ILLICOM Telecommunications Goes Wireless With WaveRider's Last Mile Solution Products.

Business Editors

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 19, 2000

WAVE (NASDAQ:WAVC)(FRANKFURT:WVR.FSE)

Rural Illinois Gains Access to High-Speed Internet Access

WaveRider Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:WAVC), a leading global provider of fixed wireless Internet access products, today announced it has deployed its Last Mile Solution(R) products for IlliCom Telecommunications, an Illinois-based Internet Service Provider.

WaveRider's LMS2000 is now delivering high-speed Internet access to IlliCom business subscribers in East-Central Illinois.

Upon completion of the LMS2000 installation, IlliCom, a subsidiary of Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative, will have the capability to provide high-speed Internet access to hundreds of business customers over its wireless network. The company plans to further expand its wireless coverage area over the next two years. In addition, IlliCom intends to deploy WaveRider's LMS3000, the first non-line-of-sight system to provide wireless Internet access to its residential customers in Paxton, Danville, Champaign-Urbana, Kankakee, and surrounding communities in 2001.

"IlliCom invested significant resources to find a wireless solution to provide high-speed Internet access to customers in rural areas throughout Illinois," said Kevin Osterbur, General Manager IlliCom Telecommunications. "WaveRider's Last Mile Solution products have enabled us to deploy cost effective, high-speed wireless service in a short period of time and to quickly expand our wireless service area to serve more rural markets."

WaveRider's LMS2000 is a fully networked, license exempt wireless system that utilizes secure and interference-free spread-spectrum radio technology in the license-free 2.4 GHz Ism band. The LMS2000 has been deployed in markets throughout the world to provide wireless Internet access to large, medium and small businesses. The LMS3000, scheduled for commercial volumes in 2001, provides non-line-of-sight wireless Internet access to business and residential users at speeds up to 1Mbps.

"The greatest demand for high-speed Internet access solutions today is from residential and business customers located outside of major urban centers," said Charles Brown, Vice President of Marketing, WaveRider Communications, Inc. "IlliCom is an excellent example of an ISP that is responding to the needs of this fast-growing market. WaveRider is committed to building a long-term relationship with IlliCom through the installation and deployment of the most advanced products and services in the fixed wireless Internet market."

About IlliCom

Established in 1998, IlliCom Telecommunications, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative based in Paxton, Illinois. IlliCom currently has points of presence in Paxton and Urbana, Illinois. In addition to high-speed wireless service, IlliCom provides a comprehensive suite of Internet related services including dial-up Internet access, website design, website hosting, and e-commerce solutions.

About WaveRider Communications Inc.

WaveRider Communications, Inc. (www.waverider.com) is a leading wireless information technology company that develops, manufactures and markets products for data communications and Wireless Internet Networking (WIN). WaveRider's high performance products use frequency hopping and direct sequence spread spectrum technology coupled with time division multiple access techniques and operate in the license-free 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz ISM frequency bands. NCL Series Wireless Bridges and Routers provide the wireless connection between single or multiple computer networks. Integrated network management features ensure data is quickly forwarded to its intended destination based on network conditions. WaveRider's LMS (Last Mile Solution(R)) Product Family connects wireless modems that offer high-speed connections to the Internet for business and residential customers. WaveRider is traded on the NASDAQ National Market, under the symbol WAVC.