InnerWireless, Mitaka , Japan , and Two African Organizations Recognized

NEW YORK (June 14, 2005) – The Intelligent Community Forum announced the recipient of its 2005 Intelligent Community of the Year award this afternoon, as well as the recipients of the Intelligent Building of the Year, Intelligent Community Technology and Intelligent Community Visionary of the Year awards. The awards are presented annually by the New York-based think tank in order to create awareness for the role that broadband communication and information technology play in economic development, social cohesion and global growth. Sixteen finalists from 15 nations, as well as representatives from governments, businesses and institutions around the world, were on hand for “Building the Broadband Economy,” a two-day conference and awards program, hosted by Polytechnic University in New York City.

Intelligent Community of the Year: Mitaka , Japan
In a surprise to some, ICF named Mitaka , Japan , a suburb of Tokyo , as the 2005 Intelligent Community of the Year. The community has a population of 173,000. Mitaka was cited by ICF for having developed a social and political culture that prizes technology and considers R&D of high importance. It has always been a forward-looking community and was the first city in Japan to host a field test of fiber-to-the-home networking. The community served as a test bed for Japan ’s first ISDN service and, in 1996, Musashin-Mitaka Cable Television became the first ISP in Japan to offer broadband. In 2005, ICF noted that Mitaka showed an exemplary characteristic, collaboration, which is critical for intelligent community development. The community has a tradition of active citizen partici­pation when it comes to developing its infrastructure. ICF noted that Mitaka’s current mayor, Ms. Keiko Kiyohara, came to her office after decades as a tech­nology educator and leader of citizen groups. Through her leadership, the city has created broadband usage development strategies for its businesses, citi­zens have collaborated in planning, from trans­portation and public services to land use and communications, and all have prospered. Among the achievements that led to Mitaka’s selection were the founding of the Mitaka Town Management Organization (MTMO), designed to create a SOHO incubator. Since its establishment, MTMO’s seven facilities have become home to 100 technology businesses. MTMO also provides business-matching programs and venture investment, as well as other financial services, to encour­age business start-up and growth. During the past 24 months, Mitaka launched a new public-private project called “Mitaka City of Tomorrow,” with a core team of 83 citizens and representatives from business, univer­sities and government. The project is en­gaged in national field testing of information home appliances and citizen e-projects. Continuing a legacy that began in 1989, Mitaka continues to provide computer literacy classes for teachers and students. The city’s schools are connected to broadband and the cable TV system, and digital materials and computers are used as learning tools throughout the primary and secondary educational system network.

Infrastructure for Leading Research Companies
Because of its broadband infrastructure, knowledge workforce, innovative approach to community development and public-sector policies, Mitaka is home to research and data centers for Dentsu, IBM Japan, SECOM and multiple Japanese government agencies. A total of 61 educational institutions in the city employ 3,000 academicians and researchers, and a group of universities, lead by HOSEI, is creating a new Mitaka Network University scheduled to open this year. In 2005, according to ICF, Mitaka continued its traditional role as a regional hub for the design and manufacture of preci­sion and optical instruments, and has become most well-known as the worldwide hub for production of “anime” cartoons, producing an estimated 75% of all anime seen worldwide.

According to ICF chairman, John G. Jung, “This little-known suburb of Tokyo is a story of the importance of broadband in creating the jobs of tomorrow. Mitaka was evaluated along with more well-known, world-class intelligent cities, including our 1999 Intelligent Community of the Year, Singapore; Toronto, Canada; and Sunderland, UK, which is the only community in history to be named to ICF’s Top Seven list four consecutive years in a row. While these communities are remarkable, in our view Mitaka demonstrates the power of collaboration, a keen understanding of how knowledge work sustains a community’s economy, and a plan to continue to leverage the most vital tools in the Digital Age. We hope other communities seeking to transform themselves will look to Mitaka, and our other six communities, as examples.”

Deputy Mayor Takashi Kawamura, who led a delegation of 16 representatives from the community, accepted the award on behalf of Mayor Keiko Kiyo­hara and the citizens of Mitaka. Mayor Kiyohara was in Honolulu in January when Mitaka was named one of the Top Seven Intelligent Communities of 2005 by ICF.

Mitaka succeeds Glasgow , Scotland , the 2004 recipient, which sent a letter to the conference outlining the progress that it has made since its selection and the success it has had since receiving the award. Glasgow was represented at the conference by the United Kingdom Trade and Investment Agency.

Intelligent Building of the Year: Ebène Tower , Mauritius
In a year when Africa was well represented among finalists for the Awards, Ebène Cyber Tower , a 12-story commercial building in Mauritius was selected as the Intelligent Building of the Year.

The tower is considered one of the most advanced technology buildings in the region and is indicative, according to ICF, of the relationship between commercial real estate and the development of an intelligent community. The building is the only one in Mauritius with fiber optic connectivity directly available to tenants within their offices. Further, the 38,610 square-foot building caught the eye of the selection committee because it is an integral part of a broader and integrated intelligent community project, known as the Ebène Cyber City . The tower and Cyber City project are part of a national strategy to establish information and broadband communications technologies as the “fifth pillar” of the economy. Ebène Cyber Tower was completed in a record time and has attracted technology-oriented tenants from across the globe, including those in industries such as data entry, image processing, call centre, financial and medical back office operations, software development, data and disaster recovery. Ebène Cyber Tower reported to ICF that in 2005 tenants included Infosys Technologies ( India ), Teleforma (USA), Cendris (UK), Theo Finance ( Switzerland ) and Accenture (France).

