Pronto?s Role In The Wi-Fi OSS Market Grows Stronger


Pronto Networks Named to Second-Annual AlwaysOn?; List of Top 100 Private Companies for Second Straight Year


Pleasanton, CA -/July 7, 2004 - Wi-Fi Technology News/- Pronto Networks, a leading provider of carrier-class OSS solutions for large Wi-Fi hotspot networks, today announced its inclusion for the second straight year in the AlwaysOn (AO) Top 100 Private Companies list. AlwaysOn, an open source media company focused on technology and business innovation, and KPMG's emerging business practice, KPMG 1Start, compiled the second-annual AO100 list.

The two groups surveyed more than 1,000 venture investors, investment bankers, top entrepreneurs and executives, who nominated more than 700 companies to determine the AO100 winners. The full list can be found at http://www.alwayson-network.com.

AlwaysOn and KPMG 1Start identified the 2004 AO100 companies based on their demonstrated leadership and innovation in at two key areas: market traction measured by revenue or customer growth and new approaches and technologies that are likely to cause significant change to existing markets and well-established players.

"Private company innovation is incredibly strong and continues to flourish. Over 50 of last year's AO100 companies returned to this year's list and 50 new companies have been selected that are well positioned to significantly contribute to the second-generation of the Internet," notes Tony Perkins, AlwaysOn founder.

"Being selected by Always On for a second consecutive year is a tremendous honor for Pronto," said Jasbir Singh, President and CEO of Pronto Networks. "Our continued success in extending our core Operations Support Systems (OSS) platform to deliver new value-added services for our customers is evidenced by this recognition. We remain focused on continuing to enhance our solution and attracting more customers.?

AO100 winners will be honored at a reception on Tuesday, July 13, 2004 at the AlwaysOn Innovation Summit, taking place July 13-15 at the Frances C. Arrillaga Alumni Center on the Stanford University Campus. The event will feature over 60 keynote-level speakers, 15 sessions, 30 CEO Pitches and two days of conversation about what's driving the next wave of innovation. For more information visit: http://www.alwayson-network.com/events/index.php.

About Pronto Networks
Pronto Networks, based in Pleasanton, Calif., provides carrier-class Operations Support Systems (OSS) that enable network operators to deploy and manage large public hotspot networks. The company?s software handles provisioning, configuration, authentication, access control, security, pre-paid and post-paid billing, and roaming settlement for large public WLAN networks, in addition to remotely managing and updating multi-vendor hardware and Wi-Fi switches. Pronto Networks is funded by BV Capital, Draper Fisher Jurvetson and the Intel Communications Fund. In 2003, Pronto Networks received several awards including Wired Magazine?s Top 25 Wi-Fi Companies to Watch, the AlwaysOn List of Top 100 Private Companies, and Computerworld?s Innovative Technology Awards. For more information about Pronto Networks, please visit http://www.prontonetworks.com.



About AlwaysOn
AlwaysOn (AO) is an ?open source media company? dedicated to connecting global leaders and technology industry insiders whose ideas and innovations are shaping the always-on world.

Founded in January of 2003, AO is the first and only media brand to combine participatory journalism (blogging), with a powerful social network-the AO Zaibatsu. AO believes that individuals and businesses will increasingly use interactive media applications to ?step over the head of the media? and communicate directly to customers, suppliers and employees.

AlwaysOn, LLC, is a privately held and virtually headquartered company born out of the heart of Silicon Valley.