Capturing the Promise of Rural Telecom with Software Radio

1. Capturing the Promise of Rural Telecom with Software Radio Where software meets the spectrum A little bit of satellite goes a long way Steve Yablonski Globecomm Systems Inc 631-231-9800 www.globecommsystems.com Marty Gilbert Vanu Inc. 617-864-1711 www.vanu.com

2. Rural Carrier Challenges Carrier Challenges • New wireless standards and services are being introduced at a faster pace creating tough decisions for rural carriers: • Buy or build multiple dedicated infrastructures; or • Risk losing revenues and market share to competing carriers • Who is being challenged? • Rural wireless carriers who want to add standards, extend coverage or introduce new services • Rural operators (wireless & wireline) with mobile spectrum, evaluating build-out options • Public safety and first-responder organizations serving rural regions

3. Imagine a mobile network that… Carrier Challenges • Scales CAPEX to match the rural revenue opportunity • Is optimized for low-density and geographically-challenged markets • Costs less to run over the long-term • Makes it possible to quickly add new revenue-generating standards and services without replacing legacy systems

4. The power of combined technologies Carrier Challenges • Significantly lowers upfront capital and ongoing operating expenses • Supports multiple standards with a single infrastructure Software Radio SatCell Managed Network Service Flexible, cost-effective, end-to-end solution that:

5. Software Radio vs Traditional Cellular Infrastructure Vanu Software Radio • Traditional Cellular Equipment Manufacturers • Designs depend heavily on dedicated digital signal processors (DSPs) or field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) with each wireless standard developed in low-level embedded code tied to a particular processor and board, thereby creating “hardware lock-in” • Each new wireless standard requires a new set of unique hardware • Software Radio • All signal processing functions are implemented in portable high-level code, utilizing general purpose, processors running on standard operating system, resulting in no hardware lock-in • One set of hardware accommodates all wireless standards, enabling cellular base stations to simultaneously operate multiple standards on a single network

6. Software Radio Advantages Vanu Software Radio • Simultaneous operation of multiple standards on a single platform • GSM, CDMA, etc operating within a single base station at the same time • Reduces site rental & utility costs reduced due to less hardware • Reduces backhaul costs through sharing of IP-based backhaul links across multiple standards • Reduces admin & maintenance costs through managing a single system • Dynamic reallocation of traffic channels between wireless standards • Uses an open standards approach to hardware • Off-the-shelf servers avoid “hardware lock-in” & ensures abundant sources • Full range of platforms from cost-effective, high volume servers to high-reliability, environmentally tolerant systems • Enables the operator to tailor call capacity per cell site- don’t over-buy • Delivers improved price-performance over time (Moore’s Law) • Reduces cell site visits and speeds time-to-market • New wireless standards and system capacity can be added via remote software downloads from a central location

7. Software Radio vs. Traditional Solutions Vanu Software Radio • Software Radio reduces CAPEX & OPEX costs with each new technology added to the network • Off-the-shelf processing provides flexibility as to the amount of capacity per site (Higher capacity) OR • Multi-standards operating simultaneously in each base station… GSM, CDMA & more • Off-the-shelf, non-proprietary servers ensure ongoing price-performance improvements

8. Software Radio Architecture Vanu’s open hardware approach enables faster deployments while future-proofing the network for remote additions of new standards and additional capacity. Vanu Software Radio

9. Managed Network Services • Comprehensive hosted switch service (CDMA and GSM) using Globecomm’s MSC to start up or expand service • Complete service provisioning, switching and routing, billing, roaming, termination, including least-cost long-distance • Advanced services including voicemail, SMS and data • Roaming and advanced services controlled by switch, which integrates seamlessly into the carrier’s OSS Globecomm SatCell Solution

10. Managed Network Services (Cont’d) Customer’s Cellular Network GSI Teleport & NOC Globecomm SatCell Solution Satellite Gateway VAS Servers MSC Server (Prepaid Billing) (SMS) (Voicemail) IP Network Internet Gateway IP Network Customer’s Base Stations Network Management System Internet Mediagateway E1/T1 E1/T1 Local Network Management System Mediagateway SS7 / PSTN Roaming Networks Local PSTN PLMN

11. Globecomm’s Solution • SatCell technology • Demand-assigned network technology developed to optimize mobile signaling, voice and data traffic as IP via satellite • Dramatic reduction in satellite or wired bandwidth needed to connect base stations • Uses hybrid architecture customized to network’s traffic volumes and patterns to prioritize traffic, dynamically share bandwidth among base stations, and deploy higher-order modulation as needed Globecomm SatCell Solution

