Community Wireless Broadband Launched

PowerNet Global delves into next generation services

Cincinnati, OH, June 29, 2007 – As the telecommunications industry continues to consolidate and margins decrease, PowerNet Global Communications has recognized that providing competitively priced solutions on its own VoIP/Data network(s) to underserved markets is the way of the future in next generation network services.

“Over the years, the primary means for delivering our products and services has been through our carrier relationships. So, once the change in the telecom industry started to happen we knew deploying our own VoIP gateways would be the best way to stay competitive in this business,” states PowerNet Global’s CEO and President Bernie Stevens.

As a result, two years ago, PNG deployed VoIP gateways blanketing the United States. This has allowed PNG to offer extremely competitive (wholesale) domestic and International termination services. More recently, PNG deployed a class 5/feature server that allows it to offer residential, SMB and Enterprise level VoIP services throughout the United States.

Earlier this week, PowerNet with its partner KW Communications, deployed a community broadband network that covers the town of Owensboro, KY. An underserved, 100K population community that now has 5 towers spread across the county that send wireless broadband signals out to area residents and businesses. These 5 transmission sites cover a 20 square mile area for Owensboro, bringing broadband Internet access and eventually Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service to the community.

“Before PowerNet Global came to offer service to our town, we didn’t have any options. The bigger phone companies don’t offer service in our area, so we had no real access to the Internet,” stated a resident of Owensboro.

PowerNet Global recognized that many communities like Owensboro were not receiving the options metropolitan areas have come to expect. “This is a great opportunity to grow our business and to grow the business in the communities of these underserved markets,” stated Stevens. “We know that by going in to these rural markets and giving them something they are not getting from anyone else is a great benefit to our business model and an even greater benefit to them.”

PowerNet partnered with KW Communications on this project LiquidGrid (www.liquidgrid.com) in Owensboro at the end of 2006. This is the first community broadband deployment for PowerNet Global thus far.

“There was a lot of planning that went into this project. Both parties have learned a tremendous amount. When we set out to do this we had no idea the impact it would have on our community so quickly,” stated Curt Simpson, VP of Marketing and Sales for KW. “Communication has been open with PowerNet. We couldn’t have asked for a better partner to do this project. We’ve been able to accomplish a whole lot in a very short amount of time.”

LiquidGrid was ready to serve customers in the beginning of June. Before the launch of the product which took place June 27, KW already had taken over 100 orders. “We couldn’t believe the response, and we hadn’t even started advertising. We now have 3 billboards, an ad in the local paper and this week our kick-off party in the community will begin the positive word-of-mouth. I guess now we’ll see this thing really take-off and we’re ready,” stated Simpson.

This is just the beginning for PowerNet Global in the next generation services space. Community Broadband deployments similar to LiquidGrid are currently being developed in Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Missouri.

About PowerNet Global

Founded in 1992, integrated communications provider PowerNet Global (www.powernetglobal.com) works with many of the country’s top communications agents and affinity groups to offer a wide range of integrated voice, data, and Internet solutions nationwide to residential and commercial customers. Leveraging its reputation in the industry with strong carrier partnerships, PowerNet Global offers tremendous opportunities for carriers, resellers, agents, and affinity groups. The company is headquartered in Cincinnati, and has an office in Jamestown, New York. PowerNet Global has achieved consistent growth—throughout the telecom industry downturn—by developing and marketing an expanding array of competitive products, and maintaining a clear focus on delivering unrivaled customer support.