TELCOS TURN TO EMERGENCY STAND ALONE SYSTEMS TO ENSURE RELIABILITY OF THEIR NETWORKS

(LAS VEGAS, NXTComm, Booth #SU5223) June 16, 2008 - Aztek Networks (www.azteknetworks.com), the leader in Emergency Stand Alone (ESA) equipment for enabling network switch collapse, today announced three new customers to its growing roster: Nemont Telephone Cooperative, Oregon Telephone Corporation and La Jicarita. Each of the newest customers successfully implemented Aztek’s 5000S, the company’s flagship ESA product, to help ensure uninterrupted network service and improved community safety.
Emergency Stand Alone systems assure uninterrupted local calling capability and access to

9-1-1 emergency services. Aztek’s ESA solutions are specifically designed to help ensure public safety by continuously maintaining local calling capabilities and subscriber access to emergency 9-1-1 services in the event the link to the primary host switch is severed due to an accident or natural disaster.

Nemont Ensures Continuous 9-1-1 and Local Calling Access With Aztek’s ESA
Nemont Telephone Cooperative serves approximately 26,000 access lines in Northeastern and South-Central Montana and Northwest North Dakota. Nemont, which is reported to be the 14th largest telecommunications cooperative in the United States, has one of the nation’s most technologically advanced networks for offering telephone service and high speed Internet access over copper and, in some cases, Fiber-To-The-Home (FTTH) facilities.

“It is essential that we provide ESA capabilities for local calling in the remote areas of rural Montana that we serve,” explained Mike Kilgore, Plant Operations Manager for Nemont Telephone Cooperative. “We turned to Aztek’s ESA solution as we were upgrading our aging and deteriorating copper based plant to Fiber-To-The-Home technology…which allowed us to collapse our switching network, increase network reliability and reduce our operating expenses, all while maintaining our ability to provide local calling service in the unlikely event that we were to lose network connectivity to the host office, which is nearly 40 miles away.”

Nemont selected the open standards, GR-303-based Aztek Networks 5000S to provide the vital ESA voice switching functionality in the remote areas the cooperative serves. Any disruption in service to the central office, due to either construction or a natural disaster, will result in the Aztek 5000S automatically assuming call control functions for all subscribers in the designated serving area. Subscribers can be assured of local phone service and access

to local emergency providers until the link is restored.

Oregon Telephone Corporation Turns to Aztek For Switch Collapse
Oregon Telephone Corporation implemented ESA to enable it to support the delivery of

both traditional and next-generation services over simplified, flexible network architectures.

In addition, Aztek’s ESA capabilities gives Oregon Telephone Corporation peace of mind knowing that back-up switching is in place in the event of a network failure. By enabling this capability, callers are able to maintain localized calling functionality, including support for

9-1-1 services.

“We installed Aztek’s ESA technology to continue offering customers the services they need while simultaneously ensuring network resiliency,” said Steve Schweitzer, Plant Manager, at Oregon Telephone Corporation. “The ability to provide a remote switch and dial tone for local calling and 9-1-1 is critically vital. The addition of the Aztek 5000S provides ESA capabilities and allows our organization to remove dated equipment and transition customers to a newer network. As a result we have been able to offer the same high level of reliability while providing them with new services and reducing our operating costs.”

Through the 5000S, operators can eliminate the need for remote switches in their network applications, allowing for central office consolidation. In addition, flexibility in network deployment options allows operators to ensure that communities of all sizes have access

to emergency services in the event that connectivity is lost to the host switch.

La Jicarita Deploys ESA To Meet Customer Demand for Advanced Services

Prior to the implementation of Aztek’s ESA solution, La Jicarita Rural Telephone Cooperative was faced with increasing demand from customers for advanced voice services. While

La Jicarita was responsive to its customers’ requests, the cooperative was concerned the telephone network could be exposed to breaks in the line, which could result in a lack of access to emergency services. Aztek’s ESA technology ensures subscribers have access to

9-1-1 while maintaining the traditional high reliability of the voice network without a second host switch. By using Aztek’s ESA capabilities, La Jicarita is able to keep operating costs low with only one host switch to manage. Customers benefit from having a back-up system in place in the event of network failure while enjoying upgraded service offerings.

“Telecom operators are increasingly turning to ESA solutions to ensure their subscribers have the same level of reliability; access to emergency dialing services; and, as a way to upgrade their networks at a fraction of the cost,” said Steven Bruny, CEO of Aztek Networks. “Aztek’s reliable ESA solutions automatically detect the loss of signal and assume all local switching duties, including the handling of emergency 9-1-1 calls, until the signal from the host central office is re-established. This ensures telecommunications providers deliver top-notch service to their customers regardless of their location.”

For more information please visit, www.azteknetworks.com

About Aztek Networks
Based in Boulder, Colorado, Aztek Networks is the leader in Emergency Stand Alone (ESA) switching products that enable switch collapse for network migration. The company's patent-pending True ESA™ technology is the basis for the first and only truly open-standards, environmentally hardened and fully redundant ESA switch. Aztek's TDM and IP-based ESA switches, when combined with fiber-to-the-home or broadband multi-service access systems, offer telecommunications carriers reliable and cost-effective solutions for green-field access applications and the replacement of legacy remote switches. More information is available at www.azteknetworks.com.