May 31, 2002

News Release: Launches New 5.8 GHz Ultima3 Fixed Wireless Access Products

WI-LAN INC ("WIN-T")
Wi-LAN Inc., a global innovator of high-speed wireless data/Internet communications, launched the AWE 120-58 Ultima3 Fixed Wireless Access products based on its patented MC-DSSS (Multi-Code Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) technology. The Ultima3 series, the second generation of Wi-LAN's ground-breaking 5.8 GHz product line, provides improved scalability, multi-layered security, automatic power control, tiered network service management, longer range coverage, and a user-friendly network management interface, all in a rugged, weatherproof, single unit design. "The Ultima3 product demonstrates a new level of maturity in Wi-LAN's product line," said Dr. Hatim Zaghloul, Chairman, President and CEO, Wi-LAN Inc. "Customers told us of their wish-list of value-added features and compatibility with the existing AWE 120-58 products, so we have delivered on their requests and packaged them in a highly integrated and compact single-unit form factor. The Ultima3 is a crystallization of our transformation from a technology engineering company to a sales and marketing company."

The Ultima3 series includes Rapid Deployment (RD) and Extended Range (ER) products for point-to-point applications, and Access Point (AP) and Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) products for point-to-multipoint applications. The point-to-point systems can deliver a maximum of 12 Mbps with a distance of up to 75 kilometers, and the point-to-multipoint systems can deliver an aggregated throughput of 72 Mbps per cell with a distance up to 16 kilometers based on a six-sector design.

Built on eight years of field-proven technology and experience, the AWE 120-58 Ultima3 series is designed to meet the needs of license-exempt wireless Internet service providers and enterprises looking to build or extend broadband communications infrastructures. The Ultima3 series can be configured with various antennas, depending on customer requirements, making it more flexible and scalable. The Ultima3 also offers dynamic power control, which improves coverage while minimizing interference, allowing customers to utilize spectrum effectively and maximize frequency reuse. Improved multi-layered security is incorporated through Wi-LAN's proprietary MC-DSSS technology, user-configurable data scrambling and formatting, individual identification codes, VLAN tagging and IP filtering, making an Ultima3 network virtually impregnable. Installation and network setup is simplified through CPE cloning and an optional installation kit, and the Ultima3 also offers tiered service management through CIR/MBR (Committed Information Rate / Maximum Burst Rate), longer-range coverage, and a user-friendly web-based GUI network management interface. The single unit design eliminates the need for expensive accessories and coaxial cable, is easier and less expensive to install, can be mounted indoors or outdoors without the need for additional climate control, and enables longer-range coverage due to reduced line and connector losses.

Ultima3 products can be used for broadband access applications alone or in combination with wired alternatives. Using a cell-based network design linked by point-to-point units, Wi-LAN's Ultima3 solution can easily serve a growing customer base. Coverage cells can be added and expanded quickly and cost effectively. By starting small and expanding, network operators experience early profits, and enterprises realize incremental cost savings. Available in the 5.8 GHz license-exempt band, the Ultima3 is suitable for deployment in most countries worldwide.

The current hardware is capable of supporting several generations of enhancement to the system software. Features such as quality of service, voice-over-IP, video services and additional network management features are being made available, as the market requires, via over-the-air software upgrades. Also, future generations of products will be compatible with existing products.

The AWE (Advanced Wireless Ethernet bridge) Product Series, which includes the Ultima3 series as well as the previously announced AWE 22-09, AWE 45-24, AWE 120-24 and AWE 120-58, is offered in the license-exempt 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz bands. The AWE Series meets the requirements of service providers and enterprises without the need to obtain spectrum licenses. The AWE 120-58 (including the Ultima3 series) and AWE 120-24 products feature Wi-LAN's patented

MC-DSSS technology, which is designed to support constant service over distance through increased data rates, enhanced reliability and cost-effective performance. MC-DSSS technology also improves security due to built-in data scrambling that prevents unwanted eavesdropping. Wi-LAN's advanced wireless Ethernet bridges are designed to be simple to use, install and manage. Enhanced scalability allows a service provider to easily add new customers.

Orders are being accepted for shipment today for Wi-LAN's AWE 120-58 Ultima3 series. To place an order, or for more information on the Ultima3 series, please call Wi-LAN at +1 (403) 273-9133, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The MC-DSSS Advantage

Wi-LAN's patented Multi-code Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum technology (MC-DSSS) is the world's most spectrally efficient spread spectrum radio technology, and is the technology that makes it possible to multiply the carrying capacity of traditional spread spectrum systems by as much as ten times. Wi-LAN believes that MC-DSSS is the foundation for third generation (3G) mobile radio networks, including cellular phones, and Wi-LAN has filed an intellectual property statement with the International Telecommunications Union offering to make MC-DSSS available for licensing on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms.

MC-DSSS is a spectrally efficient spread spectrum modulation technique that assigns up to N DSSS codes to a single user, where N is the number of chips per DSSS code. These N DSSS codes are all orthogonal. In other words, MC-DSSS enables multiple CDMA codes to be assigned to a single user in a CDMA network, thus increasing throughput. Conventional systems with a single user using three codes not only triple the throughput but also triple the cost of having three full transceivers. In MC-DSSS implementation, the information on all codes can be decoded in a single transformation.

About Wi-LAN Inc.

Wi-LAN is a global innovator in the field of high-speed wireless data communications, specializing in high-speed Internet access, LAN/WAN extension and broadband wireless access. Wi-LAN is the Chair Company of the OFDM Forum (www.ofdm-forum.com). Wi-LAN believes its W-OFDM patent is necessary for the implementation of devices using the IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11g or ETSI BRAN HiperLAN/2 standards. Wi-LAN's products are known worldwide for their high quality and industry-leading technology. Wi-LAN's common shares trade on The Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "WIN." Detailed information on Wi-LAN can be found at www.wi-lan.com. TEL: (403) 207-6329 Ken Wetherell, Investor and Media Relations

Wi-LAN Inc. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Website: www.wi-lan.com

WEBSITE This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.