provider in Saudi Arabia:

-- "We selected Wi-LAN's Libra MX systems after a careful and detailed study of all available broadband wireless product offerings available today," said Mr. Nasser Al Harbi, Chairman of Bayanat. "Libra MX's technical specifications, with a guaranteed and seamless migration path to WiMAX compliant systems, were important factors in our decision. As well, we have been very impressed with Wi-LAN's high level of commitment to technical support."

-- "We expect to launch Phase 1 of our national Libra MX broadband wireless network in July 2005," said Mr. Abdulmajeed Al Shawa, CEO of Bayanat. "We expect further volume deployments of Libra MX within the next six months as we move into further phases of our planned deployment."

Wi-LAN's resellers in Libya, Pakistan and Morocco are winning competitive bids with proposed networks that combine Libra MX with Wi-LAN's other broadband wireless products:

-- "The Libra MX with its modular chassis-based carrier-class architecture and its WiMAX-ready features and capabilities has proven to be highly reliable and has provided us with significant competitive advantage for several major large scale data, voice and video surveillance wireless deployments for our Libyan clients," said Dr. Aref Nayed, Managing Director of Agathon Systems, Wi-LAN's Gold Channel Partner for both the UAE and Libya.

-- "Wi-LAN's VIP 110-24, Ultima3 and Libra 5800 products have been well received by the banking, government and ISP sectors of the Pakistan market and the current purchase orders will further expand our Wi-LAN installed base in Pakistan," said Mr. Sami Bajwa, President and CEO of Comstar, Wi-LAN's Gold Channel Partner in Pakistan. "Also, we are very excited about Wi-LAN's new Libra MX WiMAX platform. Comstar has lucrative opportunities for both the Libra MX and for the Libra 5800 product families in the next six-month period."

-- "The Libra 5800 represents a significant opportunity for many of our clients requiring wireless solutions based on 5.8 GHz unlicensed radio frequencies," said Bahaa Tagmouti, General Manager of Intelcom, Wi-LAN's Gold Partner in Morocco. "However, the new Libra MX WiMAX platform system represents for Intelcom in Morocco a strategic advantage that we expect will generate large volume opportunities for Wi-LAN."

"I am delighted with the success Wi-LAN's Channel Partners have had in winning significant bids in this region. I expect many more large scale Libra MX wins will happen over the next few months," said Hassan Abdelghany, Wi-LAN Sales Director for the Middle East and Central Asia. "I congratulate everybody and thank them for their efforts in making Wi-LAN a household name when it comes to reliable broadband wireless access in the Middle East region."

Customers who deploy Wi-LAN's Libra MX system receive guaranteed protection from Wi-LAN's Continuity ProgramTM. Libra MX is guaranteed to be interoperable with Wi-LAN's future WiMAX compliant products, protecting the customers' investment in Libra MX and minimizing future network and revenue disruption. Wi-LAN's Continuity Program guarantees that any Libra MX subscriber unit will operate side by side, in the same network, the same cell and even the same sector with future WiMAX compliant subscriber units, offering Wi-LAN customers a solid migration path to WiMAX Forum Certified systems, which are expected to be certified and available in early 2006.

The initial release of Libra MX operates in the international licensed 3.5 GHz frequency band, delivering excellent performance in challenging Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) environments, and throughput of 288 Mbps to up to 12,000 users per cell, at a range of up to 30 kilometers.

The carrier-class design of Libra MX delivers carrier-class quality of service (QoS) - enabling prioritized "triple-play" services: video, data, and voice. The re-designed OFDM engine in Libra MX supports four times as many voice calls as other similar products on the market. Libra MX is cPCI card-based and "hot-swappable", meaning customers can easily add sectors to increase capacity or redundancy, and add new functionality - while keeping the network live.

To learn more about Libra MX and Wi-LAN's Continuity Program, go to www.wi-lan.com/products/libramx.htm, or download Wi-LAN's Libra MX white paper at www.wi-lan.com/whitepaper/libramx.htm, or e-mail us at [email protected].

About Wi-LAN Inc.

Wi-LAN is a global provider of broadband wireless communications products and technologies, offering businesses, including telecom service providers, and government enterprises effective, economic and secure wireless high-speed communications solutions. Wi-LAN specializes in high-speed Internet access, data network extension, wireless Voice-over-IP, and wireless data and telephony backhaul, utilizing its high quality products and industry-leading technologies. Wi-LAN's broadband wireless solutions feature an all-inclusive 2-year parts and labor warranty and are supported by 24/7 customer service.

Wi-LAN believes its portfolio of patents, including its core W-OFDM patents and 17 patents and patent applications acquired from Ensemble Communications in May 2004, are necessary for the implementation of devices using the IEEE 802.16 WirelessMAN Standard (1) and the ETSI BRAN HiperMAN(1) standard (the WiMAX Forum(1) standards). As well, Wi-LAN's W-OFDM patents are believed to be required for the implementation of devices using the IEEE standards 802.11a and 802.11g (the 2nd generation Wi-Fi Alliance(1) standards), and the ETSI BRAN HiperLAN/2(1) standard. Wi-LAN licenses its patented technology and has executed non-exclusive W-OFDM license agreements with semiconductor and broadband wireless equipment companies.

Wi-LAN is the chair company of the OFDM Forum and a charter member of the WiMAX Forum (www.wimaxforum.org). Wi-LAN's common shares trade on The Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "WIN." Detailed information on Wi-LAN can be found at www.wi-lan.com.

Forward Looking Information

Certain statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, may include forward-looking information that involves various risks and uncertainties. These may include, without limitation, statements based on current expectations involving a number of risks and uncertainties related to all aspects of the wireless communications industry. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not restricted to, continued increased demand for the Company's products, the Company's ability to maintain its technological leadership in the field of high-speed wireless communications, the Company's ability to attract and retain key employees, the enforceability of the Company's patents, and the availability of key components.

These uncertainties may cause actual results to differ from information contained herein. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. These and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements are based on the estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change.

(1) All trademarks and brands mentioned in this release are the property of their respective owners.

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