Starent Networks and Airspan Networks to Deliver a Comprehensive 16e Mobile WiMAX Solution

Starent Networks, Corp., a leading provider of infrastructure solutions that enable mobile operators to deliver multimedia services, and Airspan Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq:AIRN), a leading provider of WiMAX and Wi-Fi-based broadband wireless access networks, today announced the companies will jointly deliver an end-to-end 16e Mobile WiMAX network solution. Airspan will incorporate Starent’s Access Service Network (ASN-GW) Gateway and Home Agent (HA) with their MIMO-based 802.16e-2005 HiperMAX and MicroMAX Base Stations for Mobile WiMAX network deployments.

Airspan and Starent both believe that network infrastructures should be interoperable among multiple vendors, providing mobile operators with more network choices and deployment flexibility. Both companies’ solutions support standards-based open interfaces thereby enhancing network interoperability. Airspan and Starent are both members of the WiMAX forum and supporters of the forum’s Network Interoperability Testing (NWIOT) program.

“Increasingly, mobile subscribers are looking to have a robust multimedia environment to communicate, do business and be entertained,” said Ashraf Dahod, president and CEO of Starent Networks. “At Starent, we are providing key solutions for mobile broadband networks that enable voice, video and data communications. Working together with Airspan furthers our commitment to be a leader in the Mobile WiMAX market.”

“By combining our class-leading 802.16e-2005 WiMAX base stations with Starent’s high-performance Mobile IP platforms we create an end-to-end 16e Mobile WiMAX solution for leading WiMAX Network Operators,” said Eric Stonestrom, CEO and president of Airspan Networks.

The ASN Gateway connects to a Home Agent, which acts as the anchoring point for a subscriber session as the subscriber moves through the network. Starent’s ASN Gateway and Home Agent solutions are deployed on it ST16 multimedia core platform. The ST16 platform combines high performance, system and network intelligence, along with high availability, making it well-suited for the mobile operators’ multimedia core network. Additionally, the platform is access independent, offering deployment flexibility by enabling both services to be integrated on the same chassis for lower operational expenditures or distributed on separate nodes in cases where mobility between different access technologies is desired.

Airspan’s HiperMAX offers an architecture that is compliant with both the WiMAX Forum Certified™ Fixed 802.16-2004 standard and the emerging “wave 2” portable and mobile 802.16-2005 standard, allowing operators to offer a mix of TDD and FDD services. These products support the current generation of customer premise equipment and will support “wave 2” WiMAX clients including handsets, laptops and USB and PC cards, including Airspan’s Quad-band USB device. Airspan’s base stations feature advanced hybrid beamforming antenna systems with support for both 2 x 2 and 4 x 2 MIMO.

About Starent Networks

Starent Networks, Corp. is a leading provider of infrastructure solutions that enable mobile operators to deliver multimedia services to their subscribers. Starent Networks has created solutions that provide core network functions and services, including access from a wide range of radio networks to the operator’s packet core network, mobility management of subscriber sessions and call control. Starent Networks’ solutions provide high performance and system intelligence by combining significant computing power, memory and traffic handling capabilities with a flexible, high-availability operating system and other proprietary software. Starent Networks’ access-independent solutions integrate multiple network functions and services needed for the delivery of advanced multimedia services, such as video, Internet access, voice-over-IP, e-mail, mobile TV, photo sharing and gaming. Starent Networks’ products have been deployed by over 60 mobile operators in 25 countries. For more information, visit www.starentnetworks.com.