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Choice Communications Lite RFP Response

SecureAxxess Solutions, LLC ■ 1 Chestnut St. ■ Suite 305 ■ Nashua, NH 03060

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RFP Lite Response

May 8, 2009



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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page SecureAxxess Solutions (SAS), LLC History 3 Solution development, installations, integration

Merida, Venezuela 4 Ghana, Africa 6 New Hampshire National Guard 7 Marine Corps Gladiator Wireless Data Link 9 Tennessee Emergency Management Authority (TEMA) 10

Kuchera Defense Systems 11 SAS Solution Development Methodology 12 Developed Solutions 13 Access Network Service (ASN) Gateway 14 Base Station Solutions Compact Base Station 16 Pico Base Station 18 Customer Premise Equipment Subscriber Unit 20 Provisioning / Billing 22 Implementation and Deployment Summary 24 Additional Documentation Michael L. Bouchard Resume 26



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SecureAxxess Solutions, LLC History SecureAxxess Solutions, LLC (SAS) is a privately held company that specializes in the development, manufacturing and integration of wireless communications solutions for commercial, military and homeland defense applications. SecureAxxess has proprietary technology and products that it markets directly, and also incorporates into customized products for its customers. SecureAxxess also develops new technology for third parties needing wireless communication solutions. The Company is comprised of a seasoned group that have developed, designed, built and run innovative broadband solutions and networks together for military and commercial applications in countries around the world since 1996. SecureAxxess, LLC was originally incorporated in 2003, but re‐incorporated in 2006 as SecureAxxess Solutions, LLC. The company and its employees have a long history of providing enterprise class wireless solutions, integration consulting services, wireless design services and affordable solution. These solutions cover an array of technical innovations encompassing a wide spectrum of the complex wireless communications market. In the same way that the “space race” produced many new and useful products resulting from technological advances from that time period, the same is true with our technology today. We recognize the emergence of valuable commercial applications resulting from the “scaling‐down” of our military‐grade hardware, and acknowledge that the delivery of an effective turn‐key solution to both markets requires the inclusion of a communications network component behind the hardware‐only solution.



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Merida, Venezuela

The Challenge Deliver a point‐to‐multi‐point network design that will function as an emergency communications network and a college campus WAN. At an elevation of five thousand feet above sea level and nestled among the highest mountains in Venezuela, Merida does not attract the attention of the larger Latin American telecommunications companies. Telephone service was weak. Cell phones are popular among college students and the middle class, but coverage is spotty. The Internet is accessible by very few residents and only reasonably responsive on the private links owned by the University and the Federal Emergency Management facility. In 1996, the Venezuelan government, in cooperation with the University and the local emergency management agency, embarked on a program to improve communications among the state agency offices and link the various University buildings into a united campus. The goal was to upgrade current systems and add a new emergency communications system, linking all government and University sites. Another goal of the project was expansion and wider distribution of Internet connectivity. The logistics of building communications facilities at such extreme altitudes are quite different from traditional installations. Although a tramway went most of the way to the final site, the last three hundred vertical feet were a climb. Thousands of pounds of communication equipment, cement, tools, batteries and support equipment had to be hand‐carried to the site. The specific challenges were: Mountainous terrain and extreme temperatures Limited local technical and logistical resources Prohibitive costs to dig up streets for terrestrial infrastructure Pressure from politicians to roll out something that could be used as press for

upcoming election campaign Several autonomous networks to be connected Smaller outlying cities isolated by mountain ranges



