TROPOS SIGNS 500TH CITYWIDE WI-FI MESH CUSTOMER

January 31, 2007 -- Milestone Caps a Stellar Year of Rapid Growth and Innovation in 2006, with Larger City Deployment Completions and Faster Market Growth Foreseen in 2007.

Tropos Networks announced that Las Vegas, New Mexico will deploy the Tropos MetroMesh system in the city for public safety use, bringing the total number of Tropos customers to 500. The milestone caps a banner 2006 for the company in which the Tropos’ Q4CY05 to Q4CY06 node shipments grew by more than 120% – faster than the overall market.

Tropos expects rapid industry and company growth to continue in 2007 as digital lifestyle and mobile workforce requirements fuel demand for ubiquitous Wi-Fi coverage in cities around the world. Also in 2007, the company expects to significantly enhance its industry-leading mesh routing and management software, and to expand the range of radios and spectrum supported in its pico-cell mesh systems.

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THE CITY OF ATLANTA SELECTS EARTHLINK TO BUILD OUT MUNICIPAL WIRELESS NETWORK

ATLANTA, January 25, 2007 — Atlanta will soon join the ranks of major municipalities across the U.S. that have embraced Wi-Fi. The City has selected EarthLink (NASDAQ: ELNK) to build, own and operate a municipal Wi-Fi network.

Pending a final contract with the City, EarthLink will provide affordable, high-speed Internet access for residents, businesses and visitors to Atlanta with upload and download speeds up to 1 Mbps. In addition, EarthLink will continue its efforts to reduce the gap between those who benefit from technology and those who don't by working with the City to provide qualifying residents with discounted Internet access.

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CONGRESS PUTS MUNICIPAL WI-FI ON THE AGENDA

InfoWorld reports that the new Democratic Congress will likely move ahead on efforts that ease the ability of municipalities to provide wireless broadband service in their communities.

The long article, which summarizes an array of tech issues likely to be taken up, has a short but encouraging section on the subject:

Rules that make it easier for municipal governments to offer wireless broadband will be on the agenda. Representative Rick Boucher, a Virginia Democrat, said he will push for a law similar to municipal broadband proposals in the last broadband bill. Some broadband carriers have pushed state legislatures to pass laws prohibiting municipal broadband services, but Boucher noted that many residents of his rural Virginia district have no access to cable or DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) service.

Municipal wireless has a "role to play where commercial operators don't see an opportunity," Boucher said.

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