Norsat Microwave Products Division Earns ISO 9001: 2000 Certification.

Business Editors

BURNABY, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 20, 2002

Norsat International Inc. (Nasdaq:NSAT)(TSX:NII), provider of high-speed data transmission microwave products and open standard satellite networks, announced today that its Microwave Products Division has achieved ISO 9001: 2000 certification from BSI, Inc., a quality management systems registrar.

The ISO 9001: 2000 standard, released in December 2000 as the successor to ISO 9000: 1994, is an internationally recognized quality management system standard developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). To be certified to the standard, companies must implement a quality management system (QMS) embracing all activities of the company, from staff training through to the delivery of products and services. Certification to ISO 9001: 2000 through an independent third-party reinforces to its customers that Norsat operates a QMS in accordance with the standard.

Norsat's reputation as a provider of high quality, reliable products has been earned over the years by delivering outstanding products and services to its customers. The ISO 9001: 2000 certification ensures that customers will continue to obtain a consistent level of quality, reliability and performance. The new standard also embraces "best practices" from a business perspective, offering Norsat the opportunity to continuously improve how the company plans, executes, measures, and corrects its business processes.

"Norsat has built its business on the highest quality products and customer service excellence," said Mark Ahrens-Townsend, Norsat's President and CEO. "We are proud that we have attained ISO 9001: 2000 certification. This achievement demonstrates our focus on product and service quality to enhance our interactions with all stakeholders."

"Norsat must be congratulated for their achievement. Completion of the rigorous registration process illustrates the company's commitment to exceeding customer needs and to achieving excellence in all their efforts," stated Ronald D. Mathis, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Sales, BSI Management Systems. "The ISO 9001: 2000 registration demonstrates Norsat's corporate "culture" of setting and maintaining high standards, identifying and resolving problems, accepting recommendations for improvement, and fostering effective communications between all stakeholders."

About Norsat

Norsat International Inc. designs and markets infrastructure products and open standard networks for high-speed data transmission. With over 1.8 million microwave products shipped and open standard networks installed worldwide, Norsat is a recognized market leader.

About BSI, Inc.

BSI is the world's leading quality management systems registrar. Founded in 1901, BSI has issued more than 35,500 registration clients in over 90 countries. More than 112 'Global 500' companies have chosen BSI as their preferred ISO 9000, QS-9000, ISO 14000, TickIT, or EMAS registrar. BSI's registration experience covers virtually every industrial and commercial sector (i.e. automotive, aerospace, chemical and allied processes, IT/software, service). BSI's other services include standards facilitation, training, product certification, product testing, and CE Marking.

Statements in this release relating to matters that are not historical fact are forward-looking statements based on current expectations, forecasts, and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to general economic conditions, changes in technology, reliance on third party manufacturing, managing rapid growth, global sales risks, limited intellectual property protection, and other risks and uncertainties described in Norsat's public filings with securities regulatory authorities.