Narad Networks, Inc., today announced the appointment of veteran industry executive Michael Collette as chief executive officer. Narad Networks is a leading provider of high performance broadband access solutions for cable systems.

Narad also announced it has secured additional funding to support the company's ongoing operations as well as the roll out of its new switching platform-based product, the FTTxSWITCH™. The new product will enable operators to deploy switched broadband access in fiber to the node (FTTN), fiber to the curb (FTTC), and fiber to the premise (FTTP) topologies using fiber, coax or wireless links to the end user.

"Demand for broadband access is accelerating, both from businesses and consumers", said Dr. Robert M. Metcalfe, member of Narad's board of directors, general partner of Polaris Venture Partners, and widely recognized as the inventor of Ethernet. We are very excited about Narad's new broadband switching platform for the cable industry. With the benefit of Michael's wealth of experience in leading high-growth broadband technology companies, Narad is sure to play a key role in supplying the cable industry with powerful tools for growth.

Prior to joining Narad, Collette was CEO of Ucentric Systems, a leading provider of home media networking software for the connected home. John C. Petrillo, former CEO of Narad, will remain Chairman of the company's board.

"The commercial services market is large, deep, wide and varied in terms of requirements, geographies and growth rates," said Collette. Narad has a set of unique, mature, patented technologies that can be applied in a diversity of ways and with the cable industry's increasing focus on this very large market, I believe Narad is well-situated to help operators achieve strong revenue growth.

Collette has 15 years marketing, sales and business development experience working with advanced media and communications technologies. Prior to his role at Ucentric, Collette was senior vice president of marketing and business development for OpenTV, where he was responsible for the global positioning of the company's interactive television architecture, applications and media solutions. He also held senior executive positions at ICTV and MediaTech Strategies, a strategic consulting firm he founded in 1996. Prior to MediaTech, Collette worked for General Instrument, PlayboyTV and TVN Entertainment.

Collette received his MBA degree from UCLA's Anderson Graduate School of Management and his undergraduate degree in English and Social Science from University of California, Berkeley. About Narad Networks Narad Networks is a provider of an end-to-end hardware and software solution that enables cable operators to leverage existing coaxial cable to deliver high bit rate, high quality data and voice services to "middle market" commercial end users. The system is designed to meet the needs of small to medium sized enterprises, which comprise approximately 55% of total U.S. commercial services revenues. Narad's solution targets commercial users that have voice or data needs above what cable modems can provide and where fiber installation is cost-prohibitive or too slow from a time to market standpoint.

Based in Westford, Massachusetts, Narad is a privately held company with venture funding from Argo Global Capital, Polaris Venture Partners and other leading venture capital firms. For more information, visit www.naradnetworks.com.