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There were many other firsts involved on this landmark project: First disaster and emergency communications network provisioned over broadband

wireless First remotely managed high altitude broadband wireless base station First multipoint distribution of Internet connectivity over broadband wireless local

loop First video multicast political event over broadband wireless Many unique challenges had to be dealt with. Besides having to carry everything at altitude to the base station site, we experienced and overcame each of the following obstacles or previously untried methods: Remote management due to the location of the site on the side of a mountain Day to night temperature variations of 80+ degrees Unreliable AC power where grids were alternately shut off at different periods of the

day Torrential rain, high UV levels, high temperatures, condensation Poor grounding at most subscriber sites No coordinated IP addressing scheme or network provisioning Extreme down‐tilt at the head end and up‐tilt at the subscriber sites Another issue not initially considered was that prior to connecting these sites together they were mostly autonomous LANs with private IP addressing schemes according to standards or even a public range picked at random. We realized during the install we had to design a new network‐addressing scheme and train customers to maintain that scheme. A solid well thought out plan for frequencies, installation, network design and maintenance is of critical importance. SecureAxxess includes this vital process when designing a customer network. Our experience can save time and money during and after broadband wireless network integration.



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Ghana, West Africa

The Challenge

Design a point to multi‐point broadband wireless solution for carrying voice, video and data on a network that can also do wireless backhaul of transaction data from Automated Banking Machines (ABM). Accra is in southern Ghana and is one of the centers of economic growth in the area. Although fiber optic cable has been provisioned between the surrounding major cities, the copper in the ground is not plentiful enough to supply current local loop demand and is in poor general condition. Bank account updates and banking transactions were carried out over a secure managed wireless IP network along with traffic of other private networks. The largest printed note in Ghana is five thousand Cedis. This is equivalent to about two dollars and change. Needless to say, a box of money was needed to make a large purchase. As a result the ABMs are the busiest machines in Ghana, with the average citizen visiting an ABM twice a day. The difference between one bank and another is measured in ABM availability. On the copper infrastructure availability averages 85%. On the wireless network that number is in the high 90s. The project in Ghana involved several base stations installed for local loop access while using satellite and fiber loops to connect major cities. The first customer on the network was a major bank and all of its branches, first in Accra, followed by the other major cities. IP Telephony capabilities were also built into the broadband wireless network in Ghana. Businesses can choose to replace or augment their current phone systems using the same network connection that links remote offices with Internet and Data services. Another aspect of the project employed the broadband wireless network to connect the local ISPs for a common peering point. Traffic from one ISP to another in Accra commonly takes a route out of the country and then back just to go across the city. By sharing one peering point the ISPs enjoy access to a collapsed, higher bandwidth connection to the Internet and private global data networks. Local traffic is one hop away and the Internet is only two.



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New Hampshire National Guard Network The Challenge: Create and maintain communications system for voice, video and data broadcast when no other form of communication is available. In the winter of 1998 a fierce wind and ice storm temporarily knocked out communica‐ tions in large parts of the state of New Hampshire, particularly the coastal area where the storm hit the hardest. This brought attention to the vulnerability of existing communications systems statewide. Communications were so crippled that the state governor had to communicate over HF radio to some of the state facilities. This was particularly alarming considering that there is a nuclear power plant in a residential area on the coast. Routine disaster response exercises are conducted at least twice a year by federal and state governments. The federal govern‐ ment monitors state emergency manage‐ ment exercises and will critique them as well as taking what works back with them to Washington. We were contracted to install a microwave communications link between Concord and Newington emergency management facilities, to be used in the next emergency response exercise. We set up a network of broadband wireless point‐to‐point links including repeater hops from the state capitol complex in Concord to the Office of Emergency Management facility on the coast in Newington. This link provided voice, video and data connectivity between the two sites at 10Mbps. The exercise was to include a scenario where all traditional communications links between the state capitol and the Office of Emergency Management facility on the coast were knocked out by the crash of a small plane near the power plant. Communications are essential in this type of simulation because several agencies are involved when an emergency evacuation is ordered in the areas surrounding the power plant. Although the exercise participants knew that there was going to be some sort of scenario played out that would test the teamwork and efficiency of organization’s disaster response planning, they did not know the details of that scenario.



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The exercise started with notification from air traffic control that a small plane had gone down in the vicinity of the power plant. Fire fighters and police were ordered to the area to cordon off access to the public, and state agencies would be called in to investigate the crash. It was to be handled as if it were a possible terrorist attack. We had established data connectivity between the two offices, something that had never been put in place before. We installed an IP Telephony system in Concord with clients in Concord and Newington. We also installed videoconferencing in both locations with NetMeeting capabilities. All of these systems were available at the start of the exercise. IP Telephones were placed next to their PBX phones.

