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Ascom (US) Inc. Joins Meru Networks' VoIP Unplugged Program
[February 26, 2007]

Ascom (US) Inc. Joins Meru Networks' VoIP Unplugged Program


SUNNYVALE, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Meru Networks, the leader in wireless infrastructure solutions that enable the All-Wireless Enterprise, today announced that long-time partner Ascom, the leading provider of on-site wireless communication solutions, is now a member of Meru Networks' VoIP Unplugged Program. The companies, which recently completed extensive interoperability testing between the Meru Wireless LAN and the Ascom i75 VoWiFi handset, are pursuing joint marketing and sales opportunities throughout North America and Europe.



The Meru Wireless LAN (WLAN) System, with its patented Air Traffic Control technology and single channel architecture, provides a unique wireless infrastructure that enables seamless handoff of devices, with no lag time, as they move between access points. It is the only wireless LAN solution that is purpose-built to handle the specific, stringent requirements of converged voice and data over WiFi for healthcare, education and other demanding markets. Meru's Voice Services Module also provides advanced features such as load-balancing of calls across channels and call admission control, which enables toll-quality voice communications and a user experience similar to a wired telephone. Ascom's communication solutions, such as its i75 VoWiFi handset, are rugged, feature-rich handsets designed to be used daily by medical professionals in a variety of clinical environments. The combined solution is ideal for hospitals and clinical settings where a great number of users must simultaneously access the network.

"The flexibility inherent in our handsets combined with the coverage and reliability of the Meru Wireless LAN System gives hospitals and other medical offices a solution that is easy to purchase and install meeting their clinical and operational communications needs," says Tom McKearney, vice president of marketing and business development for Ascom. "We look forward to working with Meru to continue providing best-of-breed solutions that solve critical needs in the healthcare industry."


The interoperability testing revealed that the joint solution can easily support healthcare environments where a large number of users need predictable performance, seamless simultaneous access, and guaranteed application delivery in a concentrated area, such as in an emergency room or intensive care unit. In addition, the testing showed that the Meru Wireless LAN is able to provide toll-quality voice service even when there is background data traffic on the same access point. St. John's Hospital in Springfield, Illinois has deployed the Meru-Ascom solution to great success, finding it able to support a great number of users while still providing a high quality of service.

"Both Meru and Ascom are active members of the Avaya DeveloperConnection program, an initiative focused on innovations that help companies get more out of their communications investment," said Eric Rossman, VP of developer relations and technical alliances, Avaya. "By working together to promote the use of open standards in our development initiatives, we make it easier and more cost effective for businesses to add new capabilities to their network and to realize the true promise of Intelligent Communications."

"For our healthcare customers, our partnership with Ascom allows them to realize even greater benefits from running their applications over wireless," said Ken Creager, senior director of healthcare solutions, Meru Networks. "The interoperability testing and upcoming joint solution sales through our channel partners will make it easier than ever for healthcare institutions to deploy a wireless communication system that provides medical professionals the ability to connect and communicate throughout their facility with today's most innovative voice, data and video applications, even if there is a high volume of users."

Ascom joins an already impressive list of Meru VoIP Unplugged Partners, including Fujitsu, Juniper Networks, SpectraLink and Vocera, among many others.

About Meru Networks

Meru Networks is the global leader in wireless infrastructure solutions that enable the All-Wireless Enterprise. Its industry leading innovations deliver pervasive, wireless service fidelity for business-critical applications to major Fortune 500 enterprises, universities, healthcare organizations and local, state and federal government agencies. Meru's award-winning Air Traffic Control technology brings the benefits of the cellular world to the wireless LAN environment, and its WLAN System is the only solution on the market that delivers predictable bandwidth and over-the-air Quality of Service with the reliability, scalability, and security necessary to deliver converged voice and data services over a single WLAN infrastructure. Founded in 2002, Meru is based in Sunnyvale, California. For more information on Meru Networks and its products, visit www.merunetworks.com or call (408) 215-5300.

About Ascom (US) Inc.

Ascom is North America's market-leading provider of on-site wireless communication solutions, bringing smart integration to existing systems, which enables greater freedom of movement, better service and increased safety in the workplace. Ascom on-site wireless solutions make existing systems work smarter through the integration of complementing, not competing, technologies. Because Ascom is not limited to one particular technology, it can customize unique solutions to meet an organization's needs, helping to create a road map for the long-term goal of an all-digital, wireless facility. Based in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, Ascom (US) Inc. is a part of the Swiss Ascom Group, an international solution provider with comprehensive technological know-how specializing in wireless solutions (high-value on-site communications solutions) and security solutions (applications for security, communication, automation and control systems for infrastructure operators, public security institutions and the Army). For more information, please visit ascomwireless.com.

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