Raytheon Control-By-Light to Provide Fiber Optic Links for Advanced Security System At Puerto Rico Telephone Co.

SUDBURY, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--September 14, 1999--

ALYA's O.P.E.N. centrix-based System to be Installed in 300 Buildings

Raytheon Control-By-Light(TM), a part of the Commercial Electronics Division of Raytheon Company and a leading provider of fiber-optic solutions worldwide, today announced that it has been selected to provide the distributed fiber-optic links in a state-of-the-art access control and security system for the Puerto Rico Telephone Company (PRTC).

The highly advanced, tamper-proof security system, based on ALYA International's O.P.E.N. centrix,(TM) (Open Platform for Essential Networks) will rely on a fiber optic-based distributed sensing system as part of a 300-building network deployed throughout Puerto Rico and will provide Smart Card-based access control and security for more than 11,000 employees.

Raytheon Control-By-Light was selected for the project by prime contractor, Motorola Worldwide Smart Card Solutions Division and ALYA International, Inc., a leader in the development of software and hardware for intelligent building control and security systems. Earlier in the year, ALYA and Raytheon Control-By-Light entered into a cooperative agreement to jointly promote sales of Raytheon's fiber optic technology solutions in combination with ALYA's O.P.E.N. centrix system.

"In a large-scale project such as this, it is important that the links between strategic sites be extremely reliable and capable of communicating critical information securely over long distances without interference from electrical or environmental factors, or more devious acts such as espionage or hacking," said Douglas Corbett, president of ALYA International, Inc. "We selected Raytheon for the project because the additional reliability of its systems, the intrinsic benefits of fiber optics, the tamper-proof characteristics and the relative ease of installation met all our objectives and more."

Fiber cable is a high-performing, efficient medium that is increasingly being used to replace or enhance traditional copper or coaxial cables in building automation, security systems and control networks. Because data is transmitted along glass fibers in the form of light, not electricity, the performance of fiber is unaffected by electromagnetic interference, high voltages, lightning, moisture or chemicals and it is 100 percent tamper proof, an important consideration in any security system.

"Fiber optics is the medium of choice for the new millennium," said Brian D. Morrison, director of Raytheon Control-By-Light." It revolutionized the telecommunications industry, and now Raytheon is on the forefront of revolutionizing the building automation, fire alarm and security industries. Advancements in the technology and its applications have made fiber easier than ever to install and integrate with existing fiber or legacy copper-based networks."

Raytheon Control-By-Light developed the industry's first complete fiber-optic solution for open standard LONWORKS(R) distributed sensing and control technology that lets a single fiber optic cable communicate in two directions simultaneously. Raytheon systems can be configured in a ring redundant format, which provides two simultaneous paths for communicating information bi-directionally between all links. The format ensures continuous operation of the entire system even if a part or a cable should fail.

In July, engineers from ALYA International began training technicians from the PRTC to install and maintain the O.P.E.N. centrix security control system. O.P.E.N. centrix is the only high-end security management system that demonstrates the benefits of open interoperability architecture utilizing LONWORKS(R) technology. ALYA is providing the data acquisition hardware and firmware as well as sophisticated communication software and graphical user interfaces for multiple workstations in the PRTC.

PRTC is Puerto Rico's largest provider of telecommunications services and ranks as the 10th largest local exchange carrier in the United States. The former state-owned Puerto Rico Telephone Company was sold in 1998 to a consortium led by GTE Corp. (NYSE: GTE). Bell Atlantic Corp. (NYSE: BEL) announced a proposed acquisition of GTE, also in 1998, and the merger is expected to be completed by the first half of 2000.

Raytheon Control-By-Light delivers today's most technologically advanced, reliable and affordable fiber optic sensing and control solutions for the aviation and other transportation industries as well as commercial building and industrial automation applications. Raytheon's fiber optic solutions are developed and marketed by the Commercial Electronics Division of global technology leader Raytheon Company. Information about Control-By-Light can be found at www.control-by-light.com.