InfiNet Wireless, based in Russia, was spun out from the integration business of CompTek International in 2003. The company was responsible for rolling out the first wireless MAN in Russia in 1995, and boasts world-class Russian laboratories for hardware and software development. Its equipment is installed in more than 300 commercial and corporate networks in over 30 markets worldwide, with greater than a 65% market share of the installed wireless broadband base in Russia and Eastern Europe. Like picoChip, InfiNet Wireless has attracted funding from Intel Capital.

InfiNet's recent projects include a 5.8GHz video-over-IP security surveillance network in Shanghai, along with wireless bank networks for Russia's largest bank, Sberbank, and for the Bank of China. In addition, InfiNet recently announced the FCC approval of their 4.9GHz broadband wireless router family of products for the US public safety market, and that the company was selected by leading national operator, Enforta BV, to supply wireless equipment for the creation of the largest WiMAX network in Russia spanning 28 cities.

Commenting on the new partnership, picoChip's president and CEO Guillaume d'Eyssautier said, "WiMAX is an ideal solution for parts of the world that have sophisticated technology, but where traditional copper networks have failed to keep pace with society's demands for broadband and private networks. InfiNet Wireless has taken a pioneering approach to bringing access to areas like this, and picoChip is delighted to have the opportunity to provide them with the technology to achieve this even more effectively with our 802.16e solution."

Robert Stubblebine, CEO of InfiNet Wireless, added, "picoChip currently has the only technology that will allow us to install a WiMAX 802.16d basestation with the ability to upgrade to 802.16e. We also plan to use their solution for sophisticated client-side installations, benefiting from the flexibility and performance. We are very excited about the opportunities that working with picoChip's software defined radio solutions will allow us to address."

"As an investor in both picoChip and InfiNet Wireless, we are pleased that the two companies have lined up to collaborate on profiting from the rapidly growing WiMAX opportunity," said William Kilmer, managing director of Intel Capital Europe. "The fact that they have independently decided to work together is promising news for the success of both companies and highlights Intel Capital's ability to support ecosystems in key market segments."

picoChip provides software defined radio solutions to the key challenges of cost, development time and flexibility for the next generation of wireless systems. The company's multi-core processor, the PC102, delivers a world-beating price/performance combination and has achieved design wins with numerous major companies. Uniquely, the company also delivers complete, standard-compliant reference designs for UMTS (HSDPA, upgradeable to HSUPA) and WiMAX/WiBRO (both 802.16d and 802.16e, with support for AAS and MIMO). WiMAX systems using picoChip are available from Airspan, Intel, Ericsson, Nortel, Marconi and a number of other manufacturers. The PC102 is also being used to develop other advanced wireless protocols such as 4G research, 802.20 and TD-SCDMA.

About picoChip:

picoChip, located in Bath, England, is dedicated to providing innovative, flexible wireless solutions to help equipment makers minimize time-to-market, costs, and system power consumption. The heart of the company's offering is a scaleable, multi-processor baseband IC that combines the computational density of a dedicated ASIC with the programmability of a traditional high end Digital Signal Processor. This radically reduces both development time and materials cost and enables the strategic goal of the "Software Defined Radio." The company has the most comprehensive reference designs in the industry, with complete, standard-compliant solutions for both UMTS (including HSDPA) and WiMAX (802.16d upgradeable to 802.16e). www.picochip.com

About InfiNet Wireless:

InfiNet Wireless is a leading global vendor of Last Mile connectivity solutions utilizing Fixed Broadband Wireless Access (FBWA) and emerging WiMAX technologies. InfiNet Wireless' leading-edge routing products represent more than ten years of intense engineering efforts by world-class Russian development laboratories, with extensive field experience in the design and deployment of thousands of wireless carrier-class networks. InfiNet Wireless is a member of the WiMAX Forum™ and is committed to bringing WiMAX-compliant products to market based on the emerging 802.16 standard. InfiNet has earned a clear leadership position in fixed wireless installations in Russia and Eastern Europe and has more than 300 carrier-class wireless networks throughout the world.

For additional information, contact:
Jill Colna
SVM Public Relations
401-490-9700
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Rupert Baines
picoChip Designs Limited
+44 (0)1225 469 744
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Oliver Davies
Publitek Limited
+44 (0)1225 470 000
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