RuggedCom and CURRENT Group Collaborate to Deliver Integrated Advanced Smart
Grid Applications for Distribution Automation using WiMAX

CONCORD, ON, March 24 /CNW/ - RuggedCom Inc. ("RuggedCom") (TSX:RCM), a leading provider of rugged communications networking solutions designed for mission-critical applications in harsh environments, and CURRENT Group, Inc., a provider of innovative and industry-leading intelligent and optimized solutions to monitor and manage the distribution grid, announced today that they will collaborate to jointly deliver integrated Smart Grid infrastructure and advanced applications for distribution automation. The integrated solution will enable electric utilities to improve the reliability and efficiency of the distribution grid, speed integration of renewable and distributed energy resources, and reduce technical losses and total load of their distribution system in a timely, more secure and more cost-effective manner.

Through this collaboration, electric utilities will be able to quickly adopt Smart Grid capabilities by combining RuggedCom's utility grade IP-based communication networks which include the RuggedMAX(TM) family of utility grade WiMAX IEEE802.16e compliant broadband wireless products with CURRENT's intelligent sensors, OpenGrid utility element management system, and System Optimization and Reliability analytical software solutions.

"We are seeing an increasing number of electric utilities around the world choosing WiMAX for multiple applications as part of their Smart Grid solution," said Elik Jaeger, Vice President, RuggedWIRELESS. "We believe that a reliable utility grade communications infrastructure is critical to creating a dependable Smart Grid implementation. Our award winning, field proven, utility grade communications technology, coupled with our experience with over 700 utilities around the world allows us to offer a comprehensive communications solution to both wireline and wireless products capable of being the communications backbone of any Smart Grid application."

"Utilities are faced with increased pressure to improve distribution system performance and efficiency while at the same time assuring they invest in technology that is reliable, secure and scalable to handle the business needs of today and the increasingly demanding needs of an emerging energy paradigm," said CURRENT CEO Tom Casey. "CURRENT's technology solutions are communications agnostic and allow us to partner with leading communications solutions providers such as RuggedCom whose market growth in the energy sector is a leading indicator of where utility communications are going. We believe WiMAX is one of the communications solutions utilities may consider and we are pleased to be able to offer an integrated solution to those customers."

This collaboration will leverage the core experience of both companies to deliver key building blocks for an IP-enabled smart grid and provides electric power utilities process information securely, reliably and in real time.

    
    About CURRENT Group
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CURRENT Group, LLC delivers innovative and industry-leading intelligent solutions that optimize the distribution system and offer utilities new ways to monitor and manage the health of the grid. Through CURRENT's distribution sensing, monitoring, and analytical technologies, utilities are better able to understand, predict and respond to system disturbances and faults, identify where inefficiencies are, and enable the smartest possible sourcing and distribution of power.

CURRENT's state-of-the-art technologies are being implemented by utilities around the globe and are utilized in the largest and most advanced demonstration projects in the world. CURRENT is engaged in European Union-sponsored projects in partnership with Iberdrola, the world's 4th largest electric utility, among others, to expand the use of Smart Grid technology in the European Union. This year, CURRENT was honored by the World Economic Forum as a 2009 Technology Pioneer, selected by Venture Beat as one of the World's Top 10 Most Innovative Smart Grid companies, and selected by Dow Jones as one of the Top 10 most Innovative Clean Technology companies in Europe.

CURRENT is a private company founded in 2000 that is backed by leading investors including Liberty Associated Partners, EnerTech Capital, Google, Inc., and Goldman Sachs & Co. CURRENT is headquartered outside of Washington, DC, with offices throughout the United States and Switzerland and Singapore, and has representation in Australia. For more information, visit http://www.currentgroup.com/.

    
    About RuggedMAX(TM)
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RuggedMAX(TM) is a high-performance, long range, secure family of products fully compliant with the WiMAX 802.16e Wave 2 (MIMO) mobile broadband wireless standard. RuggedMAX(TM) is designed to extend IP networks over large distances to fixed and mobile users. The product family includes a variety of base stations and subscriber stations with differing output power, form factors and frequency options for use in licensed or license exempt bands.

The RuggedMAX(TM) product family has gone through extensive end to end network interoperability testing to support multiple different ASN gateway platforms and 3rd party subscriber devices in order to give customers flexibility by leveraging the full WiMAX ecosystem. RuggedMAX(TM) with its compact form factor and flexible configuration is ideal for use in mission critical private networks. For more information about RuggedMAX(TM) please visit www.RuggedWIRELESS.com and about RuggedGRID(TM) please visit www.RuggedGRID.com

    
    About RuggedCom Inc.
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RuggedCom is a leading provider of rugged communications networking solutions designed for mission-critical applications in harsh environments. RuggedCom's technology solutions include Ethernet switches, network routers, wireless devices, serial servers, media converters, software and professional services. RuggedCom's products are designed for use in harsh environments such as those found in electric power substations and "Smart Grids", intelligent transportation systems, industrial process control and military applications. For further information, please visit www.RuggedCom.com.

For further information: Jamie Blakeley, Marketing Communications Coordinator, RuggedCom Inc., [phone], [phone] toll free; Lori Reslock, CURRENT Group, LLC, USA, [phone], [email protected]