iDirect Technologies, Inc. Receives Frost & Sullivan Product Innovation Award for its’ Bandwidth Efficient and Cost-Effective VSAT Hub

Palo Alto, Calif. — March 7, 2006 — Frost & Sullivan recently selected iDirect Technologies, Inc. (iDirect) as the recipient of the 2006 Frost & Sullivan Award for Product Innovation for its newly announced iNFINITI VSAT Hub. The iNFNITI hub offers new opportunities to backhaul GSM traffic in addition to traditional broadband in a more efficient and cost-effective manner.

“iDirect Technologies provide satellite-based broadband solutions to enterprise, government, and carrier market sectors and develop the industry’s fastest and most flexible VSAT remote terminals and hubs,” says Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Tim Street. “A benefit that iDirect’s VSAT hubs provide is that multiple networks can be deployed from a single hub. One iNFNITI chassis can support GSM Networks, SCPC links, star or mesh topologies, thereby offering clients the opportunity to better utilize their investment, and take advantage of various market potentials within a given satellite coverage area.”

Growth in GSM cellular services has been steadily increasing. Currently, there are approximately 2.5 billion GSM subscribers worldwide and this number is expected to grow to 3.5 billion by 2010. Millions of potential subscribers, translating into billions of dollars in revenues, are still without access to the most basic cellular services. The build-out of cellular networks into underserved markets represents a huge opportunity for providers.

The challenges associated with extending cellular networks can range from difficult geography to high infrastructure and operational costs associated with transporting data over dedicated landline, or legacy single-channel-per-carrier (SCPC) satellite links. Traditionally, bandwidth constituted a large part of the overall cost of GSM backhaul over satellite. The key disadvantage of dedicated bandwidth was that the network needed to be sized to support traffic during peak hours, making it highly inefficient (and unprofitable) during non-peak hours. Areas with low customer density, or lower usage patterns simply don’t generate enough traffic to justify the cost of bandwidth required to meet traffic demands during peak hours. However, iDirect’s VSAT hub combats this challenge in two innovative ways.

“Since the iNFINITI hub utilizes a native IP solution it firstly allows iDirect to take advantage of more bandwidth efficient packet-based communications,” explains Street. “Secondly, the iDirect VSAT hub can dynamically shift bandwidth capacity between remote locations ensuring the most efficient use of overall networks resources. This is the real key to cost effectively expanding the edge of GSM networks.”

In addition, iDirect has reported a reduction in clients’ bandwidth capacity up to 80% while using their new VSAT hub. This significantly reduces the network operating costs and thus allows cellular providers to offer GSM service to much smaller markets that would not have been previously feasible.

iDirect’s vision for innovation puts them among the trailblazers for VSAT technology advancement. Their development of a VSAT solution specially designed for GSM backhaul applications has positioned them outstandingly for the future growth of GSM cellular services within underserved markets. For these reasons, Frost & Sullivan is pleased to recognize iDirect Technologies with the 2006 Product Innovation Award in the VSAT networks market.

Each year this Award is presented to a company that has demonstrated excellence in new products and technologies within its industry. The recipient company has shown innovation by launching a broad line of emerging products and technologies.

About iDirect Technologies, Inc.

iDirect Technologies, a subsidiary of Vision Technologies Systems Inc., designs, develops, and markets satellite-based broadband access solutions targeted at the enterprise, government, carrier and educational sectors that have the need for fast, flexible, and geographically dispersed two-way internet/intranet access. The company has developed technology solutions that combine high performance, worldwide availability, and ease of installation, high reliability, and low cost to end customers. In addition, iDirect solutions offer unprecedented efficiencies, increased revenue opportunities and higher per customer gross margins to satellite network operators. iDirect was awarded the 2005 World Teleport Association Teleport Technology of the year, the Innovation & Technology of the Year by The ISCe Advisory Board, and named number one in the Deloitte & Touche Virginia Technology Fast 50 list of the fastest-growing U.S. technology companies. iDirect operates its corporate headquarters in Herndon, Virginia and has regional offices in Europe, Asia, and covering Latin America. www.idirect.net.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, has been partnering with clients to support the development of innovative strategies for more than 40 years. The company’s industry expertise integrates growth consulting, growth partnership services, and corporate management training to identify and develop opportunities. Frost & Sullivan serves an extensive clientele that includes Global 1000 companies, emerging companies, and the investment community by providing comprehensive industry coverage that reflects a unique global perspective and combines ongoing analysis of markets, technologies, econometrics, and demographics. For more information, visit www.frost.com.

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