ZyXEL Adds Three New Products to Its Homeplug AV Powerline Family.

ZyXEL Offers the Broadest Line of Powerline Internet Access Solutions for Digital Home Consumers and Small Office/Home Office Users

NEW YORK -- Continuing to lead the Powerline and audio/video (AV) industry with first-to-market technologies, ZyXEL Communications today announced it has added three new products to its comprehensive HomePlug AV Powerline family. The NBG318S, PLA450 and PLA470 round out the ZyXEL product family making it the broadest and most complete line of Powerline networking solutions for digital home consumers and small office/home office (SOHO) users in the market. ZyXEL is showcasing its unparalleled product suite this week at ShowStoppers for the Digital Holidays in New York City.

As the Powerline market leader, ZyXEL has developed a series of industry first products that enable users to network their home or extend their existing wireless network. This is a key requirement for many consumers and SOHO users that are looking for easy-to-implement technologies for Internet access, file sharing and VoIP services throughout the home. HomePlug AV technology was designed from the ground up as a home network backbone solution with very high throughput. ZyXEL's Powerline product family was launched last year with its PLA400 and PLA401, Powerline Ethernet adapters (desktop and wall mount options) and the P660HWP, an ADLS2+ gateway with HomePlug AV and WiFi built-in. Now, ZyXEL's new products add a wireless router, wireless access point and 4-port Ethernet switch.

"As the leading provider of Powerline products we can offer everything from basic Powerline adapters to a fully integrated router that packs Powerline with WiFi for a wireless home network that can use the additional boost from HomePlug AV technology for full coverage," said Munira Brooks, ZyXEL's senior vice president of sales and marketing. "It is well-known that Wi-Fi offers great mobility but it usually cannot cover every square foot of the home, leaving dead spots in certain places, As a result, many consumers are looking to Powerline technologies as an effective alternative to or as an add-on for their Wi-Fi networks."

NBG318S Powerline Wireless Router

ZyXEL's Powerline wireless router, the NBG318S, is an all-in-one solution that packs Ethernet, Wi-Fi and Powerline technologies into one box with the latest QoS technologies designed for gaming, VoIP, video streaming and Internet access. The NBG318S features the ability to be connected directly to a modem and can also act as a broadband extended wireless gateway by connecting to a modem via Powerline. This first-of-its-kind feature gives users complete control by allowing them to position the router at the most ideal location in the home and change the operation mode to use the router as a broadband extension gateway with a simple mouse click.

The NBG318S broadband router is designed for consumers who want to access the Internet, play online games, stream videos and make VoIP calls anywhere at home with either a wired or wireless connection. With the power cable also serving as a HomePlug AV data connection, the NBG318S will stream HD video throughout the home, overcoming most dead spots and interference. The NBG318S also comes standard with ZyXEL's DOS/DDOS SPI Firewall for advanced encryption and data protection.

"Considering the popularity of digital audio, video and online gaming, today's modern home needs a total solution that can provide all of its networking needs," added Brooks. "Our newest HomePlug AV Powerline solution is the first and only broadband gateway with all three network technologies - Wi-Fi, Powerline and Ethernet - built into one router. Our new products are extremely easy to use, are optimized to transfer high definition content in a smooth manner and eliminate interference with other nearby wireless networks."

PLA450 Powerline Wireless Access Point

ZyXEL's PLA450 Powerline Wireless Access Point is an 802.11g access point with built-in HomePlug AV capability and one Ethernet port. Targeted to customers who need to extend the wireless coverage in their home, small office or in a warehouse type of environment, the PLA450 does not require the installation of additional Ethernet cabling. The PLA450 offers an extremely easy-to-use and high-performance alternative by connecting to an existing wireless network over Powerline.

PLA470 Powerline Wireless Switch

ZyXEL's PLA470 is a HomePlug AV adapter with a built-in 4-port fast Ethernet switch. Powered by HomePlug AV technology, the PLA470 Powerline switch is rated at speeds of up to 200 Mbps over existing power lines. With a built-in 10/100 Mbps fast Ethernet switch, the PLA470 enables users to share Internet, printer and central storage over the Powerline network without the need to purchase an additional Powerline adapter.

Pricing and Availability

All HomePlug AV Powerline products are available individually or as combination kits through ZyXEL's authorized channel partners and Retail/E-tail outlets. The following combination kits are available:

* PLA400 Dual Pack - includes two PLA400 HomePlug Powerline Ethernet adapters (MSRP $199.99)

* PLA401 Dual Pack - includes two PLA401 HomePlug Powerline wall mount Ethernet adapters (MSRP $199.99)

* Powerline Home Network Kit - includes one NBG318S and one PLA401 wall mount unit (MSRP $280.00)

Pricing for standalone products are as follows: PLA400 (MSRP $95.00); PLA401 (MSRP $95.00); NBG318S (MSRP $135.00); PLA450 (MSRP $149.00); PLA470 (MSRP $108.00).

For more information about ZyXEL's HomePlug AV Powerline product family, please visit www.us.zyxel.com/homeplug or call 1-800-255-4101.

About ZyXEL Communications

ZyXEL Communications, Inc., with North American headquarters in Anaheim, California, is one of the world's foremost suppliers of broadband networking and Internet connectivity/routing products. ZyXEL is focused on developing MSAPs, xDSL DSLAMs / modems / gateways, cable access, broadband-sharing, VoIP, wireless and security solutions for a large target audience including Telcos, cable operators, ISPs, small-to-medium sized businesses, SOHO, residential and institutional MxU (multi-tenant unit/multi-dwelling unit) markets. Some of ZyXEL's largest customers include: Sprint, Time Warner, Charter, Earthlink, Chunghwa Telecom, Deutsche Telekom, France Telecom, Telefonica Brazil, Telia, Verizon and many others. ZyXEL's North American distributors include Embarq, Ingram Micro, Tech Data and Wynit. ZyXEL offers its channel partners industry leading incentives with a full line of enterprise-class products through the North America ZySTAR Channel Program. For more information on ZyXEL Communications and its broadband solutions, visit the company's website at http://www.us.zyxel.com.