Omnitek Launches OmniLink (the World's First Gigabit Wireless Backbone) in Istanbul Using SONAbeam Optical Wireless Technology from fSONA

Vancouver, Canada – May 18, 2004 – fSONA Communications, a leading supplier of optical wireless network equipment, and Omnitek, an innovative systems integrator based in Turkey today announced the establishment of what is thought to be the world's first gigabit wireless backbone located in Istanbul, Turkey.

“The Maslak-Eminönü backbone has raised the bar in the optical transmission industry.” declared Carl Cagliarini, Director of Business Development for fSONA EMEA. “Omnitek's flagship network is a clear ratification that when utilized to specification FSO technology is a key delivery tool for metropolitan and urban carrier-grade networks.”

Omnitek's gigabit wireless backbone is located in Istanbul's business corridor known as the Maslak-Eminönü route and is intended to be the first of many wireless backbone projects. Omnitek selected eight A-Class Plazas along the Maslak-Eminönü route that would make the best nodes for the wireless backbone network. These plazas were each between 1.2 and 2.3 kilometers apart for a total coverage of about 13 kilometers.

In addition to being suitable node locations, each of these plazas houses a number of corporate customers who are using the network. Each of these node buildings is also now capable of providing connections to nearby buildings through additional short-distance FSO links and can serve as the launch point for RF based 802.xx access networks.   The SONAbeam™ 1250 Series gigabit wireless systems were delivered to Omnitek in July of 2003 and by September of the same year the network was built commissioned and started running data traffic.

From the backbone Omnitek now offers a number of services to business and service provider customers. For corporate customers, Omnitek offers LAN-to-LAN and Internet connectivity at Ethernet (10baseT) and Fast Ethernet (100baseT) speeds. LAN-to-LAN connections utilize the VLAN protocol to connect corporate offices that are located in multiple buildings along the route. Corporate customers can also use the backbone network to connect with their Internet Service Provider (ISP). In addition to traditional telecom services, Omnitek will also be able to offer advanced services such as voice over IP, streaming media and video teleconferencing.

"Optical wireless gave us the ability to set up a backbone very quickly and cost-effectively which meant we were able to present a compelling return on investment strategy to our investors and very attractive service rates to our customers,” stated Murat Akay, Deputy General Manager for Omnitek. “The reliability and speed of the network have been exceptional and we are receiving many positive comments from our customers.”

Omnitek is a systems integrator that has been providing innovative communications solutions to business and residential customers in Turkey since 1986. Founded by General Manager Mr. Muammer Uysal, Omnitek is a forward thinking company that believes in exploring new networking solutions in order to better serve their growing customer base.

About fSONA
fSONA Systems is recognized as the preferred provider of optical wireless solutions for government, enterprise and service provider markets around the globe. Leveraging leading edge advancements in 1550nm optical transmission, the SONAbeam™ family of systems, based on free-space-optics (FSO), use a globally unlicensed, wireless technology to provide speeds up to 2.5 Gbps over distances up to 7km. For more information visit www.fsona.com or www.free-space-optics.org

Further Information
For more information about fSONA, SONAbeam or Free-Space Optical Wireless, please contact:

604-273-6333
media@fsona.com

fSONA and SONAbeam® are trademarks of fSONA Networks. All other trademarks are properties of their respective companies.