Metricom Receives FCC Approval on High-Speed Modem; All Ricochet 128 kbps Part 15 Unlicensed Spectrum Equipment Now FCC-certified

Metricom, Inc. (Nasdaq:MCOM), a leading provider of mobile data networking and technology, has completed Federal Communications Commission (FCC) certification for its Ricochet 128 kbps modem, currently being manufactured by ALPS Electric (USA), Inc.

This certification joins the previously FCC-approved microcell ("poletop") radios, thereby clearing the way for key equipment necessary in the Ricochet high-speed, high-capacity network planned for initial launch at the end of this summer.

"We have a long history working together with the FCC, dating back to 1985, on rule development and then delivery of equipment that adheres to the regulations of public shared spectrum," said Robert Mott, Metricom's Senior Vice President, Engineering and Manufacturing. "This new certification further validates our technology and allows us to have the end-user devices mass produced for use with our new high speed Ricochet network."

FCC certification involves tests to ensure that Ricochet devices do not interfere with any other wireless devices.

Ricochet offers a mobile access solution that helps users replicate their office computing experience, accessing online company resources as well as the Internet from anywhere in coverage areas. Ricochet is engineered and will be deployed to deliver the fastest mobile wireless data connection speeds, "always-on" connections, flat rate pricing, no metered roaming fees, and true mobility to 70 mph. These benefits are a result of the Ricochet architecture, which is based on a digital packet-switched network employing spread-spectrum radio frequency transmission and standard Internet protocol (IP). With this architecture, Ricochet not only delivers high speed, but delivers it with high capacity to many users simultaneously.

Ricochet is comprised of subscriber wireless modems, which are outfitted with small antennas that exchange data with intelligent routing poletop radios mounted to streetlight or utility poles. These poletop radios communicate with each other and local wired access points in a densely deployed frequency-hopping meshed network architecture.


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