Videoconferencing gear was placed among the security cameras and monitors. It was all set up to look like part of the traditional communications systems available to the participants during daily operations. No one noticed that one of the monitors was showing the office over fifty miles across the state, over a wireless network. At one point in the exercise, it was announced that all landline communications had been cut off because the aircraft had crashed into poles carrying telephone lines. A transmitter failure in the radio communications room was also simulated. Now there was no way for the people in Newington to receive or provide updated information to headquarters in Concord. No way, that is, except for the broadband wireless network link established. Broadband wireless networks can operate independent of the phone company and – when equipped with a UPS and a backup generator – even when power is interrupted. During the exercise, updates were typically printed out and faxed to the remote facilities but with phone lines down this was not possible. Since the data networks had been connected between the two offices, updates could be shared electronically or via NetMeeting. Our videoconferencing equipment made the updates live face‐to‐face events. The IP Telephony equipment made it possible to make phone calls even though the Telephone Company would still be hours or days repairing the damage to the lines. The exercise turned out to be a success. The debrief included compliments on the ease of use and expanded capabilities possible with broadband wireless. We discussed the possibility of a quick response broadband wireless fixed mobile unit. This unit could be transported to the disaster site, a telescoping mast put up, and in just an hour or two there would be a live multimedia feed to the area. This application and the network behind it could enhance response time when fast and accurate information could mean lives saved.

Eventually, we were contracted to build a wireless network among NHNG sites.



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Gladiator Wireless Data Link (WDL) Wireless Data Link The Wireless Data Link (WDL) was developed to wirelessly control the Marine Corp’s Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) Gladiator. The Gladiator is used by the Marine Corp in forward areas for reconnaissance and to assume an offensive position if required. Since the Gladiator is nuclear enabled, the WDL was designed on Secure licensed frequencies with intelligence “zeroization” in the event of capture. A proprietary code is passed from the Operator Control Unit (OCU) held by the soldier to the Mobile Battle Unit (MBU) stored within the Gladiator. Upon link establishment, if the code is not received at each end, the unit erases all software and is left in operable.



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Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) The proposed 45th Civil Support Team’s (CST) Real Time Video Pilot System for the Tennessee National Guard is a rapid response microwave communication system that is made up of a 2‐way (symmetrical) advanced wireless broadband communications platform that is 100% independent of the public switched (telephone) network infrastructure. It will demonstrate the capabilities of an advanced and secure, wireless broadband digital IP infrastructure that will provide real time video and data of a disaster site caused by a Nuclear Biological Chemical (NBC) or Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) event(s). The system will be capable of providing 6Mbps to 45Mbps of bandwidth for a distance of plus 35 miles radius ‐ Line of Sight (LOS) from two independent and securely connected fixed tower locations. The solution will provide the capability of transmitting real‐time digital IP video and data from a CST’s rapid response Unified Command Suite (UCS) vehicle back to / from the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency’s (TEMA) operations center. The proposed solution will have 2 Broadcast Zones utilizing directional antennas located at both the Memphis tower site at the corner of Mullins Station Road and Sycamore View in Memphis, and the Nashville tower located at the TEMA emergency operations center at 3041 Sidco Drive in Nashville. From the UCS vehicle, a high gain antenna with remote rotator will be attached to a pneumatic mast on the UCS. The antenna will be connected to SecureAxxess’ integrated radio modem hardware set(s) that will allow the digitized data to be transmitted real‐time back to / from the fixed tower locations and finally back to / from TEMA’s operation center. A secure and direct telecommunication line will be installed to connect the Memphis tower site to the Nashville tower site facilities. The DS3 will provide 45Mbps of secured digital backhaul data throughput.



