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| 3 Rivers Launches Operational Trial of SOMA Networks’ Fully Converged Wireless Broadband and Voice Solution Rural Montana Company Trials Next-Generation Wireless System To Expand Telecommunications Reach FAIRFIELD, MT and SAN FRANCISCO, CA, October 9, 2003 – 3 Rivers Communications, an independent rural telecom, today announced that it has signed a contract with SOMA Networks, a leading provider of next-generation broadband wireless access technology, to conduct an operational trial deployment of the non-line-of-sight SOMATM solution. The trial is scheduled to begin this month in Great Falls, Montana, a community of 57,000 people located in the central part of the state. This trial will be in the PCS (1.9 GHz) spectrum band, and will test high-speed broadband data and voice services to the residential and small business market. Following the successful completion of the trial, 3 Rivers plans to utilize the SOMA solution to supplement its competitive offerings in rural and urban markets in Montana, by extending its reach beyond that allowed by currently deployed technology. “The trial between 3 Rivers and SOMA Networks is an excellent proving ground for the economics of broadband wireless in rural applications. Historically, operators in these areas have not been able to reach remote areas economically,” said Emmy Johnson, Principal Analyst at SkyLight Research. “SOMA Networks offers a highly engineered solution that provides broadband and carrier-class voice. This will be a compelling combination for regional operators who want to offer broadband as an overlay to wired-line voice. With the SOMA solution, operators can also generate a second stream of revenue by offering wireless voice and broadband services to areas outside their regional franchise.” “As 3 Rivers continues to expand the footprint of our extensive telecommunications offerings, we are continuously searching for more cost-effective methods to provide broadband Internet access as well as advanced voice services to our customers,” said Darren Moser, General Manager of 3 Rivers Communications. “Having investigated a number of wireless offerings, we found that the SOMA solution delivers the most compelling business model that enables us to profitably meet our goal of providing reasonably priced telecommunications services to our customers.” Trial participants will utilize SOMA Networks’ self-installable and portable home gateway unit, called the SOMAport™ subscriber terminal, which eliminates the need for costly truck rolls. The “brains” behind the SOMA solution is the SoftAirTM platform, an advanced air interface and distributed software environment that adds intelligence to the wireless edge. Based on industry-proven wideband-CDMA technology, the SOMA SoftAir platform delivers multi-megabit data rates and coverage radiuses of greater than five miles in typical rural environments. The industry-leading “macrocell” coverage of the SOMA solution enables telecommunications service providers to reduce Capital Expenditures (CAPEX) and Operating Expenses (OPEX) by deploying fewer base stations. The SoftAir platform features true multi-layer Quality of Service, enabling high-quality voice capabilities plus numerous voice features such as call waiting, call forwarding, speed calling, caller ID and call blocking, all through a differentiated service pricing structure. “In particular, 3 Rivers is looking for alternate access methods to extend the availability of both its broadband and voice service offerings to markets where, for technical and economic reasons, the company is unable to service some or all of the population. This operational trial will allow 3 Rivers to evaluate the SOMA solution’s non-line-of-sight access, subscriber self-installation and self-provisioning capabilities, large cell radius, data throughput rates, voice service quality, and sophisticated network management system,” said Steve Krogue, Operations Manager at 3 Rivers. About 3 Rivers Communications
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