ADVISORY/Sen. Cantwell Helps Benton P.U.D. Launch America's First Wireless Community Broadband Network of Its Kind.

News Editors/Assignment Desks

ADVISORY...for Saturday (May 10)

--(BUSINESS WIRE)

  Who:       United States Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) (confirmed)
             U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings (R-WA) (invited)
             Jim Sanders, general manager, Benton County Public
              Utilities District
             Frank Armijo, Lockheed-Martin Information Technology
             Ken Arneson, president, Chameleon Technology
             Community business leaders and Internet users

  What:      The launch of "Project Durango," America's first wireless
             broadband community network of its kind. This brings
             fast, affordable, easily installed Internet service to a
             key agribusiness, life sciences and technology research
             community.

             This "last mile" network is entirely wireless -- getting
             the Internet from the fiber-optic "backbone" to homes
             and businesses without installing wiring. Software by
             Seattle's Chameleon Technology makes possible the first
             community Wi-Fi wireless network that is fully secure
             (meeting government and law enforcement standards) and
             the first where a single network can be used and
             marketed by multiple Internet service providers (ISPs)
             or communications carriers.

  When:      Saturday, May 10, noon-12:30.

  Where:     D.S. Watkins Gallery & Coffeehouse
             27 N. Auburn St. (at Canal Drive)
             Kennewick, Wash.

  Visuals:   Sen. Cantwell will "cut the cable" -- the telephone modem
             cord -- to officially launch wireless neighborhood
             service.

             A Kennewick graphic designer will explain via wireless
             videoconference how this innovation is helping advance
             her business.

             Children and adults taking the service for a test drive,
             after a coffee house instantly becomes a wireless high-
             speed Internet cafe.

  Why:       In the early days of electricity, public power agencies
             like Benton P.U.D. were instrumental of getting power to
             rural communities. The 21st Century equivalent is
             getting Internet connectivity to neighborhoods that need
             it.

             Academic, scientific and business success is closely tied
             to Internet access. Fast online service (broadband)
             reaches less than half the U.S. population. Kennewick,
             Wash. (the "Tri-Cities") is one such community where
             online access is slow, using dial-up modems -- until now.