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Kuchera Defense Systems The image to the right is Kuchera Defense System’s Omni Directional Inspection System (ODIS) robot. The ODIS is used for reconnaissance and surveillance to ins‐ pect under vehicles for contraband and explosive devices. Kuchera had 3 stringent requirements (1) the antenna could not be more than 1 inch high off the base of the unit. Since the ODIS had to have a low profile to fit easily under cars, the 1 inch requirement was a hard metric. The second constraint is that since it was controlled wirelessly, it must operate of very little power to extend the battery life of the existing unit. Third, the profile of the wireless data links must be extremely small since the form, fit and factor was limited based on the sized of the ODIS. WDL Housing Antenna Utiliizing a combination of Common off the shelf (COTS) hardware and some custom engineering, we were able to design a solution that met all requirements and provided the near line of sight required for effective wireless operation.



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Solution Development Methodology Unlike other vendors who try to match developed solutions to customer needs, SecureAxxess provides the required solution based on customer requirements. Variations of solutions can be significant among the different markets and applications. The Company’s solutions are based on 6 sensitive inputs: Base Station End User

Power Frequency Available Bandwidth

Environment Modulation Location # of Users in a Sector

▫ Power Draw ▪ Radios are designed for low D.C. power consumption resulting in longer operation with lower RF emissions ▫ RF Power Levels ▪ Set by regulatory bodies, and includes antenna gain

▫ Lower frequencies have a longer reach than higher frequencies ▫ Licensed frequencies have less contention than unlicensed ▫ Military (NTIA) frequencies have less restrictions when designing innovative solutions

▫ A greater share of spectrum allows higher throughput ▫ Different size lots of bandwidth have been allocated for operation ▫ Digital technology allows for more efficient spectral operation resulting in greater bandwidth ▫ Advanced algorithms for specific frequencies provide for increased bandwidth

▫ Signal propagation differs between rural and suburban environments Interference is more likely in dense areas ▫ Signal propogation depends on obstacles, better performance in LOS environment ▫ Synchronized links provide for better coverage

▫ Hardware, Software and modulation techniques can dramatically improve performance ▫ Various modulation techniques provide very different results ▫ Advanced RF algorithms provide clearer signal quality and performance

▫ End user performance is affected by: ▪ Number and place of users in a cell ▪ Distance to the base station ▪ Active environment, active theatre of operations and environment ▪ Advanced passive and active antenna technology allows for greater data density coverage



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Developed Solutions



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Provisioning and Billing Provisioning is handled via the ASN service gateway. The ASN is a key component in the end‐to‐end solution and acts as a gateway between the wireless access network and the core. It terminates the network interfaces from the base stations via the WiMAX standard R6 interface, controls users sessions (authentication authorization, accounting and security), and handles routing and mobility. The ASN gateway provides a value added service layer on top of its standard WiMAX support. It provides a unique and cost effective provisioning with user interactive communication through existing portals. It manages users sessions with dynamic service profiles implemented on an individual user basis and it includes a wide service portfolio to be offered by the wireless operator to the subscribers. All the various user access methods are supported in real time and simultaneously. The ASN gateway the NOC complies with Profile C accounting to 802.16e standards. The NOC provides a cost effective billing solution for carriers that operate in multiple lines of business, including wireless, wire line, cable, content, broadband and multi play services. The billing solution and policy control engine deliver highly integrated business analysis and execution, balanced management and charging. A modular next‐generation pre‐/post paid business control, rating and billing solution for communication service providers. It is Web‐based, with easy and secure access to any user using a web browser. The billing solution integrated with the server provides a powerful, yet easy to us deploy and manage solution for internet access and enhanced captive portal interface. The solution is scaleable to support the service provider growing needs form Independent venues to distributed hot‐zones to global service providers and aggregators. The module is fully customizable to support the wireless operators image and branding as well as location based branding and advertising. The module further supports affiliates branding, price groups and reporting. The solution provides the tools and accessibility to suite both small and large service providers through their existing technical team and infrastructure. Features and Benefits: • Online and real time credit card purchases for account creation, user signup and

refill. Numerous credit card merchant accounts are available. • View / query payment history • Plan/Traffic management (Time, traffic and expiration)