ICF noted that the building was acknowledged for serving as a base that is attracting businesses worldwide, and is a good example of how a community can design and build a commercial property, leverage the power of broadband communications and generate real growth for its citizens.

Executive Chairman C. Bhadain accepted the award on behalf of Ebene Cyber Tower . Mr. Bhadain was accompanied by the architectural team that designed the award-winning building. Mr. Peter Craig, the nation’s trade commissioner to the United States , was also in attendance

Intelligent Community Technology of the Year: Innerwireless System
In a year in which wireless communications and systems dominate much of the discussion regarding the future of broadband access, Dallas, Texas-based InnerWireless, Inc. and its in-building broadband wireless technology edged out competing technologies from Canada and Hong Kong as the Intelligent Community Technology of the Year.

ICF cited the technology’s adaptability to different applications, markets and facilities as key to its nomination and selection. The system exists in hospitals, convention centers, arenas and large multi-tenant buildings. It provides a method for distributing all RF signals (including those for cellular phones, Wi-Fi, VoIP and Wide Local Area Networks) efficiently and without costly “layering.” Equally important, according to ICF, is the ability of the technology to enable wireless communications to work in covered environments, including elevators and underground parking areas.

The system is installed in the National Institutes of Health (USA), where a point-of-care medical system has helped reduce potential medical errors. Its landmark installation is New York ’s 2.8 million-square-foot Time Warner Center , which handles enormous amounts of wireless network traffic, including that for security and building operations.

Chris McCoy, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development, accepted the award for InnerWireless, Inc.

Intelligent Community Visionary of the Year: New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD)
In another surprising choice, ICF elected to recognize a collaborative effort taking place in the developing world for its prestigious Visionary of the Year Award. The New Partnership for Africa ’s Development (NEPAD)’s e-Schools Africa project received the award. The project began to take shape in July 2001, when five heads of state ( Algeria , Egypt , Nigeria , Senegal and South Africa ) agreed to pursue a mandate to create sustainable programs to integrate Africa into the global economy. One of the most promising projects was the e-Schools Africa initiative, designed to connect 600,000 schools to the Internet. The project has gained the support of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the African Development Bank. Private sector partners leading the consortium for the NEPAD e-schools demonstration program include Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft Corporation, satellite operator INMARSAT Limited, Oracle Corporation and Cisco Systems.

ICF cited NEPAD’s commitment to leveraging the capabilities of satellite technology in its effort to connect the schools to the Internet, and therefore to the global infrastructure where knowledge workers and future opportunities will be created.

“Our two other nominees, One Cleveland (USA) and The Innovation Hub (South Africa) made dramatic and impressive gains, and their visions were more realized in physical terms,” ICF chairman Jung noted. “However, the scope and intention of NEPAD’s plan, the degree of success they have had to date in generating both financial support and the private sector’s collaboration, as well as their understanding that satellite communications are key to broadband access in more and more areas of the world, led ICF’s committee to acknowledge NEPAD in 2005.”

Ms. Pam Mallela, Manager, ISPAD - NEPAD e-Africa Commission, accepted the award.

VIP Awards Luncheon
The awards were presented at luncheon ceremony at Polytechnic University which closed the annual conference of the Intelligent Community Forum, called “Building the Broadband Economy.” The conference was produced in association with the Institute for Technology & Enterprise at Polytechnic University and the American Society for Public Administration. The 150 year-old school, home to the first campus-wide wireless network in New York City , has a history of achievement in areas such as radar, microwave technology and advanced telecommunications, and has produced three Nobel Prize winners.

The 2005 luncheon was sponsored by Verizon and Globecomm Systems.

The luncheon was attended by representatives and dignitaries from around the world, including Liu Xinxiam, Chairman and CEO of Dragon Telecommunications; Ged Fitzgerald, Chief Executive of the City of Sunderland, and senior representatives from the City of New York’s Economic Development Corporation and members of the international media. At least 18 nations were represented.

Keynote speakers included Alok Aggarwal, Chairman of Evalueserve, an Indian outsourcing firm; Gale Brewer, Chair of the New York City Council’s Committee on Technology in Government; Anthony DiMaso, Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy for Verizon; and Jerry MacArthur Hultin, former under secretary of the Navy and the incoming president of Polytechnic University, who also welcomed attendees to the event. The Canadian Consulate General and Government of Ontario hosted a reception to honor the awards finalists on the evening of June 13 in Manhattan .

The Intelligent Community Forum will announce the Top Seven Intelligent Communities of 2006 in January in Honolulu at the annual Pacific Telecommunications Council conference.

Intelligent Community Forum
The Intelligent Community Forum ( www.intelligentcommunity.org) is a special project of World Teleport Association ( www.worldteleport.org) that focuses on the uses of broad­band and information technology for economic devel­opment by communities large and small. ICF conducts research, creates conference content, publishes newsletters and presents annual Awards for Intelligent Com­munity developers. World Teleport Association is a nonprofit association of teleports, Intelligent Communities and their trading partners in 20 nations around the world.

For more information, contact:
Christina Teagarden
Trinity PR for InnerWireless
972-788-9456 x302
teagarden@trinity-pr.com

Louis Zacharilla
Intelligent Community Forum
212-825-0218 x12
lzacharilla@intelligentcommunity.org