Connecting Businesses to Broadband and Serving the Public by Connecting Citizens to Government Services

BOCA RATON, FL -- (Marketwire) -- 03/13/09 -- Airspan Networks Inc. (NASDAQ: AIRN), a leading provider of broadband wireless access networks, announced today that the government of La Xunta, Spain, through its service provider R, has selected Airspan equipment to create two networks, one used for the municipality to remotely connect offices throughout the region, while the second is connecting several industrial zones and businesses to WiMAX.

The Galicia region in northern Spain faces especially challenging connectivity issues due to a rough terrain and landscape. Laying traditional wire cabling across the county is not feasible, which has left much of the region's constituency, a portion of which is located in remote villages and rural areas, with a digital gap.

Providing the backhaul solution to connect over 200 remote branch offices to the government IT network, Airspan, working with partner Colabora Ingeneiros, has enabled the municipality to extend government services such as social, economical and healthcare support to its citizens.

In addition, the government has extended a WiMAX network through 32 industrial centers, enabling SOHOs (small office/home office) and SMEs (Small/Medium Enterprise) to access high-speed broadband Internet connections up to 6 Mbps and Internet telephony (VoIP). Airspan's equipment is designed to deliver reliable, secure and robust broadband connectivity.

The WiMAX network includes 32 Airspan WiMAX base stations with a large quantity of ProST outdoor units installed at the customer premises. The inherent technology of the ProST subscriber terminals ensures improved connectivity rates over long distances, supplying reliable data transmission in both line-of-site (LOS) and non-line-of-site (NLSO) environments.

The municipal solution comprises 400 Airspan FlexNET base stations dispersed throughout the county, providing long-range capabilities and extending the network reach. These units allow for high-capacity connectivity over an extremely secure environment which is essential to protect the privacy of the public. In addition to network and Internet connectivity, the solution also provides for IP telephony and Wi-Fi hotspot locations.

"La Xunta has incorporated Airspan's innovative technology to its networks, helping them become more efficient, improve commerce, better serve the public and begin to standardize services across the county," stated Declan Byrne, Airspan Chief Marketing Officer. "These applications are a perfect example of the many benefits afforded by wireless broadband in reaching rural and remote regions.