12. SatCell Advantages • Hosted Mobile Switching Center enables network startup or expansion without purchasing a switch • Per-subscriber per-month cost scales to revenue growth • IP-based network optimization technology provides the lowest backhaul cost for low-density and geographically isolated markets • Hosted switch can also provide overlay to existing network • Deploy new services across a legacy network without wholesale replacement of equipment at cell sites • Gain additional revenues • Provide automatic business continuity protection • Interfaces with all major switching, BSS and base station systems • Includes 24x7 network monitoring, management and ongoing optimization as traffic grows Globecomm SatCell Solution

13. Imagine a mobile network that… • Software Radio • Prevents over-buying at each cell site and low volume incremental expansion as required • Reduces hardware costs by avoiding “lock in” to proprietary systems • Uses the latest technology from multiple vendors, gaining the best price-performance • Managed Network Services • Provides complete hosted switching service, permitting deferral of investment in Mobile Switching Center Scales CAPEX to match the rural revenue opportunity Vanu-Globecomm Solution

14. Imagine a mobile network that… Is optimized for low-density and geographically challenged markets • Software Radio • Remote software downloads reduce cell site visits • Efficient IP-based backhaul shares traffic across all standards • Managed Network Services • Award-winning optimization technology dramatically reduces bandwidth requirements for signaling and backhaul traffic • Continuous circuit optimization scales cost downward as traffic volume increases • Satellite-connected base stations provide service regardless of local wireline infrastructure Vanu-Globecomm Solution

15. Imagine a mobile network that… • Software Radio • Reduces site rental and utility costs • Multi-standards per cell site reduces maintenance costs • Remote re-allocation of capacity per cell site reduces truck rolls • Managed Network Services • Optimization reduces bandwidth costs • Managed transition to terrestrial backhaul as traffic volumes cross threshold Costs less to run over the long term Vanu-Globecomm Solution

16. Imagine a mobile network that… Makes it possible to add revenue-generating standards and services without replacing legacy systems • Software Radio • Creates a single, “future-proof” platform for all standards • New standards added and updated via remote software downloads, with no site visit or additional technical support • Managed Network Services • Hosted switch and installation of satellite-connected base stations can add roaming, messaging and other advanced services without disruption to existing network • Overlay network automatically provides business continuity protection Vanu-Globecomm Solution

17. Case Study: Mid-Tex Cellular • Background: • 8,000 square miles of coverage w/100K POPs • Mid-Tex wanted a multi-standard system that could increase roaming revenues • Migrated analog subscribers to GSM voice & GPRS data using 35 Vanu sites Case Studies • The Challenge: • Cost-effectively migrate existing analog subscribers to GSM while providing a migration path to future standards • The Solution: • 80K calls / day; 4.1M MOUs /month • GSM roaming with T-Mobile & Cingular • CDMA upgrade using a Globecomm CDMA hosted switch • CDMA roaming with Verizon & Alltel Legacy Nortel base station Router Server RF components

18. Case Study: GCI Communication • Background: • Alaska’s largest telecommunications firm, providing local, long distance, wireless, cable TV & Internet services • Deploying a Vanu/Globecomm solution to bring wireless communications to over 200 remotely located villages across the state • The Challenge: • A cost-effective Greenfield solution for remotely located cell sites • Capability to enable a cost-effective migration to new technologies • The Solution: • Deploy Vanu’s GSM Software Radio at each cell site with the ability to add CDMA & future standards • Capacity can be increased or moved to other sites remotely via software downloads • Globecomm’s IP satellite backhaul • Micro MSC at each site for local calling with satellite back-up Case Studies

19. Solutions for multiple environments • Adding a new standard to an existing network • Avoid investment in an MSC • Support all wireless standards in the same frequency band on the same RF hardware • Continue adding new standards through remote software downloads • Extending existing coverage • Add new sites capable of supporting any wireless standard – all via remote software downloads • Benefit from high-efficiency IP network for call signaling, voice and data traffic • Provide call signaling and backhaul to new sites via terrestrial circuit or satellite links, which can be the lowest-cost option for low-density and geographically isolated sites End-to-End Solution

20. Solutions for multiple environments (Cont’d) • Greenfield site and network builds • Equip new sites with the capability to operate multiple standards • Defer investment in MSC and terrestrial backhaul until traffic volumes justify it • Generate profitable growth faster • Mobile cell sites • Vehicle-mounted cell sites with high-efficiency satellite signaling and backhaul • Ideal for temporary venues, disaster recovery and public safety applications End-to-End Solution

21. The Vanu/Globecomm Solution Operator Business Challenge VANU / GLOBECOMM Advantage CAPEX End-to-End Solution OPEX

22. Thank You!