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To: FARcom who wrote (63)	11/22/2001 1:39:56 PM
From: FARcom	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 74

September 24, 2001 08:10 Occam Networks Customer Wins Interop Infrastructure Award for Most Innovative Local Telephone Company Jump to first matched term SANTA BARBARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 24, 2001-- Kansas-Based Rural Telephone Service Co. Inc. is Chosen for Innovation and Cutting-Edge Network Services Occam Networks Inc., supplier of Broadband Loop Carrier equipment to carriers and telecommunications service providers worldwide, today announced that one of its customers, Rural Telephone Service Co. Inc., has been chosen as the winner of the Interop Infrastructure Award for Most Innovative Local Telephone Company at this year's Networld+Interop show in Atlanta. The Interop Infrastructure Awards, which are presented by The Net Economy and Interactive Week magazines, are given to service providers in 11 different categories. Rural Telephone, which faced competition from BellSouth and Iowa Telecom for the award, was chosen based on its innovation in meeting customer needs and its ability to establish cutting-edge network services. "Rural Telephone was chosen as Most Innovative Local Telephone Company because it not only devised a cost-effective means of bringing broadband to its rural customers, but also successfully challenged SBC Communications in neighboring communities," said Carol Wilson, Editor-in-Chief of The Net Economy. "Rural is challenging conventional thinking that outlying areas can't have access to new broadband services and serving as a role model for other incumbent telcos, particularly smaller independents." Rural Telephone, an independent carrier based in Lenora, Kan. has been using Occam Networks' BLC 1100 Broadband Loop Carrier to provide broadband to its customers in rural service areas. The Broadband Loop Carrier is a new class of carrier equipment that integrates the functionality of a Digital Loop Carrier (DLC), a DSL Access Multiplexer (DSLAM), a media gateway, and a loop tester into a single environmentally hardened compact platform. It allows carriers to provide POTS and DSL service on one port through the remote terminal, remote hut or central office. "It is indeed a privilege and an honor to be named the most Innovative Local Telephone Company, particularly against such heady competition," said Larry E. Sevier, CEO and general manager of Rural Telephone. "The recognition is even more special knowing that it honors the dedicated employees at Rural Telephone who have worked so hard to bring the services to Western Kansas. These employees often go unrecognized but will certainly remain motivated by the honor bestowed upon this company." "Rural Telephone's success with the BLC architecture proves broadband infrastructure and services can be deployed easily and cost-effectively," said Kumar Shah, Occam Networks president and CEO. "Occam has realized its goal of helping carriers build a solution that brings the bandwidth available in high-speed core networks directly to bandwidth-hungry subscribers." About Rural Telephone Rural Telephone is a competitive, customer oriented, Kansas-based telecommunications provider heavily oriented toward high-speed data and computer applications. On the leading edge of communications the company has been serving the area since 1951, when the company was brought into existence as a cooperative with an elected nine-member board. The organization has experienced dramatic growth. Rural Telephone now serves 29 telephone exchanges with more than 10,000 access lines. The company itself has more than 100 full-time employees, a 300 percent increase in the last decade alone. About Occam Networks Occam Networks is the leading supplier of Broadband Loop Carrier equipment, simple, cost-effective access platforms that enable Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers (ILECs) to overcome the limitations of the local loop to profitably deliver a variety of voice and broadband services to their subscribers from a converged new access network. Privately held Occam Networks was founded in 1999. Since its inception, the company has received approximately $41 million in financing from private investors, including US Venture Partners, New Enterprise Associates, Norwest Venture Partners, The Anschutz Group, Windward Venture Partners, Crescent Ventures, and Hook Partners. The company has headquarters in Santa Barbara and has additional offices in Agoura Hills, Calif., Petaluma, Calif. and Mesa, Ariz. Additional information about the company can be found at www.occamnetworks.com