Pacific LightNet to Deliver Advanced Communications Services to Hawaii with MetaSwitch

Honolulu, Hawaii: January 17, 2006. Bridging the "Digital Divide" and offering advanced services and next-generation communications choices to customers are key objectives for Pacific LightNet, Inc. (PLNI). The Hawaii-based company, which offers a full range of integrated telecommunication products including the state's first voice over broadband phone service, "808NetFone," has teamed with MetaSwitch, a leading vendor of carrier switching and applications solutions, to make the next-generation infrastructure transition, delivering on these customer-focused goals in the process.

Since its inception, PLNI - which owns and operates Hawaii's largest inter-island fiber-optic network with more than 10,000 submarine and terrestrial fiber miles connecting the six major islands - has used Nortel DMS digital switches. During the past two-and-a-half years, PLNI has been updating its network, including deploying Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) on its fiber optic network, increasing the bandwidth to allow 400GB of connectivity. MetaSwitch allows PLNI to leverage this increased network bandwidth and end-to-end Gigabit Ethernet architecture, by moving to an all-IP infrastructure and providing next-generation advanced services to its customers, including hosted PBX functionality for businesses and enhanced PC-based calling features for residential consumers.

"Our business mantra is 'Connecting Hawaii, Connecting Hawaii to the World,' and an integral part of this commitment is providing customers with the most up-to-date, innovative technologies and services," said Pat Bustamante, President and Chief Operating Officer, PLNI. "MetaSwitch empowers us to do just that - for residential and business customers - and once installation is complete, we'll be the first company in Hawaii to deploy these types of next-generation service offerings."

Pacific LightNet selected MetaSwitch last month, and is currently installing products from MetaSwitch, including the VP3510 Class 4/5 Softswitch and the UC9000 Unified Communications System, a suite of extensible applications built on IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) standards including Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). The deployment will be the first implementation of an IMS service delivery architecture in Hawaii.

"MetaSwitch understands Pacific LightNet's plan to be the 'premier integrated communications provider to Hawaii,' offering the latest telecom services to the islands' businesses and residents," said Mike Ward, MetaSwitch Senior Vice President of Sales. "We are pleased to work with Pacific LightNet to make this goal a reality, delivering innovative telephony solutions that enable carriers such as PLNI to more quickly and cost effectively offer new multimedia-enhanced IP services."

The transition from traditional telephony to VoIP, convergence, next-generation networks and IMS are just a few of the discussion topics at PTC '06 (Pacific Telecommunications Council, January 15-18, 2006 in Honolulu, Hawaii.) Both MetaSwitch and Pacific LightNet are currently exhibiting at the conference, whose theme is "Shift Happens: Transition to IP."

About MetaSwitch

MetaSwitch (www.metaswitch.com) is an industry-leading vendor of IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) switching and applications solutions for both packet and circuit-switched networks. Its widely deployed call agent, media/signaling gateway and application server platform supports a full range of legacy Class 4/5 capabilities and hosted unified communications services, and scales from a few hundred to millions of subscribers in both integrated and distributed configurations. Customers include incumbent and competitive local exchange carriers, as well as operators of broadband wireless, cable and fiber networks.

MetaSwitch is a division of established telecom technology provider Data Connection. The company is consistently profitable and privately held, with main US offices in California and Virginia, and European headquarters in London, UK.

About PLNI

Pacific LightNet, Inc. (PLNI, www.plni.net) is a Hawaii-based company offering a full range of integrated telecommunication products and services including local dial tone, high speed Internet, long distance, collocation, special access and enhanced data services. PLNI has more than 10,000 submarine and terrestrial fiber miles connecting the six major Hawaiian islands.

We are interconnected with major carriers to provide cost-saving solutions. Whether your telecom service needs are statewide or global, contact PLNI to find out how we can put our people and our emerging technologies to work for your business.

We are committed to establishing and promoting professional partnerships and strategic alliances, while creating a professional work environment that fosters and recognizes individual contribution, teamwork, accountability, resourcefulness, growth and integrity. We will achieve our vision by providing our customers with high quality, timely and accurate services using innovative, cost effective technology in a courteous and committed manner.

Data Connection and MetaSwitch are trademarks of Data Connection Limited and Data Connection Corporation. Brands and products referenced herein are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.