Smartoptics Group AS

Regulatory Filings • Oct 23, 2024

Smartoptics enters long-term partnership with US technology solutions provider WIN Technology

Smartoptics enters long-term partnership with US technology solutions provider WIN Technology

Oslo, Norway - October 23, 2024 - Smartoptics, a leading provider of optical

networking solutions, today announced that it has entered into a long-term

partnership with WIN Technology for the modernization and upgrade of the

company's network, serving organizations across Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa,

Illinois and Michigan.

"Recent product launches and targeted market efforts have further strengthened

Smartoptics' offering towards large- and mid-size operators. The partnership

with WIN Technology is another validation of our attractiveness in this segment.

WIN exemplifies the immense potential in deploying enhanced regional networks

across rural areas of the USA, a sector we believe has substantial growth

prospects," said Smartoptics CEO Magnus Grenfeldt.

Over the coming years, WIN Technology plans to strategically expand and

modernize its network by deploying Smartoptics' 100G/400G solutions, alongside

ROADM based open line system technology. To streamline the planning, deployment,

and management of the network infrastructure, WIN Technology will leverage

Smartoptics' SoSmart network management software suite.

"With data traffic projected to keep increasing, operators like WIN must make

infrastructure investments that lower our cost per gigabyte from both a CAPEX

and OPEX perspective. Smartoptics is an ideal partner for a medium-sized company

such as ours, thanks to its future-proof, open technology and a customer

-centric, lean, and flexible culture," said Scott Hoffmann, CEO of WIN

Technology.

WIN Technology is owned by 31 independent telcos in Wisconsin and has expanded

across the Midwest, owning and operating over 32,000 km of fiber while providing

IT Services to organizations across Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and

Michigan. WIN is a founding member of INDATEL, a nation-wide consortium, present

in more than 1100 Nationwide point-of-presence and operating more than 640,000

km of fiber networks.

"The true open line system technology of Smartoptics, including the 34-degree

ROADM's and associated DCP-404 and DCP-1203 traffic cards, gives us the ability

to grow and gradually replace our existing networks which are nearing 20 years

of service, with next generation technology. Smartoptics also offers solutions

that supports the explosive growth we've seen primarily driven by Internet

services, enterprise broadband, and mobile backhaul upgrades for the hundreds of

cellular towers we service. This is allowing us to deliver faster and more

reliable future-proofed services to our customers," said Matthew Yach, COO of

WIN Technology.

For more information please contact:

Magnus Grenfeldt

CEO

Smartoptics

+46 73-366 88 77

E-mail: magnus.grenfeldt@smartoptics.com

About Smartoptics

Smartoptics provides innovative optical networking solutions and devices for the

new era of open networking. Our customer base includes thousands of enterprises,

governments, cloud providers, Internet exchanges as well as cable and telecom

operators. We have an open networking approach in everything we do which allows

our customers to break unwanted vendor lock-in, remain flexible and minimize

costs. Our solutions are used in metro and regional network applications that

increasingly rely on data center services and specifications. Smartoptics is a

Scandinavian company founded in 2006. We partner with leading technology and

network solution providers such as Brocade, Cisco and Dell and have a global

reach through more than 100 business partners.

For additional information about Smartoptics, please visit

https://www.smartoptics.com/

About WIN Technology

WIN Technology is a leading digital infrastructure provider operating in the

upper Midwest. Over its 20,000-mile fiber network and strategically diverse data

centers, WIN Technology provides critical IT Services and connectivity solutions

to customers in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, and Michigan.

WIN Technology is proudly recognized as a certified Great Place To Work©.