When I spoke to Sanjay on Friday morning for our podcast, he mentioned some news coming on Monday. I actually got this press announcement as a pre-release but held it until now to honor the request of letting it first be announced by the World Economic Forum and Bridgeport themselves. The word's outnow, so I'm adding it here.

Congratulations to BridgePort on this stellar achievement and well-deserved recognition.

BRIDGEPORT NETWORKS SELECTED AS A TECHNOLOGY PIONEER
FOR 2007 BY THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

CHICAGO (Dec. 4, 2006) – The World Economic Forum today announced that BridgePort Networks has been selected as a Technology Pioneer for 2007. 225 companies were nominated by the world’s leading venture capital and technology companies, and the final selection of 47 Technology Pioneers was made by a panel of leading technology experts appointed by the World Economic Forum. Mike Mulica, President and CEO of BridgePort Networks, has accepted the invitation to attend the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum to be held in Davos, Switzerland from January 24 – 28, 2007.

Based in Chicago, BridgePort Networks is the leading MobileVoIP communications network infrastructure software company, offering innovative applications for Fixed-Mobile Convergence that combine the personalization and mobility of mobile phone services with the flexibility, innovation and outstanding cost economics of the rapidly growing Voice over IP (VoIP) sector.

One example of a Fixed Mobile Convergence application is the company's MobileSTICK solution. This combines a USB memory key containing an embedded GSM SIM card and a PC soft phone program with BridgePort Networks’ NomadicONE Network Convergence Gateway located in the mobile operator’s network. Used with a broadband connected PC, MobileSTICK leverages standards-based VoIP technology to bridge the mobile and broadband networks.

Simply plugging MobileSTICK into a PC or laptop with a broadband connection launches a PC soft phone that utilizes the user’s existing mobile phone number to make and receive phone calls, SMS messages and multimedia messages. MobileSTICK extends mobile number services at low cost to environments where such services are either currently unavailable or are cost prohibitive. For example, VoIP technology allows the high costs of international mobile roaming to be substituted with an economical flat rate – and makes it possible for immigrants, expatriates and foreign students to retain a national mobile number in their country of origin and communicate more regularly with friends and family back home.

“Our vision is that, through innovation we free individuals to communicate without boundaries”, said Mulica. “We are honored that the World Economic Forum recognized our work towards this vision in selecting BridgePort Networks as a Technology Pioneer for 2007. We welcome the opportunity to expose this vision to the business and government leaders who will be present at the Annual Meeting in Davos.”

Technology Pioneers are companies that have been identified as developing and applying highly transformational and innovative technologies in the areas of energy, biotechnology and health, and information technology. This year’s class of companies has been selected not only because of the cutting-edge work undertaken by these organizations, but also because their work has potential long-term impact on business and society.

“The competition to become a Technology Pioneer has been more intense than ever. It is evident that technology and innovation are playing a key role in the shifting power equation at a global level. Driving this shift is the tremendous amount of innovation taking place outside of traditional hubs. The wide geographic spread of this year’s Technology Pioneers is a testament to this trend. We are pleased to welcome these exciting companies to our Community of Technology Pioneers, and look forward to engaging these industry leaders of the future into the community of the World Economic Forum”, said Peter Torreele, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum.

To be selected as a Technology Pioneer, a company must be involved in the development of life-changing technology innovation and have the potential for long-term impact on business and society. In addition, it must demonstrate visionary leadership, show all the signs of being a long-standing market leader – and its technology must be proven. Previous Technology Pioneers have included Autonomy, Cambridge Silicon Radio, Encore Software, Google, Millennium Pharmaceuticals and Napster.

Go to www.weforum.org/techpioneers/2007 for the entire list of Technology Pioneers and interviews with Michael Mulica and the other CEOs of the selected companies.
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About BridgePort Networks
BridgePort Networks is the leader in MobileVoIP convergence -- combining the personalization and mobility of mobile phone services with the flexibility, innovation and outstanding cost economics of the rapidly growing VoIP sector. The NomadicONE product family extends single identity phone number services over multiple access networks, including - mobile, cable, DSL and Wi-Fi – in both current networks and IMS environments. BridgePort Networks is a global company, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. To learn more about BridgePort Networks visit: www.bridgeport-networks.com.

BridgePort Networks logo and NomadicONE are trademarks of BridgePort Networks Inc. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.

About the World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum (http://www.weforum.org), based in Geneva, Switzerland, is an independent organization committed to improving the state of the world. Funded by the contributions of 1,000 of the world's foremost corporations, the Forum acts in the spirit of entrepreneurship in the global public interest to further economic growth and social progress. The Forum serves its members and society by creating partnerships between and among business, political, intellectual and other leaders of society to define, discuss and advance key issues on the global agenda. Incorporated in 1971 as a foundation, the World Economic Forum is impartial and not-for-profit, and is tied to no political, partisan or national interests. In 1995 the Forum was awarded NGO consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.