AirMedia Uses Smarter 802.11n Wi-Fi from Ruckus Wireless for Huge Digital Signage Network Throughout China

China’s Largest Digital Media Network Uses Smarter Wi-Fi to Streamline its Business Model, Reliably Deliver HD Content to Thousands of Digital Signs in Harsh RF Airport Environments

BEIJING, CHINA, February 10, 2009 – Ruckus Wireless™ today announced that its ZoneFlex™ 802.11n Smart Wireless LAN products and technology have been selected by AirMedia, Inc., (Nasdaq: AMCN), as part of a large-scale digital advertising network serving over 50 airports throughout China.

AirMedia operates the largest digital media network in China with over 2,300 digital displays in airports and contracts rights to operate digital TV screens in 52 airports including 28 of the 30 largest airports in China. AirMedia needed a more flexible and reliable alternative to connect thousands of digital signs to remote servers that constantly deliver high definition advertising content.

With the popularity and dropping cost of flat screen televisions, digital signage has become a fast-growing application for Wi-Fi in public venues, hotels and even enterprises where communications can be delivered in a more compelling and flexible manner while easily updated and remotely customized.

Worldwide demand for digital signage continues to grow as the market consumed 1.1 million displays in 2008, according to MultiMedia Intelligence. By 2012, the market will consume nearly 2.3 million displays. China overtook the USA as the top digital signage consumer, driven by preparations for the 2008 Olympics. Retail, transportation and restaurants and bars are the top three verticals for digital signage while education and corporate communications verticals are making impressive gains.

After competitive evaluations, AirMedia selected and standardized on the Ruckus ZoneFlex 802.11n Smart Wireless LAN system because of its unique ability to deliver robust and reliable long-range Wi-Fi connections in harsh RF environments. Patented RF routing and dynamic beamforming technology, called BeamFlex™, that leverages integrated smart antenna arrays, sophisticated quality of service software and centralized wireless LAN management makes this possible.

AirMedia is currently rolling out ZoneFlex 7942 802.11n Smart Wi-Fi access points and dozens of ZoneDirector Smart WLAN controllers throughout airports in China to support its digital signage business.

“A highly reliable Wi-Fi solution was fundamental to our business model,” said Jianyu (Joe) Zhu, technical director at AirMedia Inc. “Without it, our digital media signs would be too costly and difficult to implement. The Ruckus ZoneFlex system was the only one we found to reject interference, extend signal range and provide consistently high performance to support the distribution of HD content to our digital signs.”

AirMedia had tried other Wi-Fi systems but experienced problems related to poor signal range and unstable connectivity. “We had to have stable connections that could automatically cope with the harsh RF environments found in airports,” said Zhu. “Equally important was being able to quickly deploy our digital signs anywhere in the airport and being able to remotely manage the Wi-Fi network from our operations center in Beijing.”

At airports throughout China installing Ethernet cables is extremely costly and inflexible. Cabling requires the approval of airport authorities. And in many locations where digital signs must be placed, cabling for Ethernet isn’t possible.

Each AirMedia digital sign is attached to a small local media player with an integrated 802.11n interface card. These players use Wi-Fi to communicate with secondary servers in the airport. The secondary servers constantly send and update players with flash-based HD advertisements and other multimedia content. The secondary servers communicate with primary servers at AirMedia’s operations center over a wireless broadband CDMA link.

Redundant Ruckus ZoneDirector controllers in every airport provide a central point of control and management for ZoneFlex 802.11n APs. Because ZoneFlex APs deliver two-to-four times more signal coverage than conventional APs, AirMedia was able to reduce the number of APs by 35 percent or more, reducing both capital and operational expense.

“With out the Ruckus systems, we would be spending twice as much time and money in connecting thousands of digital signs,” said Zhu. “This has had a significant and positive impact on our business.”