Education & Distance Learning Enthusiasts- Andrew and SBC DataComm Complete Communications System for North East Texas Distance Learning Network

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Andrew and SBC DataComm Complete Communications System for North East Texas Distance Learning Network

Business Wire - December 5, 2002

Business Editors

ORLAND PARK, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 5, 2002

Andrew Corporation (NASDAQ:ANDW), working in tandem with SBC DataComm, has completed the microwave communications system component for the North East Texas Consortium's private distance-learning network called NETnet. The NETnet network links 15 higher education facilities in the North East Texas area, representing a 50-county service region in rural Northeast Texas that contains 46 percent of the rural Texas population.

The microwave communications component of the network provides the ability to extend the reach of high-bandwidth broadcast courses and other educational services or products through wireless where telephone circuitry is not a viable option. The new system will make available a diverse curriculum designed to meet the needs of its highly competitive, yet geographically isolated, client population.

In addition to the microwave component provided by Andrew, the NETnet network is the result of the coordinated effort of vendors, including overall project design and management from SBC DataComm. Other vendor partners include American Tower Corporation for microwave towers, NEC for microwave radios, MCSI for videoconference rooms and videoconference bridges, and Cisco for network routing infrastructure.

NETnet is Texas Lt. Governor Bill Ratliff's response to a 1994 survey completed by the National Center for Higher Education Management (NCHEMS) focused on higher education needs in east Texas. The survey was commissioned by then State Senator Ratliff and a six-member steering committee, including leaders from universities across the region. The survey identified distance learning technology as a possible solution for bringing opportunities to the colleges in the region by expanding services to a regionally isolated, geographically dispersed population, and by linking existing programs and expertise.

The NETnet network utilizes 21 microwave sites linking NETnet members in a large region of Northeast Texas from Paris on the northern border of Texas, west to Athens, east to Marshall, and south to Huntsville. The network includes over 70 Andrew high performance microwave antennas in sizes ranging from 4 ft to 12 ft and over 35,000 ft of HELIAX(R) elliptical waveguide. Andrew Systems Inc. provided delivery, installation and other services associated with the microwave dish component of the project.

The Andrew installation team used several new Andrew products to speed the NETnet installation process, including snap-in hangers for securely fastening the elliptical waveguide to the tower; fixed-tuned connectors to ensure premium waveguide performance without using tuning screws; and PMT200 DryLine(R) automatic membrane dehydrators for reducing the risk of system corrosion and voltage breakdown caused by the adverse effects of accumulated moisture. DryLine dehydrators automatically pressurize the transmission line and antenna system without the need for bypass kits and ancillary air tanks and are particularly suitable for remote sites such as those in the NETnet system.

Colleges and universities linked by the microwave system are Angelina College, Kilgore College, Northeast Texas Community College, Panola College, Paris Junior College, Sam Houston State University, Texarkana College, Texas A&M-Commerce, Texas A&M-Texarkana, Texas State Technical College, Stephen F. Austin State University, Trinity Valley Community College, Tyler Junior College, The University of Texas at Tyler, and The University of Texas Health Center at Tyler.

For further information on Andrew Microwave Systems, call the Andrew Customer Support Center at 1-800-255-1479.

HELIAX and DryLine are registered trademarks of Andrew Corporation.

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