Rutherfordton, NC --LOS GATOS, Calif. and RUTHERFORDTON, N.C. – Oct. 3, 2006 -- Firetide Inc., a developer of wireless multi-service mesh technology, today announced that Sky Catcher Communications, a North Carolina-based systems integrator and service provider for rural markets in the Americas, is using its HotPort mesh networks as the wireless infrastructure for its network services. In conjunction with a satellite-linked system, mesh networks have extended wireless access to untapped communities that have been unable to get service in the past. The mesh networks are used for voice, wireless video surveillance, and enterprise networking.

Sky Catcher’s Dirt Road High Speed® wireless broadband services enable rural towns, private communities, real estate developers, schools, colleges, and private enterprises to set up their own revenue generating operations that offer DSL class broadband and VoIP services. The company’s SkyVoice® service provides full featured voice over IP solutions with options for conference bridges, remote management, and software to enable phone extension access to or from a computer.

“Firetide’s HotPort mesh networks play a key role in providing full coverage of our Dirt Road High Speed® services in remote towns and other out-of-the-way places,” said Don Thompson, CEO of Sky Catcher Communications. “Although it is fairly straightforward to bring service to a single location with a satellite link, distributing the connection to multiple buildings, streets, and homes from a single point is more of a challenge. Wiring even a few buildings is expensive and time consuming, and conventional wireless requires clear lines-of-sight which aren’t always available. With a mesh network we eliminate all the wires and because it does not rely on line-of-sight for all connections, it can easily work around any obstacle. Firetide mesh networks also form and heal themselves making installation extremely fast and very reliable.”

“Sky Catcher Communications has developed a perfect solution for delivering high performance networks and Internet access to areas with little or no service from the mainstream carriers and ISPs,” said Bo Larsson, CEO of Firetide. “It is economically unfeasible to lay fiber or cable to many rural areas, so historically these locations were highly underserved. However with Sky Catcher’s satellite feeds and Firetide’s mesh networks, any rural town can now have DSL quality services without the complications of location or distance. And there is no need to build a wired network infrastructure inside towns and neighborhoods since the wireless mesh nodes can deliver connectivity to any building without wires.”

Firetide mesh networks consists of small devices call mesh nodes that are placed at each location that needs a network connection. Upon power up, the mesh nodes automatically link to each other wirelessly to form a mesh network that spans the selected area. Each node has multiple Ethernet ports for connecting network devices such as computers, voice over IP phone adapters, Wi-Fi access points, and network surveillance cameras to the mesh network. The mesh supports standard Ethernet devices and allows them to operate wirelessly even if they were intended only for wired networks.

Firetide provides indoor and outdoor mesh nodes as well as indoor and outdoor access points for Wi-Fi access. “The mesh network adapts easily to virtually any environment,” said Peter Gaulin, CTO of Sky Catcher. “For example, we have already installed a couple of networks in heavily wooded areas in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of the Carolinas and another in process for a mountainous ski resort in Colorado. Both of these terrains are quite different and each provides its own challenges for wireless networks with different slopes, tree types, and weather conditions. Fortunately, with Firetide the mesh network handles both very well.”

The Sky Catcher/Firetide solutions are available in unlicensed 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz spectrums and the 4.9 GHz spectrum licensed by the FCC for public safety providers. These solutions are used primarily for permanent fixed wireless installations in rural areas.

Firetide’s mesh products are also used by other systems integrators for mobile and portable networks. The State of Florida has deployed several mobile Firetide mesh/satellite systems to maintain communications for disaster stricken areas. These systems operate on the 4.9 GHz public safety spectrum and also include microwave links that allow Firetide mesh networks to connect to satellite feeds from several miles away.

For more information about Firetide, visit www.firetide.com. For more information about Sky Catcher Communications, visit www.skycatcher.com. in their exclusive territories.

About Firetide Inc.

Firetide is the leading provider of multi-service mesh networks that enable concurrent video, voice, and data for municipal, public safety, and enterprise applications. Firetide HotPort mesh nodes and HotPoint access points provide a secure, high performance wireless infrastructure and access solution for video surveillance, Internet access, public safety networks, and temporary networks wherever rapid deployment, mobility, and easy of installation are required. The company's patented AutoMesh flow-based routing protocol optimizes network performance and capacity for high bandwidth and latency sensitive applications. Headquartered in Los Gatos, California, Firetide is a privately held company with worldwide product distribution. For more information, visit www.firetide.com. Copyright 2006 Firetide Inc. Firetide, HotPort, AutoMesh, and Multi-Service Mesh Networks are trademarks of Firetide Inc.

About Sky Catcher Communications, Inc.

Sky Catcher Communications is a market leader in providing high quality, broadband satellite services to rural enterprise customers and government agencies. The company was formed in October of 2004 to provide a national communications solution to empower rural areas to become both economically and technically competitive in today's enterprise market place. This meant not only providing a very competitive price with robust bandwidth to the end user, but also providing peripheral equipment and services for VoIP, wireless networking, and the ability to provide quality streaming video. For more information, visit www.skycatcher.com.