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• User self care for sign up, activation and refill of prepaid account through prepaid

pin or cards • Prepaid card ID and pin generation support

o Pin Generation and management using plans o View / Queries of previously generated pins o View / Queries of card’s status o Printing and exporting of generated cards to CSV files

• Easy creation of prepaid plans including:

o Auto Expiry – Time and date expiration o Time band – net usage o Data bank – Traffic o Combination of above

• Simple secured Web GUI administration interface for local and remote management

through SSL secured Web GUI technology • Currency prefix and postfix • Support for tax rate Advanced Billing System SecureAxxess offers an advanced billing solution, which provides a complete billing and customer care solution for wireless carriers. The billing solution delivers a highly integrated business analysis and execution, balances management and charging. A modular next generation pre‐/post paid business control rating and billing solution for communication service providers, it is Web‐based, with easy and secure access to any user with a web browser. The solution includes customer care, billing for data and voice, Captive portal and Hot lining, IP address management, Hotspot management, connection capabilities to CRM and more. The solution enables non‐technical users to design and implement business rules, products and services on the fly. Leap Billing and CRM’s features a unified catalog that constitutes a single point of reference for all product related data, from multiple sources into multiple applications. This is invaluable in today’s product and service‐rich environments, and ensures faster time to market, reduced CAPEX and OPEX, and constant adherence to the CSP’s business strategies.



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Implementation and Deployment Summary

SecureAxxess relies on both internal staff and partners to deliver end‐to‐end network deployment services. A plan is formulated based on customer requirements to utilize the best possible team to deliver a project.

Requirements – Clearly define customer requirements, produce a System Requirements Document

• Customer Requirements • End‐user requirements • Frequency requirements

Market Assessment

• Population/demographic/environmental analysis • Optimum transmitter locations • CPE locations • Hardware and software considerations • Power/generator/air handling requirements

The Design – Produce a System Design Document – Blueprint for system implementation

• Tailor design to meet current and future needs • Spectrum considerations • Project priorities and time frames

System Procurement

• Review current system deployments and product roadmap • Target best price for performance • Focus on total cost to deploy

Installation and Implementation

• Monitor and mange the entire project • Perform hardware/software configuration and testing • Monitor and coordinate third party vendors • Perform overall system testing



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Training

• Customize training that reflects user’s requirements and the installed system • In‐house courses • On the job training • On‐site follow‐up

Maintenance

• Ensure appropriate plans are in place with vendors • Design maintenance plans for customers • Implement maintenance support plans



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Michael Bouchard, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Scientist Michael was the founder and CEO of Third Rail Americas, Inc. which later was purchased by Datapath, Inc. in December 2005. During his tenure at Datapath, Michael served as General Manager and Chief Scientist of Wireless Services. He focused on hardware and software development of systems level solutions in the licensed and unlicensed frequency ranges. He also worked to support the company’s prospective merger and acquisition targets, facilitate corporate strategy processes and evaluate market opportunities. Prior to founding Third Rail Americas, Inc., Michael was Chief Integration Scientist for Third Rail Limited a publicly traded Australian company. Michael played a key role in the design and implementation of a wireless system for the US Army National Guard. The system served as an alternative to wire line communications capable of communicating voice, video and data. Prior to Third Rail Limited, Michael worked for Spike Broadband Systems, Inc. where he served as the Chief Integration Scientist, and designed, installed and integrated wireless networks in many countries including Trinidad and Tobago, West Africa, Brazil and Venezuela. While at Spike, Michael and team received the SuperQuest award for installation of the first wireless Voice over IP network in Venezuela, due to its impact on the Country. Michael was also retained for his networking expertise in West Africa, where he architected the first wireless network tying many of the countries largest banking institutions together. Mr. Bouchard is widely considered as one of the leading experts in wireless communications. He was the inventor and innovator of many wireless solutions some of which have had significant impact on the transmission of voice, video and data. Michael serves on Nashua, New Hampshire’s Mayoral Team providing oversight for the Public Safety and Economic Development committees.

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