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September 2008

Talia Launches iDirect DVB-S2/ACM Network To Expand Broadband Service Over Europe, Middle East And Africa

First EMEA-wide next-generation Evolution network capitalizes on satellite capacity from recently launched Arabsat BADR-6 and Telesat T12 satellites

Herndon, Va., September 12, 2008 — Singapore Technologies Electronics Limited’s (ST Electronics) US satellite communication company, iDirect Inc. (iDirect) today announced that Talia, a leading UK-based provider of satellite broadband services, has launched a next-generation broadband IP network built on iDirect’s Evolution DVB-S2 product line with Adaptive Coding and Modulation (ACM). The network incorporates 500 Evolution X3 Satellite Remote Routers and represents the largest iDirect Evolution implementation spanning Europe, the Middle East and Africa. iDirect is a world leader in satellite-based IP communications technology.

Talia’s next-generation network will deliver greatly needed broadband connectivity to the EMEA region. Capacity on T12 will provide services to Europe and the Middle East in Ku-band, while BADR-6 C-band services will cover the Middle East, North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa. The expansive next-generation network will deliver high-speed Internet access, voice, video and other services to numerous organizations throughout the region that currently lack adequate communications and cannot be served by terrestrial infrastructure. These include schools and universities, banks and private enterprise and non-governmental and charitable organizations. Talia plans to scale the implementation to more than 1,000 remotes in the coming months.

The shortage of satellite bandwidth is stalling economic and social development throughout EMEA. iDirect’s implementation of DVB-S2 with ACM provides a critical new opportunity to get the most bandwidth out of existing capacity as well as that made available by new satellite launches. We’ve chosen an iDirect network as the best possible solution to deliver this bandwidth as broadly and efficiently as possible.

Alan AFRASIAB
Chief Executive Officer, Talia

Our Evolution product line was engineered to allow network operators like Talia to rapidly implement next-generation networks while protecting their investment in an iDirect hub. Evolution’s ability to support multiple satellites has enabled Talia to build an intercontinental service that meets the requirements of dynamic enterprise-class applications in regions that have long been constrained by severe bandwidth limitations.

David HARROWER
Regional Vice President and Managing Director,
Europe, Russia and CIS, iDirect

Built on the DVB-S2 standard and featuring ACM capabilities, iDirect’s Evolution product line delivers dramatic gains in bandwidth efficiency. It supports a wide range of IP data rates, carrier modulations and FEC codes, including downstream modulations of up to 16APSK and upstream modulations of 8PSK. Evolution includes the advanced features of the iDirect Intelligent Platform, to help operators amplify the gains of DVB-S2, enabling satellite networks to meet demanding service level agreements and reach data speeds of up to 156 Megabits per second.

Talia is a top-tier provider of Internet and voice services, specializing in high-quality satellite Internet for the Middle East, Europe, and Africa. Headquartered in London with offices in Dubai, Talia brings expertise in VSAT, wireless, and voice communications and is committed to excellent customer service. Please visit http://www.talia.net for more information.

iDirect, a subsidiary of VT Systems, is transforming the way the world gets and stays connected. The company’s satellite-based IP communications technology enables constant connectivity for voice, video and data applications in diverse and challenging environments. These include extending private networks to remote offices; supporting mobile connectivity across land, sea and air; providing rural telephony and Internet broadband; and maintaining communications in the wake of disasters and network failures. The iDirect Intelligent Platform™ integrates advanced technology into iDirect’s portfolio of hubs, routers and network management software to address the growing complexity of deploying and managing global IP networks. With more than 13 years of global satellite communications experience, iDirect serves customers in 50 countries through a diverse network of channel partners, including some of the largest satellite providers, operators and carriers in the world and seven of the World Teleport Association’s Global Top Ten. Headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, iDirect has offices in Europe, Asia, Middle East, Africa and Latin America. Please visit www.idirect.net.

ST Electronics, the electronics arm of ST Engineering, delivers innovative system solutions to government, commercial, defence, and industrial customers worldwide. It specialises in the design, development and integration of advanced electronics systems, such as broadband radio frequency and satellite communication, e-government solutions, information communications technologies, rail and traffic management, realtime command & control, training and simulation, intelligent building management, information security solutions and managed services. Please visit www.stee.stengg.com.

Media contact:

Magdalen Loh
AVP/Head, Corporate Communications
ST Electronics
Tel: (65) 6413 1788
Fax: (65) 6484 8840
Email: magloh@stee.stengg.com

Julie Gouldin
Vice President,
Corporate Marketing
iDirect
Phone: 703-648-8155
Fax: 703-648-8015
Email: jgouldin@idirect.net