Ring in the new year.

Approximately 25 million telephones exist in Russia for

an estimated 140 million people who demand more telecommunications infrastructure and long-distance calling alternatives. Crosna, a Russian satellite communications company, has been working in a joint venture with Rostelecom, Russia's primary incumbent long-distance phone carrier, to increase long-distance calling services and decrease costs for the Russians. The joint venture currently offers services through an extensive terrestrial and satellite-based footprint and was looking to add IP telephony into this network.

Crosna then formed a new joint venture--LiteWave East--with LiteWave, a telecom network solutions company utilizing voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) technology via fiber optic, Internet circuit, and satellite systems, to offer these IP telephony services to Rostelecom. Clarent Corp. was selected to provide IP telephony products to LiteWave East. Within LiteWave East, LiteWave will manage the Clarent-based IP telephony technology for Crosna/ Rostelecom, while Crosna will provide access to Rostelecom's customers, a satellite network, and the required telecommunications licenses. The initial deployment--due to be completed by the end of this year--will offer Clarent-based IP telephony long-distance calling services to people in Moscow, St. Petersberg, Yazoslavl, and Volgogzad.

www.clarent.com

Circle 270 for more information from Clarent Corp.

www.litewavecorp.com

Circle 271 for more information from LiteWave Corp.