ATLANTA Wave7 Optics Inc., the world’s leading supplier of point-to-multipoint Ethernet FTTP (fiber-to-the-premises) systems for residential and business services, today announced that the Scott County Telephone Co-Op (SCTC) of Virginia is now installing the Last Mile Link (LML) system to provide the community of Duffield a state-of-the-art FTTP network delivering a complete «triple play» suite of digital IP (Internet protocol) video, extremely high-speed Internet and VoIP (voice over IP) telephone services.

SCTC’s initial installation will comprise both residential and business customers, including the Duffield Industrial Park. SCTC is «overlaying» existing copper lines with fiber and plans to complete the project by December 2004.

«This project will be an economic boon for the community by helping to expand our existing businesses and attract new ones,» said Bill Franklin, CEO of SCTC. «As for the system, we are impressed by Wave7’s technically superior approach to FTTP, as demonstrated by the fact that we have had no integration issues with our other vendors on this projects, such as the Siemens Class 5 switch, the Occam voice gateway, Cisco router and the Optibase IP video headend.»

«We are pleased to announce our first customer in Virginia and look forward to more installations in the Commonwealth,» said Tom Tighe, CEO of Wave7 Optics. «The Scott County project has been a very good one on a number of levels, in terms of demonstrating the LML’s flexibility and interoperability with a number of equipment vendors and in delivering the highest-quality FTTP system possible for SCTC’s customers.»

Mid-South Consulting Engineers Inc. of Charlotte, N.C. is providing engineering and network design services for this project.

«We are assisting SCTC with the implementation of the network and operational tasks needed to prepare for this new service,» said Joel Williams, President of Mid-South. «In that regard, we are working side by side with Wave7 to deploy a highly-reliable network architecture that meets SCTC’s unique requirements.»

SCTC, headquartered in Gate City, Virginia, currently has 6200 telephone subscribers in a service area serving five communities. This project is made possible by a Federal Rural Utility Service (RUS) grant to promote broadband services.

Wave7 Optics is exhibiting the complete LML product line at the FTTH Council Conference next week in Orlando, October 4 — 6, at the Caribe Royale Hotel and Convention Center (booth 706).

About Scott County Telephone Cooperative

Chartered in 1951, Scott County Telephone Cooperative (SCTC) is an independent operating company serving Scott County, Va. and Hancock County, Tenn. The cooperative includes three wholly owned subsidiaries, including Scott Telecom and Electronics Inc. (STE), Scott County Long Distance and MountaiNet. SCTC serves 5,500 subscribers with 6,200 phone lines, STE serves 3,800 cable TV customers, Scott County Long Distance has 4,200 customers, and MountaiNet provides Internet access to 8,000 subscribers in southwest Virginia and northeast Tennessee and resells local dial tone to 5,000 customers. SCTC is also a partner in a cellular partnership serving 38,000 customers in eastern and middle Tennessee. SCTC is located in Gate City, Va. and is a member of the IRIS network group.

About Wave7 Optics

Wave7 Optics has established itself as an industry leader in optical broadband access systems with an expanding FTTP product portfolio featuring a variety of architectural options, based on Ethernet and IP or ATM standards, for «triple play» voice, video and data services. The company’s patented Last Mile Link system is rapidly gaining market share around the world with service providers in the IOC, CLEC, MSO, municipal, real estate development and utility categories.

Additional information about Wave7 Optics is available on the web at www.wave7optics.com or by contacting Emmanuel Vella at emmanuel.vella@w7optics.com.