Entrepreneurial Family Unveils New Company Focused on Simplifying the Digital Home

PLANO, Texas – September 18, 200 -- Anousheh, Hamid, and Amir Ansari, entrepreneurs with an innovative approach to building companies that transform the marketplace, have established Prodea Systems, Inc., to focus on significantly enhancing the digital home experience.

Prodea Systems officially launched yesterday while, at the same time, its chairman and co-founder Anousheh Ansari launched aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft for a ten-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Ansari, the world's first female private space explorer, will perform a series of experiments while onboard the ISS, including a live demonstration of Prodea Systems' technology.

(from left to right) Amir, Anousheh, and Hamid Ansari,
co-founders of Prodea Systems

Building upon the Ansari family's history of identifying and cultivating industry-shifting ideas, Prodea Systems delivers a revolutionary solution for managing the modern digital home, unrivaled in its simplicity and utility.

"Consumers want to use technology in their homes, but are frustrated by products that are too complex, too costly and fail to work together effectively. We will make it easy for people to manage all of their in-home systems through a simple, centralized approach. We have been developing this technology for more than two years, and we are very excited about bringing it to market in the coming months," said Hamid Ansari, chief executive officer, president and co-founder of Prodea Systems.

"Until now, home automation and multimedia technologies have resulted in more difficulties than solutions. They have been much too expensive, complex and time-consuming for even advanced users. We're changing all of that," said Amir Ansari, co-founder and chief technology officer.

Prodea Systems' cost-effective offering combines hardware, software and subscription services to create a fully integrated, seamless home network. The solution simplifies every aspect of the consumer experience, while enhancing network integrity, security, and user convenience.

"The market for home networking is evolving rapidly as consumers expand the functionality of in-home connectivity beyond broadband sharing and seek ways to share music, videos, and photos," said Kurt Scherf, vice president and principal analyst at Parks Associates. "Until now, a fully-managed home networking solution that simplifies connectivity, security, and sharing functions has been a barrier to widespread deployment. However, all-encompassing solutions such as the approach taken by Prodea Systems will greatly simplify the consumer's experience and allow them to realize the full potential of their digital home components. For service providers, this type of solution provides them with a real differentiator and a way to increase customer loyalty."

The Ansaris' previous business accomplishments include founding Telecom Technologies, Inc., which designed and deployed the industry's most robust and scalable telephony softswitch. Established in 1993, the company experienced rapid growth and profitability before successfully merging with Sonus Networks, Inc. in one of the industry's largest transactions in 2000.

Active proponents of world-changing technologies, the Ansaris support innovation in many forms. Their commitment to breaking down barriers and bringing about radical change extends beyond the business sphere, and includes significant social and scientific undertakings. By providing the title sponsorship for the Ansari X-Prize, a $10 million cash prize which was won in 2004, the Ansari family catalyzed the development of non-governmental manned spacecraft.

About Prodea Systems, Inc.

Through Prodea Systems solutions, customers can unleash the power of the Internet and realize the full potential of their digital homes. With patent-pending technologies and a proven track record of leadership across several related industries, Prodea Systems will dramatically alter the very nature of the in-home technology experience. The company's cost-effective offering combines advanced hardware, software and subscription services to create a fully integrated, seamless home network. The solution simplifies every aspect of the consumer experience, while enhancing network integrity, security and user convenience. The company launched in 2006, with headquarters in Plano, Texas, and locations in Chennai, India, and Beijing, China. For more information, visit www.prodeasystems.com.